I have searched, but haven't found a tutorial, pictorial, etc on changing shocks on a 123.

Does anyone have a write up, advice, pics, or a guide to do this. What kind of skill do you need, tricks/tips etc....

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85 300CD Turbo "Das Polluter" 230K sold for $3,000

98 BMW 323is

I don't have a write up but it takes a low level of skill to replace shocks on a 123.You need to be able to remove wheels, remove the back seat and unscrew bolts and nuts. Nothing more complicated than that. If you've never done it before, allow 2 hrs for the first shock and an hour each for the remaining ones. Support the lower control arm when you do it.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Easy to do and doesn't take much mechanical skill.
For the fronts - remove the top nut first (you will have to hold the flattened part of the shock top with a small wrench or vice grips to allow you to loosen the top nuts), then remove the two bottom bolts and the shock will drop out - you may have to jack the car up a bit more to allow room for the shock to come down. Reverse the process to install.
To remove the rears, take out the bottom of the rear seat (two small red buttons along the forward botom edge of the seat will allow it to be removed), the nremove the seat back (three bolts, one on each side and one in the middle), lift it straight up then out (you have to clear the slots that the tabs on the top of the seat fit into.) On each side of the bulkhead behind the sound deadening is a plastic cover, remove it and you'll see the top of the rear shocks - same process to remove the top nuts. To remove the bottom of the shock is same process as the front - remove the bottom bolts and they will drop out - again, you may have to jack the car up farther to allow them to drop out.
The first time you do this, it will take some time - the next time you do it (in 80-90K miles), you can do all four in a couple of hours or less.

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Houston, Texas
1984 300CD 235K miles, Elvira, one owner
1987 300TD 180K miles
1974 TR6 78K miles Sarah Jane, one owner
OBK #27

ok, I will chime in... Snap on makes a socket that fits the end of the front shocks... hold the nut with a box end wrench, put the socket on the end of the shock and drive it out with an impact wrench... both shocks out in 10 minutes. I think the rears can go out the same way, but I do not know... the shock is accessible from under the seat back.

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Make sure when you change yours to take pics and write it up for a DIY.

John

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Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
2002 F250 powerstroke with Plantdrive WVO conversion
1983 300SD 190K miles ,sold
2006 E320 CDI

I believe you need a 12 point 10mm socket for the bottom nuts on the front shocks. MAKE SURE YOU SUPPORT THE CONTROL ARM ON THE FRONT. Can we say "Boing?"

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1989 300E 144K

I have already had the back seat out to inspect the rear passenger side... with the car on the ground the nuts weren't loose, but I guess if I jacked the rear off the ground maybe I would have found it was loose like some posters here have found... all i know is I am wiling to throw $150 at the rattle noise I seem to be getting from the rear shocks....(shock)

I have learned Bilstein 46-0713-HO are the comfort ones for my 85 300cd. I think... Bilstein.com lists it for up to the '81 300cd. Is there any change or difference after 81.....anyone?

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85 300CD Turbo "Das Polluter" 230K sold for $3,000

98 BMW 323is

I am going to do this Sat. Need input

I know how to get my back seat out now. I have seen where the nuts are on the top of the rear shocks. Is this right...

1) Take off both top nuts from top of shock.
2) Take off bottom nuts (do I need a jack stand on under the control arm for the rear) My plan is to do one side at a time and have my hydraulic jack in front of the rear tire.

Do I have to make sure it doesn't rotate while doing top and bottom, or is that just for the front.

Also, is this just a matter of take of the nuts and the thing drops out, or will it still be hard to get out eventhought the weight of the car is off the shock.

As you can tell I have never fooled with it yet....

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85 300CD Turbo "Das Polluter" 230K sold for $3,000

98 BMW 323is

I would place the side you are working on up on a jackstand. Use your hydraulic jack to raise and lower control/trailing arm to remove shock.

It's the piston rod that you need to keep from rotating. It has flat sides you can put a wrench on.

Not hard to get out.

John

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Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
2002 F250 powerstroke with Plantdrive WVO conversion
1983 300SD 190K miles ,sold
2006 E320 CDI

That's right. The main reason you want to support the control arm in the rear is that the shock drops out through the spring and you want to get as much clearance as possible between the bottom of the spring and and the ground in order to remove the shock. With the shock at full extension and the suspension hanging as low as possible it will be very difficult to get the shock out without digging a hole under the car. Since the shocks are old, compressing the shock to shorten it and get it out should not be a difficult issue. Putting the new shock back in is another issue. The shock needs to be compressed to fit back up in there. If your shock does not come compressed, compress it, and using light wire, hold it in the compressed position. Once the shock is inside the spring, reach in with a pair of cutters and cut the wire, allowing the shock to extend. But be aware that once you do this, that new extended shock will be very difficult to remove so make sure everything is correct and ready to go before cutting that wire.
If you do this on a lift, all these issues are irrelevant because you'd have plenty of space to drop the shock straight down.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

If it still rattles after all that, you'll probably also want to do a pair of these:

http://catalog.worldpac.com/mercedesshop/sophio/wizard.jsp?partner=mercedesshop&clientid=catalog.mercedesshop&baseurl=http://catalog.peachparts.com/&cookieid=23W0K8UVH2BL0MFV3U&year=1983&make=MB&model=300-DT-001&category=L&part=Sway+Bar+Link

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1989 300E 144K

And allow time for the snapped lower shock bolts to be drilled out of the control arm. Ask how I know...

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Sharing my partner's 2012 Forte 5dr SX til I find my next 123 or 126..
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Do I miss being a service advisor ???

I think there is a pictorial on shock removal on diesel giant

Tie rods, but no shocks.

John

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Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
2002 F250 powerstroke with Plantdrive WVO conversion
1983 300SD 190K miles ,sold
2006 E320 CDI

The shock needs to be compressed to fit back up in there. If your shock does not come compressed, compress it, and using light wire, hold it in the compressed position.

New bilsteins. Is my shock pre compressed? And if so after installing how do I uncompress it?

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85 300CD Turbo "Das Polluter" 230K sold for $3,000

98 BMW 323is