Greetings!

I'm trying to replace the rear hydraulic shock absorbers on my 1982 W123 300TD Station Wagon, and could use some assistance.

Has anyone gone through the process? I tried to search the forums here to see if there was any step-by-step details shared but couldn't find anything specific.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

You don't have shock absorbers in the rear of a wagon. You have hydraulic struts. Do a search on SLS.
If the car is bouncy or very stiff you will need to replace the accumulators.

Dave

__________________
1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

what is the difference betweeen shocks and struts?

Struts help hold the car at a certain height, but provide no "dampening" effect. On these wagons the dampening effect, the shock absorption if you will, happens inside the accumulators. {aka spheres, nitrogen cells, etc...}
Struts on these are usually OK unless they are leaking.
Ancient Chinese proverb: "It's always the accumulators".......

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John