Anyone take a gander at this? Curious as to other's situations regarding spring replacement. Did these cars have a hard time handling a tank of fuel and 75 trunk lbs without sagging when new?

Spring spacers helped to level, but it appears that the sagging with weight would be due to springs.

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This area is typically used to brag about one's current or former automobiles.

If the vehicle is dead level when empty, it will, by definition, sag when you put 225 lb. on the rear axle. The weight in the trunk actually adds to the 225 lb. somewhat and unloads the front springs somewhat.

The spring rate is approx. 350 lb./inch so the load as stated would cause the rear to deflect downward approx. 1/2". If yours deflects more with the stated load, there is some argument that the spring rate as dropped a bit on the older springs. However, I have not found that to be the case on the pair that I had tested. YMMV.

Hi Brian. Thanks for this and all of your other thoughts, suggestions and input. Its a huge help to be able to get great feedback from someone with your experience.

It definitely deflects downwards more than 1/2" with less than 225lbs.

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This area is typically used to brag about one's current or former automobiles.

In what way were the springs 'tested'?

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The SDL's springs were tested by Coil Spring Specialties in Kansas and were found to have the exact spring rate as delivered from the factory with a slightly compressed length (about 1/4").

Well, I am convinced.

It might be a little different for the wagon, but considering the build quality of the era, perhaps it is negligible?

Also, do you think the the results of installing shims is immediate? Or do they take some time for the springs to adjust to the new loads? (before taking an accurate measurement)

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The effect of installing different spring pads is immediate. The front end of the SD dropped nearly 1.5" from the change.

There may have been some improvement with the spring material used by mercedes. If my memory serves me right changing the springs out was part of a certain milage maintenance schedule done at dealerships a long time ago.

Well at least prior to the introduction of 123s and I think before the 114 and 115 chassis as well.

Brian also did not mention that since the spring pad is inboard depending on the positioning along the lower arm will determine the front axle movement up or down to always exceed the thickness change of the spring pad. The degree of this could be estimated by measurement of the spring pocket location along the axis of the control arm.

The springs do not really age as the north american cars of the same period did. Or at least to a far lesser extent. Most heavy american cars springs seemed to really settle or sag down when the cars were only a few years old .

So the he really nice thing is the springs apparently do hold up much better on 123 and 126 cars. Plus coil breakage is not endemic either. Technically someone did their job right in the fabrication and choice of the metal used those many years ago.