Did the back shocks today - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

elchivito · #1 12-31-2009, 05:32 PM

Replaced the back shocks today with OEM Bilsteins. Back seat came out without a hitch. The Harbor Freight 3 ton floor jack I bought is a real cheap piece of crap. Virtually impossible to tighten the handle far enough to keep it in the up position, and it's all or nothing when you turn the handle CCW to release it. Make sure everybody's clear because that sucker comes down NOW.
Anyway, a pretty easy fix other than the fact that the new shocks were next to impossible to compress to bolt on from the bottom. I finally took an old screw jack out of my pickup and put a length of 2x3 on top of it long ways and screwed it up to get the shock to compress enough for me to get the bolts to thread in. In addition, the old shocks had a nice two nut tightening system on top, now replaced with one of those cheesy "self locking" nuts lined with that plastic junk. I reused the old top nuts. Much more secure IMO. The left side bottom bolts were a PITA and shoulder to get loose, but some PBBlaster eventually got them off. Had to use the old screws on that side as for the life of me I couldn't get the new ones to thread in.
Doing the fronts on Saturday and removing the buggered AC mounting brackets while it's up on the stands.
Question: Where is the best jack point for the floor jack in front? Should I use the floor jack at the jack points? Better to lift one wheel at a time or put the whole front up like I did the back? If so, where to put the jackstands in front? I'd like to only jack it up once if possible.
Happy New Year!

toomany MBZ · #2 12-31-2009, 06:38 PM

I use the engine crossover, use jack stands under the jack points.

Yak · #3 12-31-2009, 08:32 PM

Spray the lock nuts today and let them soak until Saturday. I ended up using a Dremel cutting wheel on one of the lock nuts since it was frozen to the other nut.

gatorblue92 · #4 12-31-2009, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toomany MBZ

I use the engine crossover, use jack stands under the jack points.

x2... i dont think there is another good place for jack stands on a w123

79Mercy · #5 12-31-2009, 09:47 PM

Yep, use the cross member to jack up the entire front end, and put jack stands under the jack holes. Use a good solid piece of wood if you can so you wont damage the floor. Be sure your not jacking it up by the oil pan too.

A buddy of mine has one of those HF jacks, it is a PITA to lower.

Did you notice notice a difference in how high the rear end sat after the shock replacement? Was it sitting up higher?

elchivito · #6 01-01-2010, 12:55 AM

The donuts looked pretty compressed on the old shocks. My indy said he thought they might be the originals. Putting the inside and outside donuts together and comparing them to the new ones; the new ones were a good 3/4 inch thicker. The rear end sits up about that much higher, nothing too radical. Kind of a rakish look, if you will.

pawoSD · #7 01-01-2010, 12:58 AM

I'm able to compress shocks by hand when I put them in....maybe I am just at a superhuman level of muscle development.

elchivito · #8 01-01-2010, 01:25 AM

I unload and put away 2000 lbs of hay once a month, but pushing on those shocks from an already uncomfortable position wasn't fun. I guess you must be muy macho.

elchivito · #9 01-02-2010, 11:02 PM

Finished the front shocks today, what a difference in the ride, no more feeling like we're gonna bottom out. I had followed advice on soaking the bottom screws for several days, but could not for the life of me come up with a thin walled 10mm 12 point ratchet. Ended up getting the inside screws out and back in with a 10mm. combination wrench. Not fun, but it worked. The 3/8ths drive ratchet absolutely would NOT fit on that inside screw no matter what we did. The only difficulty we had was in a difference between the way the old and new shocks were mounted on top. The old ones had one rubber donut topped with a concave washer on top, topped with a hex nut and a check nut on top of that. The new ones, which appeared to be identical, came with two washer/disk things and two donuts apiece along with the cheesy plastic lined nut. Upon replacing one donut and the washer plate, there was plenty of wiggle room left. Not acceptable. We finally deciphered one configuration off the included (in german) mounting instructions and used two donuts with a washer/disk on top, topped by the cheesy plastic lined nut. Worked great and all is well. At least for now.

Next come motor mounts and new axles/boots. I am going to let the indy do those. Above my pay grade.

Carpenterman · #10 01-02-2010, 11:26 PM

Yea, those inside bolts are unreal. I found that if you tighten the outside bolts first, you can compress and pull the shock to the outboard enough to get better clearance on the inside ones. Then do the top last of all. Reverse order when removing. Did you try this?

Sadly I can't haul milking does in my '81 TD wagon, but a Boer will fit.

79Mercy · #11 01-02-2010, 11:34 PM

Good work!!!

So did the overall ride hieght change any?

babyjames · #12 01-02-2010, 11:43 PM

That's my preferred place to put the jackstands. Again, with a chunk of wood on top. No risk of damaging the coachwork that way.

Jay.

derburger · #13 01-02-2010, 11:57 PM

I replaced the rear shocks a few weeks back on my 300cd. I'm pretty sure they were original (!) as there are no records of shock replacement in my books.

I had soaked the bottom bolts in PB blaster a week prior so I had no problems there. For the top locknuts I used an extendable 3/8" ratchet on the top one, and then a box wrench locked against the hole in the sheetmetal for the bottom.

The new shocks made a huge difference, there is less of a bouncy ride and body roll. Bilstein HD's are definitely the ones to choose for coupes.

elchivito · #14 01-03-2010, 08:38 AM

carpenterman: That's pretty much how we did it, outside first and kind of pullpushing on the shock to give clearance for the back hole. I bet you could get more than one Boer in your wagon, long as they don't have horns

79Mercy: I can't tell much difference in ride height, maybe half an inch, but things are much smoother on the road. Before, it reminded me of that lovely floaty feeling you get from an old 50's buick.