96 E300D Rear control arm replacement

[kolnerspieler]

I bent both my rear control arms. I lost control of the car during a snow storm and hit a curb which bent up my control arms. Just looking for some advice when replacing them. I know its hard when working with the spring coil. What is the best way to compress it? I know autozone has some tools, but how helpful are they. Also maybe a step by step would help. I am guessing that I have to compress the spring coils first, then remove the shock absorber, and then take out the control arm?
any help would be great. thank you

[michakaveli]

No need for a coil spring compressor when working on the rear. It's actually very easy. With the side being worked on, lifted in the air, and of course the tire removed, all you need is another jack, block of wood (if you are OCD about scratching components), and the appropriate tools, (i.e. ratchets, sockets, etc..)

Loosen the bolt holding the lower control arm to the rear subframe. When you are ready to slight the bolt out, but the 2nd jack (with block of wood), underneath the bolt at the end of the control arm to support, slightly raise jack to release tension from bolt holding the arm in place, remove bolt and slowly lower the control arm. It's like a cantilever effect. Once you hav eslowly dropped the end of the control arm, move the jack out of the way, push down on the end of the control arm that you were supporting (trust me) and the wheel hub rotor assembly will continue to rise, and the spring will essentially fall out. Do these steps in reverse when re-installing, just make sure the end of the coil spring is sitting nicely in the lower control arm prior to raising the control arm back into the subframe. If it's not perfectly centered in the grove of the lower control arm, it will slide into place while raising it back up.

Good Luck!