Final answer!
 

Spend all of your time getting the sub frame and trailing arms in place first.

Like I said I think you are better off fitting the diff first to the sub frame unless you're super strong or can lift the car higher than the height of standard axle stands. May be 4X4 axle stands would be better? (I don't know for sure though)

Once you've got the trailing arms, diff, and sub frame in place, then it is time to fit the springs.

If you try and some how fit the springs at the same time you are going to spend most of your time fighting the reactive force they produce. You don't need that!

Oooooo! Has that got the "one pump to meet the thing you're going to lift" feature? I want that next.

I used Whiskeydan`s bushing design almost to a "T". I had problems with using the washer to push the bushing through into the pipe coupler. the washer just wanted to bend, even with 2 washers back to back.
well since I use to work for the State of Calif. with the old Division of Highways. then later changed to Caltrans, I had access to guard rail nuts and bolts.
I used a guard rail bolt on the 5/8 12" piece of all thread. when I tightens the nuts down, the guard rail nut bit into the rubber and just pushed the bushing into the pipe coupler. you will have to cut off the rubber flange of the bushing to be able to shove it into the coupler.
Now I don`t recommend you to go down to the corner gardrail and remove a couple nuts, but they are 1 1/4" wide :rolleyes:.

The springs are a piece of cake. I just replaced my rear springs Tues with a set of Progressives.

Remove the nuts off the shocks at the top, behind the rear seat, with the vehicle still on the ground.

Loosen lug nuts on rear wheels.

Jack up vehicle securely and safely.

Remove rear wheels.

Remove the rear calipers, I hung them on the rear sway bar with a short bunjee, hook in each bolt hole. 19mm bolts.

Remove the rear links, sway bar end. 16mm and 17mm back up. then tip sway bar up so bungee/caliper dont slide off.

Remove the lower shock bolts, 17mm. If car is raised high enough, the shock will slide out.

Place floor jack under Diff. and keep tight under the diff., remove the 4 13mm bolts that attach the diff to body.

Slowley lower the floor jack, and the springs will just about fall out.

I removed the 4 exhaust donuts and lowered the muffler to the ground. but for your project of removing the whole rear suspension. remove the whole exhaust pipe. 4 donuts, and the 2 long bolts at the connection, then slide the pipe out of the way.

Charlie

Check Costco, they have a good 3 1/2 ton floor jack for $89.99. I have 2 of them. they work great. I have one HF jack, and it bleeds off a little, from the start.
The Costco isn`t the racing jack, but is low profile and a steel body, and well made.

Charlie

Thanks again charmalu....forgot about the exhaust. When you are reinstalling the suspension, how do you put the springs back in? Id guess you'd want to line it up first, then bolt the 2 subframe bolts, then put the springs in? I am a little confused as to how to put it all back together.

Hey Army, where did you get the wax spray for inside the subframe and what is it called?

And where do you get SylGlide or equivalent?

I think I got the Sil-glyde at a local auto supply. actually got it for the sun roof a couple yrs ago. NAPA might carry it. It did make the sub frame bushing go right in. the KY didn`t work so well. they went except for about 1/4", then stopped. pulled them back out, cleaned off the KY, slathered on the Sylglide, and presto.

I don`t think a kragans, O`riley etc would carry the sylglide, but never know.

Once you have the trailing arms bolted to the sub-frame, and the Diff bolted down to it. (Iam assuming you are using floor jacks to raise the assembly up) bolt the sub-frame bushing to the body to secure it.

Haveing a jack under the trailing arm, place the upper end of the spring, with pad, into the upper pearch, and then line up the lower end into is slot. there is a little hollow for the end of the spring.

Then slowly jack up the trailing arm, and the spring will compress. raise it enough to hold it. then do the other side the same. then raise up the differential and bolt it to the body.

Slip the shocks in, and bolt them down. you might have to raise the or lower the trailing arm to get the lower bolts to reach. I had it too high and the bolts were too short, so had to lower a little. once tightened down then raise it up to secure the tops.

Charlie

My shopping list for the job:

Tools I need over what i already have:
- 1 more floor jack (3 floor jacks total)
- axle boot clamp pliers
- self-made subframe remover/installer like Whiskeydan's
- Rent regular spring compressor to use like Army did to put his subframe bushings in (or some plan to put subframe bushings in out of the car)
- funnel for rebooting axles
- coat hanger brake caliper hangers ready to go

Parts for the entire rebuild:

R&R Axles and Reboot
- 2 new axle washers (in the hub that tighten to 30nm and are one use)
- 4 new Dorman axle boots (rebooting)
- 4 axle clamps
- 1 front differential seal (mine weeps a teeny bit)
- 2 side differential seals (why not?)
- 2 quarts Mobil1 75W-90 for diff and boots

Bushings / Links / Pads
- 2 sway bar links
- 2 sway bar bushings (dealer)
- 2 subframe bushings
- 1 diff mount
- 4 trailing arm bushings (Non-eccentric)
- 2 15mm (2 nub) spring pads to be consistent with what I have now

Brakes
- 2 new ATE discs
- new OE pads for the rear brakes

Shocks
- 2 new Bilstein comfort shocks

Misc.
- 6 new self-locking nuts for replacing on driveshaft flex disc (dealer)
- Loctite Blue for Diff mount bolts and other applications
- SylGlide
- Waxy stuff to spray into subframe cavity <- what is a brand for this?

Paint / Rust Prep:
- quart of POR-15 black
- quart of POR-15 Chassis Cote Black Topcoat
- lots of Marine Clean degreaser
- lots of POR-15 'metal ready' rust prep

- Luck, Time, Patience



Did I miss anything?

These are my comments on your list
 

My comments are in bold and between brackets...

{If you are re-booting with flexible boots I'd go for the axle grease option - that is often supplied with flexible boots - as flexible boots are very thin compared with the proper jobs. My reasoning is that axle grease won't leak out as fast as oil will when the cheaper flexible boots rip.

Also with the axle grease option you only need to assemble the boots onto the axle and then hold the larger end into place before you put them on the car. Leave the small clamp off of the boot - this only works with grease - so that you don't rip the boot. The boot can slide along the axle quite easily. Once every thing is in position and the car is back on its wheels I think that is the time to crawl underneath and attach the small axle boot clamps. In this way you are less likely to damage these crappier flexible boots.}

That makes a lot of sense. Theres been debate on the forum as to whats better - oil or grease. Its tough to go against he original oil Mb used since it lasts indefinitely. But the grease is surely easier.

I am going to be using flexible boots that go over the can.


{I'm not sure if you can get eccentirc - enlighten me?}

http://catalog.peachparts.com/ShopByVehicle.epc?q=&yearid=1985@@1985&makeid=63@@MERCEDES+BENZ@@X&modelid=6193%3AED%7C10000135%3AMB C%7C1504@@300D&catid=241464@@Suspension&subcatid=241484@@Trailing+Arm+Bushing&applicationid=W0133-1628113&mode=PA

I have had it explained to me in the past these are for repair after an accident and the subframe is slightly bent.

{HD's seem to be more popular on this forum - FYI!}


I have comforts already in the front and have been perfectly happy with them. But I also have a 21 gallon WVO tank in my trunk, so maybe HD's are better for the rear??

{I just used waxoyl cavity stuff}


Like this?
http://www.amazon.com/Eastwood-Heavy-Duty-Anti-Rust/dp/B001E80P8Y/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1281121435&sr=8-5

{Oh yes RTV sealant for the diff!}


Thank you! Got some Permatex Blue while I was out.

Hey U.S. people, is this the same as SylGlide??
http://www.amazon.com/SILGLYDE-LUBE-COMPOUND-8-OZ/dp/B000KXLR5E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1281120852&sr=8-1

I cant find it spelled sylglide anywhere.

This is a picture of the Sil-Glyde tube I have
http://www.timerking.com/servlet/the-8288/70128-17-dsh-128-17-dsh-132-SIL-dsh-GLYDE/Detail

They may have changed to packaging on the new stuff.

As for sealing the Differential, I used the Permatex Ultra Grey.

If you are going to R&R the pinion shaft seal, better read this
www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=233540 you will need to determine the friction preload.

I appoligize, I misspelled the word, it is SIL-GLYDE not sylglide :o

Charlie

yes, i do. after jacking up the car, put a tall bottle jack directly under the subframe mount, loosen the subframe, and then lower the car onto it. bottle jack puts pressure on the mount and pops it out. i used this method on my 190e and it works great. to install the subframe bushing i pop the new bushing in the freezer overnight so it compresses. makes installation (along with grease) much easier

Cavity wax and sil glide
 

Sorry DD,

Not having actually ever seen a tube of the stuff, sylglide is the wrong spelling - the one you found looks to me to be the stuff you need. If in doubt get the stuff Charlie used - you know that'll work!

The waxoyl cavity stuff:-

I'm a great believer in Eastwood products. Sometimes they seem expensive but I haven't found one that wasn't any good yet. If I could have easily and quickly gotten my hands on that I'd have used it instead.

Thanks for the tip
 

Thanks Sev that seems to be a better plan unless of course the bushing is well and truly stuck in there. As for using grease to help slide in a new bushing I think you're better off using some sort of water based lubricant instead of oil based stuff for rubber components.

Army,

Did you replace the front differential pinion seal? That's the last element of this job that I don't have a game plan for.

Mine weeps ever ever so slightly. I dont think I've actually lost any fluid from the diff, its just a little oily.

I'll have the diff on a bench, so now would be the time to do this.

dd

Friction Per-Load
 

Did you read this thread I posted in post#55? http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=233540


this is how to detemine the friction pre load before removing the pinion nut.

Charlie