I was lyeing on top of the hood and had a fork poking in the upper and smacked it loose, the spring sort flopped out on the floor like a trout, so much for all that so called AWESOME stored energy

Um... This is in the car with no drivetrain holding it down? The spring just flopped out? Was it already broken?

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

no engine, tranz , as i recall a cheapo ac delco floor jack under the lower CA

This was just for disassembling an old heap the cheapest way feisable, it dosent help anyone trying to rebuild their front end.

Wow. The original post was made almost 5 years ago, and the original poster is still here with us. (Good to know that he hasn't received a posthumous Darwin Award... yet.)

About 35 years ago, I witnessed (ahem) a spring fly off of a VW McPherson strut (due to a cheap spring compressor that broke). The strut was mounted in a bench vise, and the upper retainer plate had just been removed. When the compressor let go, the spring hit AND PUNCTURED an 18 foot high roof. Yes, PUNCTURED it. That's A LOT of energy!

If it had let go immediately as I removed the upper retainer, I would be missing my right hand - at least. And maybe my whole arm. If I had been doing this with the strut on the ground with me stooped over above it while removing the retainer... well, I wouldn't ever do that, because I don't want a Darwin Award.

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Current rolling stock:
2001 E55 183,000+ Newest member of the fleet.
2002 E320 83,000 - The "cream-puff"!
1992 500E 217,000+
1995 E300D 412,000+
1998 E300D 155,000+
2001 E320 227,000+
2001 E320 Wagon, 177,000+

Prior MBZ’s:
1952 220 Cab A
1966 300SE
1971 280SE
1973 350SLC (euro)
1980 450SLC
1980 450SLC (#2)
1978 450SLC 5.0
1984 300D ~243,000 & fondly remembered
1993 500E - sorely missed.
1975 VW Scirocco w/ slightly de-tuned Super-Vee engine - Sold after 30+ years.