Paint Markings on Springs
 

Hello everyone,

Can someone tell me what these markings mean on my springs?

My green SD has:
Front: (White/White/Red...Blue)
http://imgur.com/P8aUCl.jpg


Rear:
(Green/Yellow/Yellow...Red)
http://imgur.com/etCzol.jpg
http://imgur.com/TowEQl.jpg

This SD has always ridden very hard. It has new shocks (Billie HD's) and doesn't take bumps gracefully at all.

It has a single dimple spring pad in the front, and triple in the back.

I have a new set of springs, that I purchased from a member here. I also have new single fronts and double for the rears I think.
http://imgur.com/cwiY8l.jpg

possibly a way to mark them for cutting? my SD had no painting on it's spring

No I don't think its about cutting. I think its about ratings and such, I saw some stuff in the FSM about different colors but nothing about combinations of colors.

The EPC only lists one part number springs for the 300SD.
Hm, the part number on the front spring doesnt match up for an SD...hmmm

If its of any interest, Ive just removed a rear spring from my W123 wagon, which had two yellow blobs and two red blobs on the same coil.
;)

hmm an odd mystery

I found a reference somewhere that the red and blue indicated short and long but I don't recall which was which. That same site just said to ignore the other pattern of paint so I have no idea what that might be.

The 123 FSM says this about springs and colors:

To identify the various spring lengths, the springs are marked with paint on the final. lower end of coil. (Color marks in center of spring are inspection marks of manufacturer, they are of no significance with regard to length of spring). The part number and the DB company symbol are punched into at end of final coil.

It also says for the color blob on the final coil red = short, blue = long.

To check the p/n, do an EPC search based on the p/n and find compatibility rather than a search on the SD to find the springs.

I checked the new springs, no stampings or paint marks. Just tags attached with part numbers:

1263211804 (front) FOR pretty much all models but SD. Mostly standard market cars.

1163241104 (rear) are for the SD.

The guy I bought them from said he purchased them throu this website...

For what its worth, I recall seeing these markings on my 420SEL. I dont remember seeing them on my other 82 SD. The 190 has lowering springs do it doesn't count.

annnnd the circle is complete.

I just installed the front set of these springs in my 420SEL... The EPC said they were compatible.

The dealership said they made the front end too high and they couldn't align it.....

I used the 4-nub spring pads like was previously installed on it. We double checked the springs..the old ones were just as tall as the new ones....

Just to update this for historical purposes:

Well I did some checking with FSM.

It looks like I do indeed have the wrong springs. Contrary to what I believed the "points system" applies to springs and not to pads.

The spring I have is 126 321 18 04.

http://i.imgur.com/zMlQhFW.png

http://i.imgur.com/nro9dQ5.png

The base point value for the 420SEL is 48. Add 2 points for the sunroof and you've got 50.

50 points to spring 126 321 17 04. Now based on some color code thing that I am not quite sure on, it can use either a 18mm or 23mm pad. SINCE my old springs were the 17 04 springs and they had the 23mm pad..I can assume I will be safe with the 23mm pad once again.

Additionally you can see in the chart below the 18 spring is slightly taller, slightly stiffer and has thicker coils.
http://i.imgur.com/meIZXv1.png


Where I went wrong was just checking the EPC which said, yeah the 126 321 18 04 is compatible with all 126 front ends. This, technically, is true however you have to apply the point system.

Another update. Came across this in the FSM:

http://i.imgur.com/ot2Y6Gv.png

So middle colors = nothing.
bottom rung colors determine which pad you need.

Interesting info. I've been curious about this for a while. Richard (DeliveryValve) has the same car but different spring color if I recall correctly. My fronts have red on the bottom rung, with I think 3-nub pads. I think his have 4-nub pads (so he must have a shorter spring).

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8300/7...caaf896c_z.jpg

I wonder if this info was documented anywhere with the vehicle chassis info? So far I have not found any.