Me too! That looks good.

__________________
617 swapped Toyota Pickup, 22-24 MPG, 50k miles on swap

If you go with the weight jacks I mentioned in my previous linked post, you can dial up any height you want. A less invasive method would be a spacer or even a low rent adjustable one that uses washers. However, this requires taking the suspension apart every time you make an adjustment where a weight jack just takes the turn of a 1/2" drive ratchet.

No matter what method you use, you must reset front and rear toe otherwise you will have a very poor driving car.

So- i'm wanting to do all of this when i change my obliterated LBJ just to knock everything out at once. I have a few questions/concerns

My non-running 240d has the "4 nub" spring pads, which i believe are the tallest?

My 300d that i am wanting to lift, has the "2 nub" pads. Both cars *look* to be around the same height (i may be wrong, considering the 240d has different sized dry rotted tires that go flat pretty quick)

Does the 240D carry a different spring, to where even with the larger spring pad, the car sits at around the same height as the 300d? Both cars are 1983 MY.

I would just pull the spring pads from the 240d- but the spring pads are crazy cheap and i sort of want to get that car running and driving soon


Here's my thing- and i may be asking for way too much here.

I want to retain as much of the nice ride as possible. I understand going higher in the front is probably going to diminish the ride quality to some extent.

My other car is a 2010 E63 on 20" wheels with low profile performance tires. So i thoroughly enjoy the smooth ride of the 300d.

Don't get me wrong- i'm not scared to sacrifice a little ride quality in order to get the front end off the ground.

At the moment, i'm not trying to build an "aggressive competition offroading 300d"

In the future? More than possibly, that would be awesome- but for now i just want it to sit ever so slightly higher in the front than in the rear, be able to clear larger tires.

I'm not doing any insane mud digging, or treacherous rock crawling, just want to be able to ease through the woods and down some trails confidently, maybe splash through some puddles and attempt to climb a hill, but also be able to drive it through town comfortably.

For those with the Bilstein HD's- how rough is the ride? Would this increase my ride height any, or would it just make the car more firm?

If i want to retain as much of the ride as possible, i am guessing that i would want new Bilsteins, and the thickest spring pad available?

Should i try to locate a new set of coil springs?

Thanks everyone

You will get a huge lift simply by putting in new coil springs. Inches. The original springs are very compressed and worn after 30+ years.

__________________
This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

AMEN !!!!
that is what I advised him on PM.... with none of the potential problems.....

Pelican has the new springs for $44 and Actual ' MB " for about twice that .

Anyone think there is any difference between them Except price ?

__________________
1980 240d ,

chain elongation, cam marks reference:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/10414-help-i-need-check-stretch.html

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/305365-9-degrees-chain-stretch.html

evap fin cleaning:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/156207-photo-step-step-post-showing-w123-evaporator-removal-1983-240d-1982-300td.html?highlight=evaporator

A/C thread

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/297462-c-recommendations-mb-vehicles.html

The only downside is that it will be so profound that he may not like how much his rear squats.


I broke a front spring, replaced them, raised the front end something like 3 inches. Put rears in less than 2 weeks later. What a difference in ride, it was great.

__________________
This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

Again !!! AMEN !!!!

but I think a lower ball joint in the reason for tackling this .. which is logical...
and he can do that later....

__________________
1980 240d ,

chain elongation, cam marks reference:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=10414

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/305365-9-degrees-chain-stretch.html

evap fin cleaning:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/156207-photo-step-step-post-showing-w123-evaporator-removal-1983-240d-1982-300td.html?highlight=evaporator

A/C thread

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/297462-c-recommendations-mb-vehicles.html

hit the nail on the head

going to order springs too.

one day, i will probably go a more aggressive route because this thing would be hilariously fun to drive aggressively off road.

but for now this should suffice.

the car has had a rough past so im not surprised if the springs are worn out. It had been sitting for 7-10 years when i purchased it, was sitting in a yard with the driver's window down.

you could tell that the previous owner didnt know much about it, and didnt care to know much about it.

had 242,xxx on the odometer, but i soon learned that the odometer doesn't work half of the time.

so who knows the mileage. 300k? hopefully

attached a few pics for you. this is approx. a 340k mile vehicle, new front spring compared to original, what the car looks like with new front springs and old rear springs, and what the stance is with all 4 new springs.


This was a 240 and I installed 300D springs and 4 nub pads. Not sure there is any difference in the spring, the part numbers were the same when I ordered between a 240 and 300

you can see the spring itself is over an inch taller just out of the box, and is much less easy to compress. These cars were high off the ground when they were new

Attached Thumbnails

     

__________________
This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

the outer tie rod is ridiculously easy to break. If you do that, carry spares. I broke mine on a curb once. You can see how exposed they are from that front image of my old 240 when it sits high

__________________
This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

Like other said, you just need to get a thicker spacer. That said I was able to get 27.50s to clear no problem with no lift and HD shocks. I loved the ride and it did get a small amount of lift out of them. I'll try to throw up some pictures after I get home from work later today.

__________________
'85 300D ~ 381k, HD Bilstien shocks, 27.50x8.50x14R General Grabber AT2 tires, 4 E-Code headlight upgrade with 90/130w bulbs, boost turned up, new timing chain, and injectors. SOLD

'85 CJ7 ~ OM617 swap, Tarus electric fan, T5 trans, Dana 300, 4.88 R&P, Mile Marker locking hubs, ALDA removed, AMC 20 rear disk brake conversion, Aussie locked with 33's and 5" Rough Country lift.

Better late than never, right?

Attached Thumbnails

       

__________________
'85 300D ~ 381k, HD Bilstien shocks, 27.50x8.50x14R General Grabber AT2 tires, 4 E-Code headlight upgrade with 90/130w bulbs, boost turned up, new timing chain, and injectors. SOLD

'85 CJ7 ~ OM617 swap, Tarus electric fan, T5 trans, Dana 300, 4.88 R&P, Mile Marker locking hubs, ALDA removed, AMC 20 rear disk brake conversion, Aussie locked with 33's and 5" Rough Country lift.

I like it!


Update. For anyone wondering (even though it has been well over a year now) I ended up doing new original springs, 4 nub spring shims, Bilstein shocks, new LCA bushings, new guide rod mounts, new LBJs, UCAs, steering damper, Drag link, Idler arm bushing, and tie rods & ends.

plus some Maxxis buckshots.

Have been driving it 100+ mi daily for some periods, multiple long trips, etc, and love it.

__________________
'84 300D Euro 5 spd
'83 240D 4spd
'83 300D/5 spd manual/Lifted+28" AT Tires
'83 300SD
'10 E63

Parting out- '79 Euro 280TE Green/Green & '89 300SEL White/Grey

It has a unique balanced look about it. Congratulations for not going overboard. Looks like you are having some fun with it!

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

This really fits the look of the W123, also the antiquated us dot headlights help balance the look as well.

I'd definitely be a proud owner of it.

__________________
1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.