I recently picked up another 300td recently, a 1980 with an NA engine. When I got the car it was riding very high in the front and low in the back. The SLS fluid was black so I replaced the pump and flushed the SLS system.

Next I replaced the front spring pads from the four nub flavor to the single nub.

Here's the issue, even with the single nub spring pads in the front the car seems to sit rather high. I can adjust the SLS in the rear so that the rear sits higher to match the front, but then the ride becomes very bouncy and jarring.

I've posted some pics below, does the front seem too high or is it sitting where it is supposed to be?

Or is the problem that my rear springs are shot so the shocks have to adjusted too stiff to maintain the rid height?

Or could a PO have put the wrong springs in the front?

YOur pics are a little distorted so Its hard to tell anything. Has the car been sitting? Perhaps the shocks are stuck extended.

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[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.

The front tires look like they might be bigger than the back...are they?

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[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.

I think the car was sitting for a while under its previous ownership. I've never heard of shocks getting stuck in position, is that a thing? I was planning to put bilsteins up front soon, maybe that will help.

The tires are the same size, but the front bundts are pretty dirty around the lip so it looks like the tires are bigger than they are.

The front fender opening is larger than the rear, making it look higher.

Measure from the trim to the ground... car is sitting pretty level.

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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 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Mine looks like that too. As Vstech said, they are made that way.


Rear springs are probably worn out a bit, just like in mine. I found I could adjust the SLS valve in the rear and the hydraulic "shocks" can lift the rear higher (really high).



However,

I specifically adjusted mine a little lower as to put more weight on the springs and less stress on the hydraulics. I replaced my P.O. abused rams with used ones so I'm pretty careful with them. New spheres help a lot too as those are the cushions in the pressured system (I probably need those)

New springs (and spheres) cost A LOT less than even one of those hydraulic rams. Having good springs, spheres, and clean SLS fluid is the best thing you can do for that rear suspension. If you want it to sit higher, make sure the system is healthy first.

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1985 300TD 1981 Scirocco 1.6D conv 1986 Golf 1.6D 2003 Golf TDI

Ahh, yes, the dreaded question all men fear!

"Honey, do these tires make my rear look too low?"

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Looks pretty straight to me. Have you placed a long evel on the bottom of doors?

Mine sits a little low in front. Deceiving because as previous comments have said, the fender open in rear is cut lower by design so you can’t really measure that gap and use that for proper reference.

Right, I think it is sitting level at the moment, but the rear is riding way too harsh and bouncy which makes me think the shocks are doing all the work to keep the rear end where it is currently at. If I let some pressure off the shocks so that it rides more comfortably the rear end will look like it's sagging

There are a lot of threads about the SLS system.
If you don't see any leaking from the "shocks" you may just need new spheres. The pressurized nitrogen eventually leaks out and they don't do their job anymore. Bouncing is one of the symptoms.

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1985 300TD 1981 Scirocco 1.6D conv 1986 Golf 1.6D 2003 Golf TDI

I started replacing the accumulators tonight... when I first got the car the sls fluid was black with oil so I replaced the sls pump and flushed the system from the front, i.e. captured the returning fluid in a separate container until it ran clear. I haven't driven the car much since then, but fluid in the sls container has been staying clean.

However when I cracked the sls valve this evening to bleed off the pressure the fluid came out black and oily, same thing when I removed the lines from the accumulators.

Is this just residual dirty fluid that is difficult to get out with a flush? Should I do anything before bolting the new accumulators on?

That bright ..err chrome edging makes a difference, if plain body colour you wouldn't notice it too much.

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David


1996 Mercedes S124 E300TD - 129k - rolling restoration project -

1998 Mercedes W210 300TD - 118k (assimilated into above vehicle)

"Harsh and bouncy" I think you're riding undamped on your springs. Working SLS gives a plush ride in back.

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CC: NSA

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82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times

It's hard to

more likely to

concentrate on

have an accident

two things

when you're on

at the same time.

a cell phone.

www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?

my 85' sat real high when I got it. I didn't care for the SUV look, so I cut 1 1/2 coils off the front springs and swapped out the pads and got it down to where it is now. The first photo is with 205/70R14's and the second has the BBS with 225/50R16's on it.

Attached Thumbnails

   

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Von
Fairport, NY
1973 Unimog 416 Doka
1980 Unimog 416 Doka
1981 Unimog 416 Doka
1984 Euro 280CE w/diesel conversion
1985 300TD Estate wagon
(I really need to stop buying these things!)
http://vonsmog.com

Looks like it's about the right height to me. If the ride is jarring you might have failed accumulators (the round nitrogen filled dampers). They're a bit pricey, but worth replacing. If they go bad not only does the car ride poorly, it shockloads the rest of the hydraulic system and blows seals out.

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1984 300TD -- summer daily driver
Many others that aren't Mercedes...