I have a better idea. With the spring still in the car, but slightly compressed from full droop, wrap lots and lots of bailing wire around each coil. Then slowly lower the control arm. Remove the bailing-wire-wrapped spring and give it to you child as a toy to play with while you tinker with the car. When ready to re-install, the spring is already wire-wrapped and set to install, no pliers & wrapping needed! Why didn't I think of that before? I could have saved $75 on a rental! What was I thinking!

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Do any of you guys have experience trying to use a spring compressor similar to the one shown here:

eBay Spring Compressor auction

It seems like a better design for stronger springs like the ones on Mercedes since it keeps the force pulling through the center axis of the spring, but I don't know whether the design would work right or not without trying it. I was hoping someone here could give me some personal experience first. FWIW, my car is a 1986 300SDL.

Thanks,
David Woods

David,

The quick answer is it won't work. It looks the same as one I bought from harbor Freight.

Don

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1980 300TD-T (82 Turbo and Trans) 159,000 Miles "Jackie-O"
1983 300SD 272,000 Miles "Aristotle"
1987 Jeep Wagoneer Limited - keeps the MB's off the ice and out of the snow
1994 BMW 530it