W126 springs on a W123
 

Good thread! Very good information!

I recently called RCImports and they don't have springs anymore and don't recommend the brands I mentioned from a British website (www.needforspeed.co.uk). They instead recommended to fit W126 xxxSEL springs (without self leveling) from the junkyard for my 1984 W123 300D.

From my two FSMs, the W126 SEL springs, in general, are longer and have higher spring constants. If I cut them, I can use them on my W123 car, and also increase the spring constant to something I'd find in a real spring kit:D . If all goes well, this will also save a great deal of $, since it is about $170/spring at the MB dealer, and shipping from europe is about the same price of the spring kits!!

Anyone have experience with W126 springs on W123 cars? Any forseeable problems? I'll update as my project progresses.

I put non turbo front wagon springs and the smallest caps they make on my '82 wagon. Previously it drove like a bus on the interstate, now it's tight and handles much better. My 80 TD ran so much better at high speed it was silly so I entertained and then did this swap. Worked great. No HD shocks on wagons... it's a no no with the SLS.

I have two 123 wagons, a '79 (with '85 turbo engine) and an '85 Federal. I've always wondered why the '79 feels tighter and handles better than the '85, and felt that the springs in the '79 are stiffer. Are you saying the non turbo springs are stiffer or have a different spring rate?

I've even thought about finding some alternative springs and replacing the ones in the '85 it just feels too soft.

I'm looking into lowering the nose of my 300D Turbo when I complete the frontend rebuild - currently is nose-high traveling down the road - looks like a boat -

Experimenting with another set of 300D Turbo springs & will try cutting one complete coil out, then maybe two...

Weather hasn't been cooperating this week - :mad:

bnc

How much effect will this have? I will be auto crossing my sedan next month and noticed how much better the W114 handles. Cheap is good for me right now and 1/4 aluminum rod is easy to come by.

Cutting springs so that you end up with better handling is a tricky business. The first thing you ought to do is insure you have the smallest spring cap you can. I do not know if the springs on non turbo models are shorter or stiffer, but they certainly did the trick in my handling/high front end problems. I had a 80 wagon and it was much better handling at ALL speeds than my 82 wagon. I went to the junkyard got some 80 wagon front end springs and small end caps and had my indie swap them out. The car was a completely different animal after, and I really liked the results.

The front sway bar is already thick enough... go bigger and you'll be plowing off the side of the road. Get a thicker rear bar, get some lowering springs (easier said than done), some new shocks, replace old sway bar bushings front and rear, and some speed rated tires with stiff sidewalls and it should handle a lot nicer and shouldnt ride too hard.

Do you know the part number for the non-turbo springs you found? The FSM has all the spring properties, but there are multiple springs listed for most models.

I bought some W126 300SD springs from the junkyard yesterday. Only the fronts, though since the car was resting on the rear rotors and propped up on spare tires in the front. The springs are part number 126 321 16 04. I haven't tried fitting them to my W123 yet, but the outer diameter of the W126 spring is roughly 10mm wider than my current springs.:( Anyone know if the rear springs are interchangeable?

Also, does anyone know the front/rear weight distribution of the 300D-T? I'm working on a spreadsheet to calculate which spring to use and how much to cut off.

Thx

I'm livening this thread up to continue a discussion I started in Diesel forum.

I have 3 sedans, 78 200D, 83 300D euro, 85 300D federal. My 85 federal has so much slop in the rear it sickening. I think one of the sway bar ends is loose as it leans much further in corners to the left than right. At any rate I was comparing the 85 federal to the 83 300D. The 83 has signifigantly different springs than the 78 or 85. They look like this :
http://winmutt.com/images/benz/W123-R-Springs.jpg

Is this a TD spring? I am fairly certain the 83 euro served most of its professional life as a taxi, its the right color, the rear has no seatbelts, the right rear door is worn all to hell.....

Anyways the 83 handled like a dream. I am def swapping rear ends and going on the hunt for a TD sway bar. I have the 1 dot pads as well. For those who have chopped their springs, how far were you able to go before the camber adjustment was of no longer use?

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/170431-group-purchase-vogtland-springs-w123-need-interested-members.html?highlight=vogtland

I hope that you saw that thread regarding the springs.

Kmac offers a kit for adjusting the camber for the rear of the w123 cars, with using their polyurethane bushings/bolt kit.

Austin

Where are these Kmac units? I sound like an old record but when I talked with reps at SEMA in 2006 they said they could not get them...

Here is my back axle...
Lowered 45mm with ventra springs (out of UK)
All new suspension - including most Long or HD parts
No wagon rear bar - read it is not good for under/over steer...should find out!
17x7.5 Monoblock wheels
Bilstein HD shocks
Cann't rememeber what spring cups we used...

Jake

I wouldn't cut more than one link- at least from the front. Even with all new suspension bushings, my coupe sits right at the edge of whats still within spec after an alingment.

Springs
 

I put a 300D turbo engine in my 240d with a manual tranny and the front end dropped ALOT. It handled awsome though, then I blew the engine. :behead:

Fuel regulator or shut off valve or whatever went while I was haulin ass and the rpms went through the roof, car wouldn't shut off, cars redlining, panic ensues, black smoke is billowing out the back. I think it might blow up or something so I run across the street and watch her DIE.
She started back up and got me all the way home, 30 miles and never ran again. Thats a real car.

I'll have another soon though.