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  #1  
Old 12-02-2004, 09:39 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Falls Church, VA
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Notes on Installing Shocks on a 107 Roadster

I just finished changing the shocks on the road warrior 280SL. I thought it was time because of a sort of liesurely up-and-down motion in the front end, and the same in the rear accompanied by a hollow clunking going over bumps.

I used Bilstein "comfort" shocks from German Star, $296 including shipping.

Here are some notes on the process.

Front

1. Remove three screws holding coolant tank, move out of way. Spray top nuts on both sides with PB Blaster. Remove nuts with a pair of 17mm wrenches. Use a small wrench or vice-grips to hold the top of the rod while unscrewing. Because of obstructions, this is painfully slow. A crowfoot helps on the left side. Leave the bottom nuts on at the top of the rod.

2. Jack car up and remove wheels. Squirt the two nuts that hold the shocks at the bottom with PBB. Place a small jack under the A-arm and raise it an inch or two. You are not supposed to allow the suspension to remain unsupported with the shock unhooked at the top.

3. Unscrew the 13mm nuts on the bottom mount and remove the top nut. Here's the tough part. Get a good grip on the cover tube and compress the shock enough to get the rod out of the hole at the top. Allow the rod to come up gently. Summon up some more strength, compress it again, and maneuver it out of the hole in the A-arm. Repeat on other side.

3. Assemble new shock plate and bushings, same as old one (plate, bushing, cover). Do the compression thing and get the bottom end into the A-arm hole. Do one last compression and get the rod through the hole at the top. Repeat on other side.

4. Install nuts at top and bottom.

Rear

1. Remove rear seat bottoms. Get up under the little pads and remove the two screws on each side that hold the seat back hinges to the body. Remove the seat back by pulling up.

2. Remove the three small screws holding each of the side panels. Remove the top crank handles on the left side. Remove the side panels by pulling down and out. You do not need to remove the hardtop.

3. Unscrew the shocks' top nuts - same drill as the front, but much more accessible. Leave the second nut on the end of the rod.

4. Jack the car up and support it with the wheels at least six inches off the ground. Support the suspension with a jack and move it up about an inch. Squirt the bottom securing bolts with PBB.

5. Remove the top nut and the two bottom bolts. Pull the shock down through the hole and maneuver it out. You may have to jack the suspension up a bit to get clearance.

6. Assemble hardware on rod. Push new shock up through the hole and maneuver the rod through the hole at the top by feel. Use a 2" bolt of the same diameter/thread as the original bottom bolt to pull the shock up until you can get the regular bolt started. Withdraw the longer bolt and start the second and tighten both.

7. Button up the top and you're done.

I did the front and rear in two separate evenings, about two hours each. One the front, you spend a lot of time on the right side top bolts. In the rear, it's messing with the back seat.

Great results - firmer ride, no more clunking.

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Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe
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Old 12-02-2004, 12:14 PM
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Location: Convent Station, NJ
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Chuck, Nice write up. How much did you tighten the rear shocks? The rubber bushing compresses very easily. I used the Comforts as well and like alot..I also did the 560sl springs with it. I do get a squeaking sound every once in a while, coming from the back. I suspect it's the top nut/bushing on the DS rear shock.
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'85 380 SL (sold)
'85 Carrera Flatnose
'71 280 SL Signal Red/Cognac
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  #3  
Old 12-03-2004, 01:30 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: KY USA
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I used this Lisle tool I picked up at NAPA to stop the shock rod from turning when I did mine-it cost about 12.00. It wasn't quite the right size and it broke near the end of the project (because it wasn't quite the right size) but the price was right.
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Old 12-05-2004, 10:45 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: North Central Kentucky
Posts: 1,069
I'm gonna have to do shocks on our '88 this spring. PO. put Boge shocks on and they are junk....rears are already bad I think. Has anyone tried a firmer setting Bilstein? Handling is a bigger issue to me than ride comfort. I want the car glued to the road even when the road is poor. (which is most roads here inthe land of snow and salt). We do at least have tons of back roads to enjoy.
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  #5  
Old 12-06-2004, 06:31 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
Posts: 26
Hi,

I've just recently put on Bilstein HDs on to my 280 SLC and the handling improvement was disturbing. One of the Monroe (!!!) shocks on the front was totally dead but the rear had the original factory Bilsteins from 1978. They were actually in OK condition when I got them off and gave thenm a test compress/expand. The most impressive thing about the handling now, is how predictable it is through hard cornering. I recently went in a Tarmac rally tour here in NZ and the shocks performed beautifully through all sorts of crazy back roads. When before the car would twitch mid-corner, now it is totally stable and confidence inducing..

I'm not sure if the HDs are that much stiffer than the original OEM shocks. Besides, running on 205/70-14 tyres, a lot of the cushioned ride comes from them anyway.

It was definately worth the upgrade on my SLC, and it was surprisingly, not even very expensive.
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Old 12-06-2004, 10:17 AM
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RickM -

I tightened the top nuts maybe 4-5 turns after they started to compress the rubber bushings. Seem OK so far.

BobK -

I would be careful about simply adding stiffer shocks to worn springs. You may end up with an uncomfortable ride with no improvement in handling. Variable-rate springs might be a good solution. I have a friend with a 113 who really praises them.

There is a section on the CD on "permissible" shock/spring/pad combinations.
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Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe
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  #7  
Old 09-01-2014, 10:52 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by RickM View Post
Chuck, Nice write up. How much did you tighten the rear shocks? The rubber bushing compresses very easily. I used the Comforts as well and like alot..I also did the 560sl springs with it. I do get a squeaking sound every once in a while, coming from the back. I suspect it's the top nut/bushing on the DS rear shock.
What's the purpose of the 560 springs?

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