How to change rear shocks on 380 SL

[rickjordan]

I just replaced the front shocks on my SL. Believe it or not, the originals were still on the car. Anyways. I also replaced the sway bar links/bushings and the subframe bushings. I did the subframes first and notice an improvement in the car's ride and handling. However after replacing the the front shocks and sway bar links, the car is all over the road. I am suspecting that the new parts in the front have made the bad parts in the rear, more noticeable. So, onto the rear shocks. How do you change these out. I can not for the life of me locate the upper mount point to get at the top nuts.
Any advice would be appreciated.

[Strife]

You need to take the side plastic inserts off from behind the front seats, and remove the top handle - the tops of the shocks are under there. It was very easy (I did it with ramps, with the usual safety precautions, etc).

[rickjordan]

So after I get to the top nuts, I'll just need to jack the car up real high to pull the shock through the coil spring? I took a look at the setup and it is very similar to my first Benz, a 1980 300SD. I had to jack that up a bit high, by way of the rear hub, to be able to pull the shock out through the bottom.

[RickM]

You'll need to remove the coil springs using an internal spring compressor. I tried using an external compressor but with no luck....believe me I tried. I ended up buying the tool on ebay and although it wasn't the Mercedes specific design it worked pretty easily. I've found out since that Autozone has a free (with credit card) tool loaner program that includes external coil compressors.

Good luck.

[Steve Gutman]

I changed my rear shocks without removing the springs. I do not recall how I did it. I think I set the wheels on blocks and jacked the car up a little and pulled the shock into compression and removed it that way. I should have documented it. I did my front ones the same way.

[rickjordan]

I don't see why I would need to remove the spring, besides, how can you use an internal compressor if the shock is inplace?
For the front shocks, I had to lower the subframe to get clearance to pull the top of the shock out and up.

[RickM]

Originally Posted by rickjordan

I don't see why I would need to remove the spring, besides, how can you use an internal compressor if the shock is inplace?
For the front shocks, I had to lower the subframe to get clearance to pull the top of the shock out and up.

Actually, now that I think of it, I probbaly used the compressor to replace the springs.....

[okyoureabeast]

Reviving this thread from the past to add this in for anyone else who is searching for info on this.

It's not immediately obvious, but the shock is bolted to the bottom of the control arm.

I admit, I sat looking at it like an idiot before I realized how it needs to be done. Even the how to pictorial on this site didn't help me figure it out. A really sad moment for me!

Best way to get the rear shocks out was already mentioned earlier: get the car onto ramps, unbolt top bolts, unbolt bottom bolts, slide shock out, put new shock in, rebolt everything.