Hey all I have a 1973 280sel 4.5. Im installing bilstein H.Ds on my car. Now I have the front shocks torn out, Took me about 20 minutes for both. Now the problem is that When I try to compress the shocks to go through the shock tower the shock will not compress at all! Is their any way I can compress the shock by hand or can I take it too a shop? This problem is keeping me from putting the shock in. Any suggestions would help, this is my first time working with shock absorbers.

Thanks!
-Keenan

They're charged with 360 psi of nitrogen, so they can take some signficant force to compress. Some Bilsteins come tied up with heavy string to keep them from fully extending. You install them, then cut and remove the string.

Duke

All i can say is really lean on em. Just keep trying I just put in H.D.'s as well, yeah they are really hard to compress.

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi