W124 Spring Compressor Question
I've got a favor to ask of anybody who has a Klann or Klann-clone spring compressor. I bought one of the eBay versions last week and used it this weekend. The smaller or the two plates is what's called for on the 300E, and it fits the front spring just fine and works like a champ. However, the rear spring ID is 72mm, the same size as the innermost part of the spring seat on the tool. As a result, half of the the spring tries to slide down into the spring seat trough and the whole thing sits sort of cock-eyed. This also forces the central threaded part of the tool to the side and at a sharp enough angle that it won't line up and go through the top plate. I ended up having to compress the spring by jacking up the lower control arm with the spring compressor plates in the spring and then fitting in the threaded rod. Because of the width of the compressor plates, they would hit the spring seat prematurely preventing me from getting them far enough apart to get full compression from them. I had to disconnect the shock mounts and one of the torque arms to get the control arm to drop low enough to remove the spring.
I've attached a picture of the upper compressor plate showing the measurement of the inner and outer diam. of the spring seat area as well as a rough representation of the area the rear spring occupies. I'm wondering whether the kit I bought has the right sized plates.
Would someone be kind enough to measure their Klann or Klone compressor plate in the same areas shown below?
Has anyone else experienced this problem?
Thanks,
Gary
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