I've been reading the W124 ball joint DIY: http://www.peachparts.com/Wikka/W124BallJoint

Look at this picture:



It looks like you could take a weightlifting bar and run it through the bottom hole in the LCA, through the spring, and out the top of the spring perch, leaving it sticking out about half a foot. Then you could lower the LCA very slowly until the tension on the spring is released. I would think a weightlifting bar or something similar like a thick rebar is much stronger than a chain and not going to get snapped in the event the spring dislodges.

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08 W251 R350
97 W210 E320
91 W124 300E
86 W126 560SEL
85 W126 380SE Silver
85 W126 380SE Cranberry
79 W123 250
78 W123 280E
75 W114 280