Groaning front shock mounts...replaceable w/o spring compressor?
 

Title says it all.

Awful groaning at the front when after going over large bumps...rubber mounts are visibly cracked.

Anybody performed this task? I remember some guy waiting with me at the service bay at the dealership, getting the same repair done to his daughter's 190E...told me they were going to charge him about $1000 to do it...sounds like a spring compressor type of repair to me...

This is on my 93 W124, M104...sorry.

I replaced the front struts and rear shocks on my '93 190E 2.3 and no spring compression tool is required. Easy job....$1,000 is a ripoff!

I haven't done it, but have read the tales of others who have. No spring compressor necessary. Just raise the front of the car on jackstands. Compress the lower control arm with a jack. Undo the upper strut mount. Slowly lower the control arm until the strut can be fully disassembled and removed. Not really much to it. Safety first - jackstand under the control arm after you lower it, so the spring is contained by more than just the jack.

I've read of folks changing the front springs on a 124 using this method, but I think it's much more difficult to get the new spring back in. Haven't had to mess with any of this stuff on the 124s I've owned, so no personal experience.

- JimY

i did it... just a jack under the control arm.... if i remember correctly..it took some twisting and turning to get the jack stand right.

Seems like I needed my strong son to compress the shock to get it out and back in.

I did this on my 1991 300CE and then later replaced shocks also. Plenty of threads on how to do it without the spring compressor. But safety first and have the procedure clear in your head before attempting. As mentioned, a very physical job to get the new ones in, particularly if your struts are fairly new.

glenmore
1991 300CE
2000 C280
1990 LS400

Removing the spring on a W124 without a compressor is very easy and not entirely dangerous. See my thread here: http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/175130-possible-remove-w124-lower-control-arm-without-spring-compressor.html

I just did it on my 1994 E420. No spring compressor necessary to change the front upper mounts. Remove the center nut and the 3 others holding the mount. Place chucks at rear wheels for safety. Jack the car under the frame (not the control arm) until the strut's thread almost clears the mount. Do not lift too far, else the spring might come loose. Support car with jack stand for safety. Manually compress the strut, and from under the strut tower (the wheel well) remove the mount and bellow, then the stop bumper if necessary. Assemble in inverse order, tighten mount nuts to 20 Nm and center nut to 80 Nm. As always, use common sense.