I'm going to replace the spring set on my 85' 380SE and going by the CD repair manual, I cannot for the life of me understand how to take the rear springs out. It states that I need to take loosen the upper shock nuts but not remove fully. It then states that I should not jack the car up and this procedure must be done with the wheels on the ground. Then it skips directly to compressing the rear springs. The picture in the photo display on the CD shows that the wheel is actually off. My question a 2 parter,

1. How do you take the rear shock (1 by 1 obviously)without jacking up the rear end of the car. I need to remove the 2 lower perch bolts as well as slide the actual shock out.

2. If I jack up the rear end and then take out the shock, (which makes more sense) will the spring still be contained between the control arm subframe and the upper spring cup? Or will it just shoot out altogether?

I definately need help on this one as no shop around me will touch the car becuase of the springs and I already bought an expensive spring compressor...


Thanks guys in advance....

__________________
"Why operate within the law when you can operate above it?"

MB roster
'85 500SE euro Ratrod
'92 500E's x2 / '94 E500 stored
'91 560SEC w/43K stored
'92 Cabby 16V OE 2.1 AutoX car
JDM RHD cars now.

I did this awhile back on my '91 300 SE, so I'll walk you through it.
WARNING, be careful with those springs!

The shocks hold the swing arm from going down too far; but there is a little tab on the swing arm that contacts the frame, and stops the swing arm from flopping down if a shock breaks or is removed. We'll use those as our safety net.

So,

1. Remove the top shock bolts (behind the rear seat).
2. Remove the lower shock bolts. notice the shocks are now loose, but will not come out the bottom, due to ground clearance.
3. Jack the car up, placing the jack UNDER THE SWING ARM, near the lower shock mounts, leave enough space for the shock to slip out. As you jack the car, the shock will slip out.
4. Now, place jack stands under the FRAME of the car (at the normal jacking points).
5. Slowly lower the jack from under the swing arm. As you do this the swingarm will come down, and will eventuallY stop when the little tab hits the frame.
NOTICE; WATCH THE BRAKE LINE. one of my little tabs allowed the swing arm to lower enough that the brake line stretched pretty tight. We don't want any stress there. Remove one end of the brake line if necessary.
6. Okay, we have the swing arm all the way down on the tabs, so that's as far as it will go.
7. Now, compress the spring, only as much as needed, and pull it out - this is the scary part.
8. compress the new spring a bit and put it in, positioning the upper rubber seat properly, and de-compress the spring.
Then slide the shocks in, and jack up the swing arm, position the shocks and bolt them in.

Be very careful with the spring compressor, tighten it only as much as needed to get the spring out, and don't get any hands in harm's way.

By the way, my springs were sagging a bit, but I just used a slightly thicker upper spacer, and leveled the car quite well without changing the springs.
the dealer sells these pads in 3 sizes.

DG

Wow that does seem like a scary task unlike the fronts. I'll definately have to take some caution into this. Worse comes to worse, I'll utilize 2 different jacks to do this and a jack stand. I'll loosen the rear top shock nuts first then jack up one side rear. Since I can actually jack the car up to clearance height; remove the wheel and then use a secondary jack as you say as well under the rear control arm near the shock mount. This way being at a higher point, I can slip out the shock as well space wise. I might go as far as to compress the spring also at this point. I know this is a crazy thing but let me tell you everyone shop wise unless it's an MB repair shop fears for replacing these springs.

__________________
"Why operate within the law when you can operate above it?"

MB roster
'85 500SE euro Ratrod
'92 500E's x2 / '94 E500 stored
'91 560SEC w/43K stored
'92 Cabby 16V OE 2.1 AutoX car
JDM RHD cars now.

On a w126 you can remove/ install the rear shocks without compressing them. I did. The rear springs are the easy ones to change, it's the front ones that will kill you.

__________________
If it ain't broke take it apart and find out why.

1983 300SD, 4 speed
1994 C280
1987 300TD wagon
1996 HD Road King

Ride in Peace Eric Peterson, Harley of Macon

I just removed the Differential out of a 85 380SE at pick N Pull.

some one else had already removed the rear shocks, and the calipers and rotors were already removed. also the car was sitting on one one their stands which is two steel rims welded together ballanced on the spare tire tube.

I disconnected the driveline from the diff., removed both bolts from the center of the hubs, placed a jack under the Diff, removed the 4 nuts that hold the Diff. to the sub frame. also the rear Diff. mount. removed the Diff. cover so I could remove the both "C" clips off the axles. be prepared PNP doesn`t drain the Diff.

In the process of raising and lowering the Diff. to get the axles out, the springs just fell out on the ground.

I didn`t read the above posts yet to see what the experts advised you, but this is how I accidently did it.

Charlie

__________________
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1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

Once I unbolt the rear shocks from top and bottom on the ground, just jack up the rear of the car and the springs should be detensioned? That would make sense when a tech did my left rear control arm replacement, he just unbolted the D/S rear shock and the spring didn't even snap...

Oh and the 380 is getting lowered as to why I ask.

__________________
"Why operate within the law when you can operate above it?"

MB roster
'85 500SE euro Ratrod
'92 500E's x2 / '94 E500 stored
'91 560SEC w/43K stored
'92 Cabby 16V OE 2.1 AutoX car
JDM RHD cars now.

What does a spring compressor cost?

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

Well mine was pricey becuase I purchased one from a snap on dealer. You can get some online but IMO you get what you pay for. Mine has 3 pairs of plates plus the 3 prong compression bar.

__________________
"Why operate within the law when you can operate above it?"

MB roster
'85 500SE euro Ratrod
'92 500E's x2 / '94 E500 stored
'91 560SEC w/43K stored
'92 Cabby 16V OE 2.1 AutoX car
JDM RHD cars now.

So far so good. I am just awaiting my needed final parts for the spring install. I'll snap some pics of before and after affect once completed.

__________________
"Why operate within the law when you can operate above it?"

MB roster
'85 500SE euro Ratrod
'92 500E's x2 / '94 E500 stored
'91 560SEC w/43K stored
'92 Cabby 16V OE 2.1 AutoX car
JDM RHD cars now.

Misuse or careless use of a spring compressor is a good way to get yourself killed.

I would only buy the best quality one, nothing from Taiwan, Korea, China or Hong Kong, if I was going to mess with this (which I never would in the first place!!)

__________________
1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

The right spring compressor for the MBs use plates that slip between the coils and the tensioning bar inside. DO NOT use the compressors from Autozoo or McParts that fit on the outside of the spring. The front ones are the tough ones, but with the proper tool straight forward. When removing the back ones you may need to remove the brake line and push down on the subframe.

__________________
If it ain't broke take it apart and find out why.

1983 300SD, 4 speed
1994 C280
1987 300TD wagon
1996 HD Road King

Ride in Peace Eric Peterson, Harley of Macon