Replaced the psg side rear shock and spring today, Bilstein B8 and H&R. The old spring was bend like a banana, any thoughts of how this could happen?

Also noticed the sleeve/ bushing that holds the lower control arm, see picture, has play. Is this something that needs to be replaced? The rest of the suspension parts look good enough to not need attention immediately.

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

I replaced the rear springs, lower trailing arms and multi links on my 300ce last year. Is it possible that someone else removed the spring and didn't get it back in the seat properly? Otherwise, I have no idea what would make your spring bend like that, but you certainly needed to replace your rear springs. I'm looking at the picture of the trailing arm bushing and it looks like the rubber has deteriorated.



When I removed my rear springs and unbolted the trailing arms on my car, I discovered that the rubber bushings on many of the multi links and on the rear axle knuckles of my car were almost worn away. The bushings on my axle knuckles were metal on metal. Ultimately, I replaced everything.



When you run a bolt thru the inner trailing arm bushing to the frame, it can be wiggled a little because of the rubber in the bushing. In order to remove your spring, the trailing arm has to be unbolted anyway, why not press in a new bushing? The complete trailing arm isn't that expensive, either.


But while everything is apart, check the rubber on the multi links very carefully. The one bushing between the mulit link and the axle knuckle deserves a close look. It is a real pain to press the old one out and to press the new one in, but you will get play in the real wheel's toe if it isn't good.