i searched through the archives and found some/all of your posts on lowering an ml. i'm having my ml done tomorrow but someone who has replaced the struts on a 320 before but has not actually installed lowering springs on a ml430. we're both guessing it's pretty much the same with the exception of adjusting the front torsion bars and the fact that the rears will sit lower. a couple things i read and am not clear about are:

1) will i need new sway bar brackets? will i need any new parts other than the new springs themselves?

2) what direction do you turn the torsion bar screws to lower? im guessing counter-clockwise? how much do turn them to get about a 1.5-2" drop? i have h&r springs and most people who have this same one say it's actually like 2".

3) since the rear struts/springs come as one unit, does the spring separate from the strut easily? i think you mentioned it'll come off with the right tools. what tools do you need? btw, i have the later model that uses a "flat-end" spring.

just to summarize your previous posts, do you think you can shed some light on some key things? anything else stand out that you remember, so i could pass along to my mechanic?

thanks a lot.