I bought an '83 300CD with about 280,000 miles on it. The seller suggested an alignment.

Attached are the before/during pics of a complete front suspension overhaul.

I've R&R'd just about everything and am waiting for a spring compressor to get it all re-installed.

Yes, I used a two-rod/clamp-type compressor to successfully remove the springs. Then I tried to duplicate the feat with installing them. One of the clamps slipped, the spring let off a little "sproing" and luckily I wasn't killed since the clamps stayed attached.

As depicted, you can see how tight it is in the wheelwell - and no, I did not use the compressor exactly as depicted. When in use, I engaged the safety rods which also make it harder to compress the spring since they take up about a coil's worth of travel. You can also see that you can't really fit the clamps symmetrically on the spring since there are parts in the way. I could not fit a single-rod "internal" compressor into the spring.

Oh - and the club sandwich was a bonus find from a local deli near the brake shop where they bent me a new brake line for the one that I broke. It was an awesome sandwich.

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