price is not necessarily a good measure at times. i've never held either but their pictures appear very much the same in regard the plates. they both look to be a forging with a yellow zinc dichromate coating. the inner screw is likely where any difference will be found. i'm [assuming] they both use an acme thread.

i've kept it a secret but i've been working on a spring compressor [in fact a whole line of tools for the 126 etc:] that is a machined version that i could sell for 175$. what i found when i used it on my own cars is that due to the teflon thrust washers i used and it's inner screw's mechanical advantage i could completely collaspe the spring and actually bend the plates by hand using just a ratchet. but i haven't had enough time this year to work on it any further.

i feel the place to look for weakness is the inner drive screw. be sure that there is a full thread engagement. as well be sure there is sufficent enough engagement of the tang on the screw so they can't be pulled through.

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Thanks Much!
Craig

1972 350sl Red/Blk 117k
1988 420sel charcoal/Blk 140k
1987 420sel gold/tan 128k
See My Cars at:http://mysite.verizon.net/res0aytj/index.html

Pound it to fit then Paint it to match!

There is only First Place and Varying degrees of last!

Old age and deceit will overcome Youth and Enthusiasm every time!

Putting the square peg in the round hole is not hard... IF you do it fast enough!

Old enough to know better but stupid enough to do it anyway!