For the spring hole to get the spring compressor in it. No access to plasma cutter and sounds like overkill. Only need to make the hole a smidgen bigger.

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1995 E300 Weiss
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OBK #42

Would you be able to take before and after pics? What kind of spring compressor are you using? How much is a smidgen in your estimation?

I ask these questions because I'm trying to decide if I want to attempt the front end rebuild myself or pay an Indy.

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Chad
2013 Jeep Unlimited Rubicon
OBK#44
"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)

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1985 300TD - Red Dragon
1986 300SDL - Coda
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1998 Acura 3.0 CL

The plate compressor I used was just slightly bigger and a standard round file did the trick with 10mins of grunt work..

A smidgen was about 1/16" to the hole diameter, or 1/32" around the hole. I used a (borrowed) ebay clone compressor, I'll check the brand tonight.

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1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

I used a cone shaped grinding stone from the hardware store in an electric drill. I ran the stone around the inside of the hole with some muscle. I think it took about 5 or 10 min. per hole. Some good hard steel. My El Paso spring compressor fit after this procedure. Took a little paint and touched up the grinding marks.

I used a grinding stone on a dremel, like others, took ~10min per side. I enlarged the hole by ~2mm in diameter. Even though I only needed 1mm for the compressor to fit, I didn't want it to be too tight and jam in the hole at an inconvenient time. On mine, the hole needed to be enlarged only because the laminations of the sheet metal around the hole weren't perfectly registered with each other.

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