As posted earlier, had a clunk driver side front. Having health/age problems so took car to local shop. Mechanic wrote on work order that spring was broken near top and shim was mangled.

This is not a Mercedes shop, so if spring is broken, I may have to help source the parts. Have checked old threads, but it seems availability of some parts may have changed.

Springs readily available, are Lesjofors #4056812. This is apparently replacement for MB A1233213604 (no sliding roof!) or A1233214104 (sliding roof) (Different springs depending on whether car has sliding roof or not? Lesjofors don't seem to distinguish. )

Lesjofors say their spring material is of constant diameter (not tapered) and that the springs may seem to be shorter than OE, but car will ride correctly. This however is a generic comment, not W123 specific. Hopefully they will still fit using OE shims.

Shims listed on one epc site are:
8mm A1233211384 ( not listed everywhere)
13mm A1233211484
18mm A1233211584
23mm A1233211684 (No longer available)

Aftermarket vendors offer springs but no front shims.

Being in Canada, I need to first look at local options. One has Lesjofors for C$71.66 each, free delivery. Another same thing for $91. Neither have front shims available.

Rocckauto can ship but overall cost incl shipping equivalent to ~C$60 each. Better than local, but will take a week+ instead of overnight.

Looks like I should buy 2 Lesjofors springs, and buy OE shims? Make sense?

That leads me to other questions:

- What size shims to buy for use with these springs? No idea what I have now and car is at shop. Can I just make an arbitrary choice? Or did the cars come with a specific shim?

- Will OE shims work with the aftermarket Lesjofors springs? Anyone been there , done that?

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

I guess nobody else here has had this problem?

Dealer here in Canada tells me that all 4 shims have to come from Germany. 3 weeks delivery. He doesn't know which ones would have been standard for the W123.133. So still have to decide which size to purchase.

Looking through records, springs were replaced with OE in 1997. At that time they said shims were still good and did not replace them. So present ones would be originals.

Talked to shop today - It is hard to see or feel if a spring is broken. Only way is down through hole in engine bay. Could just be that shim has worn and spring now hits the chassis. Car sits level. May try to get light and/or borescope down in there.

Have car back. The shop does not have a spring compressor for this type of old car! Have to now find another shop who can remove the springs. Whether broken or not, the will need to come out.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

Trying to post a chart from the manual.

Heights of spring-rubber mounts depending on vehicles equipment and color code of spring.

My interpretation of the chart is that if your Spring is color coded Blue it takes the 18
If you spring is color coded red it takes the 23.

Your mechanic should be able to find the color code on one of the original springs. But I don't think that is going to tell you what size spring pad you need for your aftermarket springs unless you can cross reference them to the original spring code.

Attached Thumbnails

 

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

I dont know that Ive ever seen a shim in person. Ive seen the little bumps from the side, but have never removed a spring.

I cant imagine it is that complex an item. a 23mm version perhaps, but an 8 or 13mm?

I might consider trying to get some decently hard rubber and cut one to size if nothing else. Not sure if there's a reason (some feature or cutout) that would prevent that from working...

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Current Diesels:
1981 240D (73K)
1982 300CD (169k)
1985 190D (169k)
1991 350SD (113k)
1991 350SD (206k)
1991 300D (228k)
1993 300SD (291k)
1993 300D 2.5T (338k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (265k)

Past Diesels:
1983 300D (228K)
1985 300D (233K)

I haven't seen one off a 300d, but on another car, they were moulded to accept the spiral top of the spring and convert that to a flat surface that bears on the sheet metal support.
The shims are relatively low cost and available, it seems. Just have to choose a size. Hoping some other owners have some clues re sizes.

Getting springs out and back in is the challenge. Have to find a shop with proper spring compressor.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

The shims will work fine, im using "4 nub" 23mm shims on my 1233213604 Lesjofers springs. the shims have different little nubs on them that are visible from inspection of the spring with the wheel off, or turned to the side. 1 is the shortest, 4 is the tallest. The shims fit fine. I doubt you car came with 4 nub springs, they sit pretty tall. FWIW, my 83 300d, sunroof car was equipped with the 1233213604 spring and 2 nub shim from the factory.

I will actually be going to the 1233214104 spring in the future because im on the hunt for ground clearance and a tighter ride, i still bottom out too much when driving aggressively off road

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'84 300D Euro 5 spd
'83 240D 4spd
'83 300D/5 spd manual/Lifted+28" AT Tires
'83 300SD
'10 E63

Parting out- '79 Euro 280TE Green/Green & '89 300SEL White/Grey

Thanks. That is very useful information! I will have a look and see if I can see those nubs from below.

Everything I look at says that the 1233214104 spring is the correct one for the 82-85 turbodiesel with sliding roof! The Lesjofors part 4056812 seems to be the spring that most on-line vendors show as a replacement for that spring, (but also for 1233213604??)

Presumably you have access to a spring compressor. That is my current challenge - Find a nearby shop that will do this for me.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

I found that chart in the manual. It only shows the 123.133 without A/C. It also only shows the lighter spring A1233213604 . Some on-line epc sources say the US spec '85 with A/C sliding roof, PS etc uses spring A1233214104.

My EPC is no longer working, but I have asked the dealer to check what his says for my VIN. (Confirmed: "Your car takes 123-321-41-04 C$187.54 each and would have to come from Germany.")

Dealer has a spring compressor and is happy to install just the shims or shims plus aftermarket springs, if we find spring is broken (I doubt it is.)

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

AS confirmed by dealer, my 85 W123.133 uses springs with part number A1233214104.

Using the attached file 32-220, from shop manual, I checked all applications using that spring. It does not cover my 85, but there are some clues.

It states that Special Equipment includes slide roof, automatic transmission, ABS and supplementary heater. You choose how many of these you have. Or in some cases, how many over and above the standard car. In my case, it seem just one - the sliding roof.

There being no 123.133 listed, nearest are 123.123 and 123.193 when equipped with automatic and sliding roof and A/C.

For these, it seems shims to be used are 18mm (blue spring code), 23mm (red spring code). Red and blue refer to different lengths of spring, it seems. Just manufacturing tolerances? Shims are supposed to adjust for the difference. See 32-250 attached.

Not knowing which color code springs are in there, I will just have to flip a coin! Probably choose 18mm shims. But not so sure, because now considering installing new Lesjofors springs while I am paying for labor anyway. Could perhaps go with 13mm?

Unless someone has better technical info that includes the w123.133 in Spring Adjustment specs.

Attached Files

	32-220.pdf (640.1 KB, 53 views)
	32-250.pdf (108.0 KB, 41 views)

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

There are discussions about installing different shims to change the stance of the car. You can buy an aftermarket spring compressor and loan/give it to the shop for not much money. The threads MUST be lubed or you will damage the tool.

Consider what other parts could be changed while it's apart. Replacing parts is much easier without he springs installed. I vaguely remember reading that the hole into the spring must be enlarged to work on a 123.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

Lacking any better guidance, I ordered the Lesjofors springs and the 18mm shims. Front may sit a bit higher, but at this stage in car's life, I don't think that matters.

Funnily, after the front bumper fell off, I did a drive around to see if that was where the noise had been coming from. It could have been in part, because at first I no longer heard the clunk. But then I later did and was able to re-produce it in driveway. It seems to change - sometimes there, sometimes not. Problem may be something else, but I will soon have new springs and shims regardless!

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

With new springs I would expect the Car to ride higher for about 6 months to a year and then they might compress slightly in use.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

More than likely. Current springs were installed in 1997 so car wil no doubt be higher in front.

BTW, back in 1997 the shop charged me C$510 plus tax just for the two springs! Dealer price today would be C$374 for the two. Lesjofors a lot less!

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

I just swapped out the springs in my car with H&R springs. I wasn't able to locate the rubber spring insert (shim) for the fronts. I re-used what I had. I could only find replacements for the rear. Had trouble even finding aftermarket for the front, then when I pulled the whole thing apart they weren't too bad so I just reused them. For what its worth the part number I found was 123-321-14-84

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Old Blue - 83 240D 6 speed manual trans, OM648
Green Machine - 2001 Europa G500
87 300SDL Bought on Peachparts. Low-ish miles..?

Family Truckster - 2012 VW Touareg TDI

Patchouli Wagon - 2004 E500 - SOLD
333k mile 97 BMW 750il V12. - SOLD
The Californian - 85 300TD - SOLD
Daily Super Sedan - 03 Audi S8 -SOLD

Dealers have those shims for the W123. That number is for the 13mm shim with 2 nubs. I just ordered 123-321-15-84 which is 18mm 3 nub version.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5