Front Spring Removal - As I thought, simple without special compressor
 

Months ago I brought up a concept. To remove the front springs, without using a compressor, by lifting the car off the spring.

Well I had some fool around time in the last couple of days and it was in the end simple. I did this on a 126. I went very slow and checked and double checked each action. I wanted to learn as well as pull the spring. While I spent several hours pulling my first spring. I am sure I can pull it start to finish in 30 minutes.

1. I raised the front end and supported the body with jack stands
2. Using a floor jack near the lower ball joint, I lifted the car just a bit more than jack stands.
3. I removed the wheel, shock, upper control arm and the brake hose.
3. I very slowly lowered the floor jack. I found that the guide rod was adding support and therefore holding the wheel up a bit. Being the spring is about 19 inches and at this point 17 inches was already released, I was not to worried about the amount of tension left, however I clamped on a pair of coil spring compressors (that cost about $10.00 at Harbor Freight) for added safety and shoved a breaker bar through the top opening of the spring (via the engine compartment). I found the last steps a bit over kill but safe.
4. Stepped on the front control arm, which pushed it down about 2" and then using a pry bar, popped out the spring.

When I removed the clamps, I measured 1" to 1 1/2" of compression, I don't think enough to cause any danger, but they added some control and peace of mind.

On the next wheel I am going to pull off the guide rod (bearing support) before lowering the wheel. My guess is that the spring will fall out.

Don

That's very good to know.

What's the safety purpose of dropping a breaker bar from the top of the spring?

As an aside, why is it not possible or recommended to drop the rear guide rod mount and forego the business of manhandling the lower control arm when working on the guide rod?

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

If you do a search on "spring removal" you will find that there is a high level of concern which generates unfounded fear about the "power" of the springs. I shoved the breaker bar down in there in case something popped. The thought being it would help contain the spring in the wheelwell.

Same goes for the guide rod and bearing. My fear caused me to leave it in place to help control the spring. On the next wheel, I will be pulling it ahead of the spring.

I think most people have either thought to or in fact tried to use compressors to compress the spring from a relaxed to a tight state. I think thats where the trouble comes in. My goal was to fully relax it and work on it in a relaxed state if possible (and it was possible!)

Don

I guess the question still remains if this method can be used to reinstall new springs that may be taller compated to old wore out ones.

BTW... the drop and tug out method of removing springs is the common way they do it with 4x4's on coil springs. Then again though a true offroader is never afraid of axle droop. We want it!!

With the guide rod out of the way, what limits the swing of the lower control arm? Seems like it'll drop to vertical when left to its own.

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

Just came back from the bone yard. Saw an example (81SD?)of "drooping" spring and lower control arm, they are still attached to the car. The other suspension parts are all gone. The lower control arm is hanging near vertical, and one end of the spring is caught by the lower control arm. The spring is bent slightly.

I think BIGRED is onto the right track. However, a heavy duty flat rope may be better for safety, since to R/R the spring in this state, slight compression is needed.

shane - you rung a bell. Now that you mention it I have seen the same thing as described on a 190 class in a pullaparts place. I was scared to get near it at the time:eek:.

Bigred - have you put the spring back in there yet? I am assuming that you will be able to use the regular spring compressor to pull it in enough to slip it in.

I did the experiment on my 300SD parts car, so no I have not yet put the spring in. I am planning to rebuid both lower control arms and bearing mounts from the parts car and then install them on my daily 300SD. I don't think I will need to use any compressor to put it back. It looks like I will swing the control arm up untill the spring case makes contact with the bottom coil then start pumping up the floor jack.

Based on the factory CD, the springs I pulled are very close to the height spec's for new ones. While I have not yet done it, I have no doubt or concern that it will go back very easily. Remeber with everything disconnected from the lower conterol arm, you could swing it from 9:00 (normal driving position) to 6:00 without any problem. (if the car is high enough off the ground).

Don

Have fun putting it back together, I found it easier to remove than install. That spring is tough...

Well I must post here.
Let me say first of all that I do own the Sir tool Compressor. The desision to purchase it has quite a multitude of facits so I'll just say that of course I use the Sir tool.

My brother is a mechanic on Mercedes and he described this method of coil spring removal to me also.

They use an external coil spring compressor to slightly compress the spring. One like this.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=43753

He describes the proceedure as

They raise the car up on the lift, jack stands for you and I.
They place a jack under the lower control arm
The raise the lower control arm to compress the coil spring
They then install the strut compressor.
Then they lower the LCA to allow the UCA and LCA support of the coils spring to spread.
My brother said that you might have to use a crow bar to get the base of the spring out of the spring seat.

Installation may require the bottom of the spring to be nudged into postiton with a crow bar.


I was not comfortable with this method. Would hate to loose my career as a pilot by not doing it correctly. So I purchased the Sir Tool compressor.
If my brother was here guideing me I would have considered the task but he's in Columbia SC and I'm in DFW.


Dave

PS a concern with a taller coil spring is of course a concern. The new 123 springs I put in the 300Td were in fact 1 inch taller than the OEM springs. I called Lemforder in England to make sure I had the correct application for my car. They informed me that the spring rate was the same but that they were taller.

BIGRED,
Next, let's see you use that procedure on the rear springs.

As R Leo has of course pointed out, I never would have gotten the rear suspension rebuilt without the Sir Tool Compressor.
The rear suspension rebuild was a complete rebuild. New springs, trailing arm bushings, subframe mounts, sway bar mounts and ends, differential mount, repainted the trailing arms while they were out. Removing the spring!!! I don't see how you could do it without the compressor. Actually I could probably figure out a way to remove them BUT not install them.

Dave

I won't be getting to re-building the rear for awhile, but intend to drop the entire sub frame assembly including the rear end. I see no difference in the rear. Unbolt everything and raise the body until the springs can be removed.

Don

I don't like the idea of compressing the spring with a tool. I think thats where people not using the MB tool get into trouble. When I say compress, I mean anything more than an inch or so.

With everything unbolted, the lower control arm will drop at the rate you raise the car until you can lift the spring out. I can see no reason to compress it with a tool, unless your trying to save the time of pulling the shock, caliper and upper control arm.

While I am sure other models may be different, on my 126 the relaxed spring is about 19". When setting on the 4 tires it is compressed to about 12". That means that using a tool, I have to control about 8" or 9" of spring compression (no thanks). I feel lots safer having the weight of (or lack thereof) the car compress or relax the spring.

Don

Not intuitive...
 

It will be interesting to see what happens when you remove those front subframe bolts with the car sitting on all fours.

You might think about having someone standing by to go for help...ya know, just in case this doesn't work out quite the way you've planned.

I have followed the method using the floor jack under the lower control arm on a 123 and managed to live to tell about it.

I can say this, it was much easier to get the spring out than to put it back in. You can do it, but it's a real wrestling match.

Have a great day,

R Leo,

I will be raising the car enough to support the subframe with jack stands. Once the driveshaft, hoses, forward subframe bushings and differential mounts are unbolted, I will raise the body high enough to remove the subframe. I think I will need help, because of the weight, however I am thinking about a location at my home where I could secure a couple of come-alongs to move the whole assembly out from under the car.

At least that is the plan.

Don

Hehe...you'll be raising that car so doggone high you're gonna need oxygen.

Just be careful when you remove those subframe bolts.

Rear Springs
 

2 weeks ago I finished completely stripping down a 1980-123-240D...I removed everything from the car that was removeable(bolted and screwed on) except the front and back suspension...I removed the axles and differential and while I wanted to do something with the suspension I didn't have a spring compressor so I left those componets alone....I then took the stripped chassis to a friend's salvage yard and he used a large fork lift with 6' forks to lift the car up so I could remove the wheels. I was removing the wheels when low and behold one of the rear springs fell out. After removing all the wheels I then popped the other spring out....I have a 126 that I will try to raise to see if the back springs will fall out(I have already removed the differential and axles).I have a pipe and pulley outfit and I am going to use a 8K pound winch to take up a small amount of compression after I have removed the front shocks. it might be a month or two and I will report back to the forum...Jim

Removal will be a lot easier than re-installation.

ALSO! As a warning for others! This procedure may work in an emergency for the 126 chassis, but that DOES NOT mean it will work - or is not dangerous! - for other chassis, like 201, 124, 140, etc. Rusty rents the proper compressor for about $75 plus S&H. Is risking your life to save ~$100 really worth it? I guess for a lot of you, yeah it is.

BTW - here's some photos of the Harbor Freight type cheapo compressors on a 124 spring:

http://www.meimann.com/images/merced...ompressor1.jpg

http://www.meimann.com/images/merced...ompressor2.jpg


:D

I will shoot some pictures when I do the other wheel. I think it will make clear how simple and safe it is to allow physics to work for you. This assumes one is alert and competent in using automotive tools in the first place.

I agree, if you are planning to try and pull the spring as the first component in your suspension tear down DO NOT USE the cheap stuff. I am sure that is where people get into trouble.

But I have to ask. Why pull the spring first? Why not last so that you can unload the compression without any compressor?

I can't imagine MB uses a Klann when they assemble the cars, but maybe they do.

Don

Now THAT is a good question. I'd love to know the answer... :D

Real Quiet
 

I would imagine that things will get real quiet until we find out if they use a spring compressor....Maybe someone has a short video that could clear up the question...

Thanks for the cool thread, BIGRED. :)

I wonder if BIGRED ever got around to doing the other spring? He hasn't posted anything in almost two months.
I hope all is well.

Thank's for the concern. I have not had time to tinker with my cars for a long time nor to post. Trying to keep life together as some rather hard issues showed up.

Don

Life is more important than cars. We'll see you around when things are better for you.
Take care Don.

Just last weekend I R & I'd both front springs on my SL. No big deal without any special tools. Have also done all 4 springs on a 210 body, again, without any spring compressors. As Larry said, sometimes it can be a bit of a wrestling match to get the spring back in, but with the right pry bar and lots of leverage, one person can do it.:D

I was shocked to find this old Thread that details how to remove the Front Spring without using the Klann Type Spring Compressor and using the Free Rental Strut type Spring Compressors.

This Thread is from 2004 and I was not a Member until 2007.

No one has mentioned this thread in the 7 years I have been a Member.

The First time I removed the Front Springs from My W123 I used the Harbor Freight Strut Spring Compressors and got away with it.
Both times I compressed the Spring as much as I could with the Strut Type Tool so I My case the Srings were unders a lot of compression. (After bending them I made a strong Spring compressor to finish the Job.)

The next time I did the same I again used the Strut type Spring Copressors but bent them up in the process.

In this thread the Key to using the Strut type Spring Compressor is that you are going to minimally compress/tension the Spring and you need to have the Lower Control Arm hanging down far enough to get the minimally compressed Spring in and out safely.

Not covered in the thread but I think if your Lower Control Arm Bushings are 30 something Years old bending the Lower Control Arm down as far as you can brings up the possibilty of ruining your old Bushings.

I was hoping that People would have some further comments on the Method used in this thread to compress the Springs.

I pulled a front spring out of a w201 after the front strut was removed. Whatever else needed removing to get the lca free to swing we removed. I put a chain around the spring "just in case". put a crowbar down the center, tied a tifor griphoist to it and stood far enough away to feel safe. We just yanked it free.

My sense from that experience is that this thread is probably correct. I liked having the chain to contain things but it didn't jump far with the bar inside. I had a truck garage reinstall the spring in another vehicle-- from the look of those boys I bet they just squeezed it between their gums.

I also can easily imagine a doofus hurting himself if he tries to cut corners. But lets be frank -- a doofus can always hurt himself.....

I have wondered if this would work.

I have a 126 sitting in my yard nearly ready for scrapyard... I think I'll try lifting the car off the springs... Video and pics to follow...

It is very easy to remove the springs with lifting on the 123 and 126, done both recently front and back. The key is to remove the entire front control arm, it does not swing enough out of the way there is still tension-not enough to cause damage after 30 years on the springs, but new springs would have more tension. The rears come out very easily, just undo the shock at the top and unbolt the rear subframe, jack it up. Getting them back in would be tricky lining up bolts and jacking the control arm back up-not impossible but harder. I don't use a coil spring compressor at all, mine wore out a long time ago and is no longer safe. I would not remove springs this way with a hoist, it could be a problem trying to support the control arm while on the hoist and really stress one side/end and unbalance the car on the hoist.
Anyways, when stripping down a car few tools are needed, just undo and remove the weight and they are easily removed.

What I got from this old thread is that it was not about using no Spring Compressor at all.

It was about using a commonly available Spring Compressor to hold the Front Spring where it is already compressed (when there is Vehicle Weight on the Spring) and or to Crank the Spring Compressor to compress the Spring just a bit instead of trying to use it to fully compress the Spring.

I think we all have been the Doofus at one time or another.

But, keep in mind that if you do what is in the Thread the Spring is actually compressed way less than it would be if you compressed the Spring enough to remove it in the normal manner. You would think that if the Spring is compressed less the hazard is also reduced.

Like a lot of the stuff suggested in the various Threads each Person has to decide if what is suggested is workable for them.

If nothing else it is a good idea to keep this thread in mind if you are stuck someplace and you need to do an emergency fix.

Well I've been there and done it and I think it is a really dangerous tricky thing to do.


I don't recommend doing this ^^^

It is worth noting the following

1) The length of the front springs in the W123 / W126 chassis are not all equal - some are longer than others (see FSM)
2) The length of the spring is "made longer" by the spring pads fitted above
3) The dish that holds the bottom of the spring in place is only held on by three M8 bolts
4) The dish at the bottom of the spring "falls" at an angle in such a way that only one side of the bottom of the spring is being held in place - this isn't so unusual but there is often one heck of a lot of tension in the spring when it gets to this stage - there seems to me to be enough tension to wipe out your goolies - especially if you happen to have an unfortunate combination of a long spring and a thick spring pad
5) The brake stay also stops the lower control arm from dropping
6) The inboard eccentric bolts on the LCA also stop the LCA from dropping - especially if you have relatively new bushes.


I tried this approach to spring removal when I first got my W123 and I nearly **** my pants - it was not a nice experience. I do not recommend it.

I tried this approach with the front springs on my W201 (because they look so small and light weight) and it is a lot more do-able than the W123 ones - but still an internal spring compressor is best.


I will also add that unless you are just pulling these cars to pieces you need to have an internal spring compressor even for the light weight rear springs on either the W123 or the W201 if you want to put springs back in

don't See no compressor(s)
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oMfOtQTmAE

or here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RizBe-Vrwbg

or here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VebrcoHv3cM

BUT X 2 what stretch said.

Cheap hands, cheap tools.

I went by the text of the guy that started the thread as My dial up Internet takes too long for me to watch Vids in a reasonabel time.

I have an Surgery coming up next week so I am not going to do it in the near future but I need to replace a torn Lower Ball Joint Boot or the Joint itself and I have the Strut type Spring Compressores from Harbor Freight.

When I have time I will try it and come back and post on this thread.

Seeing as you have a surgery booked perhaps it is best to do the spring before hand so if something goes wrong the doctors are ready!

I removed the both Springs with the Harbor Freight Strut Type Spring Compressor the First time I replaced the Lower Control Arm Bushings and reinstalled the same without bending them.

That worked becasue I did the tedious job of only turning the nuts 2 or so turns and bening careful not to tighten one side much more than the other.

When I did it the next time it was also working OK till I screwd up by pulling on one of the threaded Rods and that slide the Spring Compressor out of alighment with the one on the other side and bent the threaded Rods on both.

Like I said everyone can be a doofus; especially if you rush yourself. That is also what makes it a bad time to do the job before the Surgery because I would be part of My attention/focus would be on trying not to make My Hernia worse; increasing My chance for making a mistake.

In both cases I compressed the Springs as far as was needed to get them loose enough to pull them out.
The Method I remember from the old thread calls for minimum compression of the Spring.

Not related to compressing Spring but related to avoiding Bodily Injury. I was in a Car Accident caused by the other Driver where I had 5 breaks spread over 3 Ribs and My Lung on that side partially collapsed because one of the Ribs polkaed a Hole in one of the lobes of that Lung.

If I did what was safest for Me I would never get in a Car again!

Well apparently My Memory of what I did 6 Years ago is Faulty.

From the old thread I must have bent the Spring Compressor by yanking on it on My first attempt to pull of the Springs.

I do remember that after the bending I replaced the 1/2" threaded Rod with 5/8" threaded rod and apprantly that is what I finished the job with.

"The only problem I have had is I am using a generic spring compressor (has hooks that hook from the outside). When the spring was compressed I decided to grab on of the compressors any yank the spring out.
This was a bad idea (I should have known better). It pulled the comressor 45 degrees from where it was supposed to be and the spring tension bent the threaded rod on the compressor.
Quote from the Thread July 2008
"I decided that I would just buy a new set but 2 Harbor Freight stores were out of stock. So I replaced the threaded rod on both compressors. I will be using it by the end of the day but will be more careful."

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/228951-unexpected-trouble-removing-front-lower-control-arm-bushings.html

You don't need to remove the springs at all to to a ball joint boot. Jack up the car from the chassis. Place a second jack under the ball joint. Undo the strut. Use the second jack to lower the control arm just enough to remove the strut. Replace the boot.

If you can't afford a Klann-style compressor, why not just rent from one of the generous folks on the list?

I know it just seem like a good opportunity to test the idea.

With the Ball Joint disconnected from the Steering Knuckle you can get the max flex on the lower Control Arm to move it away from the partially compressed Spring.

[QUOTE=Mxfrank;3360826]You don't need to remove the springs at all to to a ball joint boot. Jack up the car from the chassis. Place a second jack under the ball joint. Undo the strut. Use the second jack to lower the control arm just enough to remove the strut. Replace the boot.

If you can't afford a Klann-style compressor, why not just rent from one of the generous folks on the list?[/QUOTE]

I know but it is a good time to test out that Guys idea while completeing something that needs to be done.
With the Ball Joint Disconnected from the Steering Knuckle there is plenty of room to flex the Lower Control Arm downwards and use minimum compression on the Spring to remove it.

I already made 2 types of Spring Compressors to do the job safely. The other one I made is a Hooked type Spring Compressor with 1 inch diameter Threaded Rod. I did that because I wanted a Spring Compressor I could use on a wide range of Vehicles; not just Mercedes.

Wondering if this is feasible for someone on my skill level. There's no way I can afford to let a shop do it.

I'll do it. Soon.

Depends how much you like your fingers where they are currently located.

The price on aftermarket Mercedes spring compressors has dropped dramatically, they can be found on eBay for about $60 now. (!!)

Avoid aftermarket tools with a slotted plate, that type is dangerous... see video clip below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY56ib3I-ew

The full video is here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLVvS6CuNlQ

Photos attached of the slotted-plate type to avoid, and also the external-clamp type to avoid as well (from broken links in post #21).

:stuart:

What are you doing to the car? Why are the springs coming out?

Can it be done? Of course.
Lifting the car high enough is important, supporting everything, unhook the lower ball joint and lower control arm from the chassis with the entire weight of the car on the spring supported by a jack... or perform all bolt removal with the car sitting on the ground, then lift the car off the lower control arm...

Me? Nope. I'd rather use the compressor...