I've got a favor to ask of anybody who has a Klann or Klann-clone spring compressor. I bought one of the eBay versions last week and used it this weekend. The smaller or the two plates is what's called for on the 300E, and it fits the front spring just fine and works like a champ. However, the rear spring ID is 72mm, the same size as the innermost part of the spring seat on the tool. As a result, half of the the spring tries to slide down into the spring seat trough and the whole thing sits sort of cock-eyed. This also forces the central threaded part of the tool to the side and at a sharp enough angle that it won't line up and go through the top plate. I ended up having to compress the spring by jacking up the lower control arm with the spring compressor plates in the spring and then fitting in the threaded rod. Because of the width of the compressor plates, they would hit the spring seat prematurely preventing me from getting them far enough apart to get full compression from them. I had to disconnect the shock mounts and one of the torque arms to get the control arm to drop low enough to remove the spring.

I've attached a picture of the upper compressor plate showing the measurement of the inner and outer diam. of the spring seat area as well as a rough representation of the area the rear spring occupies. I'm wondering whether the kit I bought has the right sized plates.

Would someone be kind enough to measure their Klann or Klone compressor plate in the same areas shown below?

Has anyone else experienced this problem?

Thanks,

Gary

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Gary, I know this won't answer your question, but I have never had a need for a spring compressor on a 124, or on my 129 either. A search should bring up the procedure to safely change springs without one.

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95 SL500 Smoke Silver, Parchment 64K
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05 F150 Silver 44K

Just this weekend, I pulled the rear springs on my '94 W124 without using a spring comressor.

I supported the outboard end of the control arm with a jack. Then I (in this order) removed the wheel carrier/control arm bolt, the sway bar bolt and the shock bolt from the control arm. I then lowered the control arm with the jack and removed the spring.

I had the Klann spring compressor and used it successfully for the front springs but found it easier not use it for the rear springs but instead removed/installed them with above described method.
Bruno

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1992 300TE 160 kmiles

I added a degree of safety to this procedure by running a length of chain through the spring, around the control arm, then bolted it into a loop. It made me feel much better about the process. I figured that if something catostrophic happened, I could live with a dinged up car. I might not live throught a dinged up HEAD!

Just my 2 cents... arguably worth that.

Jeff Pierce

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Jeff Pierce

Current Vehicles:
'92 Mercedes 190E/2.3 (247K miles/my daily driver)
'93 Volvo 940 Turbo Wagon (263K miles/a family truckster with spunk)
'99 Kawasaki Concours
Gravely 8120
Previous Vehicles:
'85 Jeep CJ-7 w/ Fisher plow (226K miles)'93 Volvo 940 Turbo Wagon
'53 Willys-Overland Pickup
'85 Honda 750F Interceptor
'93 Nissan Quest
'89 Toyota Camry Wagon
'89 Dodge Raider
'81 Honda CB 750F Super Sport
'88 Toyota Celica
'95 Toyota Tacoma
'74 Honda CB 550F

Thanks for the replies. I'd still like to find out the measurements for the proper Klann compressor, however, so I can compare them with mine. I want to make sure that they sold me the correct tool. I noticed in the service procedure that MB call for using the same spring plates for both the front and rear springs. Can anyone who has the Klann or Klann Klone at hand take some quick measurements for me? Btw, one additional measurement for comparison: the overall width (O.D.) of the smaller plates in my kit is 130 mm.

Thanks again,

Gary

Anybody?

Still hoping for replies regarding the spring plate measurements or any experiences using it on W124 rear springs.

Thanks,

Gary

I stand by my earlier post:
"I supported the outboard end of the control arm with a jack. Then I (in this order) removed the wheel carrier/control arm bolt, the sway bar bolt and the shock bolt from the control arm. I then lowered the control arm with the jack and removed the spring".

I would add that you should use a roller type jack so that it will follow, relative to the ground, the arc movement (toward the ground and toward the centerline of the car as it pivots on the inner bushing, all at the same time) of the end of the lower control arm.

I think the biggest challenge is breaking the control arm/wheel carrier bolt, it is tough to get a socket or wrench in to un-torque without removing or bending the brake disk shield

I will say, in agreement to Bruno300TE that the use of a compressor for the rear comlicates the matter. One qualifier though, if the intent is to remove the rear subframe without taking apart the suspension, the tool may be appropriate.

Geoff,

That is one of the considerations I was thinking about in regards to replacing the subframe mounts.

I'm not denying the utility of your method, it sounds reasonable, workable and I'm sure it works great. However in my case, and possibly others, my hydraulic jack has kind of an all or nothing pressure release. I'm not comfortable with the idea of releasing the spring suddenly. My point is that I've already bought the tool and it doesn't seem to really be designed to do the job properly on the rear springs of the model it's supposed to fit. I'd like to find out for my own edification whether the factory tool or the Klann (may be one and the same, I'm not sure) has the same dimensions, and as a result, the same limitation. If it's different than mine, that gives me ammo to go back to the seller and get it replaced or return it. If all the tools on the market are essentially the same, dimension-wise, then I'd like to know how other people are using the tool to remove the rear springs. Maybe I'm doing something wrong or overlooking something, I don't know, but I'd like to find out. Additionally, other people who are considering purchasing this tool can read this post, either now or in the future through a topic search, and become aware of this possible limitation as it may affect their decision to buy the tool or not. Or conversely, if I'm simply doing it wrong and somebody sets me right, that could help someone else that's experiencing the same thing I am.

Anyhow, once again, I'm still hoping for replies from someone who owns and uses any of the Klann type compressors as to the ease or difficulty in using the tool on the 124 rear springs.

Sorry for the rant,

Gary

The measurement of the smaller disk that came with my tool-set is OD 120MM : ID 71MM

We probably have the same tool.