E w210 springs front and rear how to replace

retro w124 w210

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I have fitted new springs to my e320 and wanted to do a step by step guide.

First jack up the vehicle rear use axle stands and place under the rear arms at the back or on the anti roll bar bracket, as this make it easyer for later.
Then remove plastic covers from under the arms.

In the picture you can see I have removed the shocker bolt lower and have suported the rear arm with a jack, now remove the rear arm bolt (the one with the ratchet on in the pic.)

Lower the arm on the jack slow but remember I have not used spring clamps as I didn't have the room + its easyer without them.
But please keep in mind that its under slight tension.

Remove the spring and clean the bottom arm so the new one sits in the cup nice.

Jack the arm back up and locate the spring in the top support, make sure it sits in the rubber properly.

Now fit the rear arm bolt as in picture 3, you will need to align the hole with a screw driver then push the bolt through and tap the head (secure and tighten with nut. Then fit the lower shocker bolt.
Refit the plastic arm cover, then double check everything is bolted and secure, refit wheel tighten bolts and lower vehicle back on the ground.

It may take a while for the suspension to settle.
 

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SQ_W211

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Nice and Easy for rear but what about front?:roll::roll:

Can you put up some before and after pictures? what springs did you go for?
 
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retro w124 w210

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Now for the front, this is abit more involved.

Jack up and place axle stands both sides under the front arms at the back allowing the arm to move down freely with no restictions.

Once you have done that remove the steering arm, this will need a good tap with a hammer but watch you dont damage the rubber, (its best to use a ball joint splitter just be patient with it).


Then remove the anti roll bar bolts from the chassis and lower arm link rod (see pic 1,2).

After you have done that then remove the top arm ball joint (pic 3) use plenty of wd40 on all the bolts.

Remove the lower shocker bolt, this should make the arm go free and limp, then use a bar on the chassis and arm, leaver down and remove the spring (remember the slight tension on spring) pic4

Clean the lower seat for the new spring and place in position now jack the arm back up just make sure it locates in the top mount rubber properly. pic5

Refit shocker bolt and top balljoint nut.
Refit anti roll bar bolts to chassis and arm.
Refit steering arm.
Double check all bolt are secure then fit wheel.
remove axle stands then Lower vehicle back on the ground.
job done. ;)
 

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retro w124 w210

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Nice and Easy for rear but what about front?:roll::roll:

Can you put up some before and after pictures? what springs did you go for?


Just done please see thread :D, I went for PI lowering springs 40m I did take pics before and I will take some now its done and post them up.
The suspension hasn't settled yet, I need to give it a good run.
 

SQ_W211

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you did the fronts the longer way, if you had the spring compressors, you wouldnt have had to remove the full suspension setup it would have simply slipped out once fully compressed

Did you change the rubber pads while you were at it, with my Eibach i noticed it didnt lowered the car fully by 35mm and I had to get the springs taken out again to change the pads
 

roadhog

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I realise this is for a W210 and mine isn't one of those but this bit made me chuckle:
(remember the slight tension on spring)
There was A LOT of tension on mine, so much so that the weight of the car wasn't enough to reassemble the spring etc. and the job needed spring compressors.
 
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retro w124 w210

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you did the fronts the longer way, if you had the spring compressors, you wouldnt have had to remove the full suspension setup it would have simply slipped out once fully compressed

Did you change the rubber pads while you were at it, with my Eibach i noticed it didnt lowered the car fully by 35mm and I had to get the springs taken out again to change the pads

This isn't the first Merc I have done suspension on, I did it this way as it was easyer than fiting spring clamps in my opinion because you just havn't got the room, and by the time you mess around with all that you can remove the spring easy the way I done it. well thats how I done the job anyway.
Im just lucky I have all the tools in my garage to perform the job.
 
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retro w124 w210

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I realise this is for a W210 and mine isn't one of those but this bit made me chuckle:

There was A LOT of tension on mine, so much so that the weight of the car wasn't enough to reassemble the spring etc. and the job needed spring compressors.


TBH It depends what Merc you have and if you use spring clamps its up too you, a good jack will reasemble the spring, I have got a set of clamps but I knew from past Experience and swearing. :)
 

roadhog

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TBH It depends what Merc you have and if you use spring clamps its up too you, a good jack will reasemble the spring, I have got a set of clamps but I knew from past Experience and swearing. :)

The W124 won't go back together with a jack, too much pre-load on the spring once assembled, even with the wheel off the ground. DO NOT use this procedure on a W124. Excellent if it works on a W210 though. :D

I think the point Amo was making was the with the correct internal spring compressors you can remove and refit the springs without having to disconnect anything else.
 

bigasotonuk

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Hi,
I believe this would be the same for the 202 C class and 208, it may also be worth mentioning that to try to combat the snapping rusting spring problem MB also put a soft metal shim between the lower arm and each front coil spring, as this was supposed to eliminate corrosion of the coil spring, most people don,t find this as it has erroded away to nothing by the time the springs need replacing, not heard about anything for the rear springs though, if any one is interested i,ll post a pic of a new one.
 
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retro w124 w210

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Hi,
I believe this would be the same for the 202 C class and 208, it may also be worth mentioning that to try to combat the snapping rusting spring problem MB also put a soft metal shim between the lower arm and each front coil spring, as this was supposed to eliminate corrosion of the coil spring, most people don,t find this as it has erroded away to nothing by the time the springs need replacing, not heard about anything for the rear springs though, if any one is interested i,ll post a pic of a new one.

Yeah same type setup as a w202, and yes most of the metal shim corridid away :).


If I had £500 to spare I wouldn't buy the internal spring comps, not when I can do the job without them anyway lol.
 

C280estateguy

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Please post the spring/shim pics Andy. I'm about to attempt to change the broken rear springs on my 1998 C280 Estate (W202), and was planing to try the jack method rather than the spring compressor. I just watched Ed on tv's Wheeler Dealers do it on a 190, but I don't think he removed the shock absorber lower bolt, just the big bolt connecting the suspension arm to the car below the spring. Is this right? Also, any suggestions for nice smooth comfy sleep-inducing springs to fit, or just the standard Classic ones? Cheers, John
 
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retro w124 w210

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Please post the spring/shim pics Andy. I'm about to attempt to change the broken rear springs on my 1998 C280 Estate (W202), and was planing to try the jack method rather than the spring compressor. I just watched Ed on tv's Wheeler Dealers do it on a 190, but I don't think he removed the shock absorber lower bolt, just the big bolt connecting the suspension arm to the car below the spring. Is this right? Also, any suggestions for nice smooth comfy sleep-inducing springs to fit, or just the standard Classic ones? Cheers, John

Hello john I dont think I took a picture of the shim as most of it was gone lol,
It may well be possible to do this without the remove of the shocker bolt.
I did this as it drops more and makes the arm free TBH its only a single bolt.
I would go for the standard springs (change both sides) for the comfy feel if you want it lower then order some spring pads, but first find out what size you have on yours at the moment.
Its a real easy job to change the springs on the rear, just make sure you use axle stands both sides and a good jack under the rear arm.
IF you need any more help on the job PM me for my phone number.
Cheers Andy
 

EricCLK

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Thanks for the tips.

Followed your guidance re changing the rear springs - worked a treat!
Cheers :)
 

Mikey2thous

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W210 Rear spring change - ride too high?

Firstly, thanks to Retro W124 W210 for the excellent write-up, it was good to know I could do the rear springs without a compressor before I started.

So, the job went really well, my wife's estate car a W210 T E200K Classic 2001 estate had broken a rear nearside spring at bottom of the spring. The job was easy though I was over cautious and slow not knowing the tension in the spring, as it turned out it was easily manageable.

I ordered two springs from GSF - Lesjöfors - 511ME0450 (self- levelling), I did a cursory check and they looked approx the same length etc. The car has self-levelling suspension, so the shock has two bolts holding it at the bottom.

The problem is the ride height! Its 430 mm from the centre of the wheel to the centre of the arch on the nearside amd nearly 420mm on the offside. The fronts (not changed, originals) are 375mm.

I let the the car settle for a week with no change. So this weekend I reviewed everything. The coil springs are sitting properly in the lower arm with the spring end "in the mould". The rubber top ends seem to be in properly though on install I did have to turn them to match the spring end though I don't think this makes a difference?

I undid the inner pivot bolt for the arm to let it settle (I used new nuts and loctite with 53 ft lbs of torque) whilst on ramps - no change.

I had GSF double check I had the right springs which they confirmed were correct. Our original springs had 2 white dots on them.

So does anybody have any ideas? My thoughts are:

1. This is the correct ride height - but it looks wrong.
2. They (GSF) supplied the wrong springs?
3. The self levelling suspension is somehow to blame?
4. I have done something stupid?

Actually the car drives fine, and for the record it’s been superb in the six years we have owned it. This is the first non service part to be replaced!

Many thanks for any help. Mike.
 
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retro w124 w210

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Hello Mike thanks, glad this thread still comes in usefull;), as for the springs I take it that you have purchased standard ride hight ones.?
I know when I change my springs and fitted it all back together, the car was way to high even tho they were lowering springs:shock:.
So I stripped it all back down again after finding out about the spring pads.
You can buy these in diffrent sizes from Mercedes, first you need to know what size one's you have on your car.?
When I ordered mine I got a few sets in different sizes as I didn't want to be stuck when I had it all appart again!!!!.
If this is your fault and you are after some spring pads, Im sure I have a selection in the garage. Pm me if you like.
It could just be that they are the wrong springs so I would double check that first.?
Thanks ReTro.
 

dieselman

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To do the rear springs you don't need to undo the damper bolt at all, or even take the wheels off if you have ramps to reverse onto.
Simply reverse up the ramps, jack the back end up under the differenial and put axle stands under the inboard end of the suspension arms, then undo the inner bolts and jack the car up a bit more to lower the arms.
 

Mikey2thous

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Thanks Retro w124 w210 for the fast response.

Yes, I fitted standard height ones or at least that’s what GSF sold me. The MB dealer who didn't have stock was very interested in the colour code (two white dots on originals) GSF weren't and looked it up on an application catalogue. I made sure he knew it was self-levelling estate - Classic. They have checked it twice for me so unless wrong parts in correct boxes, they have nothing to add.

Does it matter that the ride hide is so high? Is this height wrong, should it be the same as the front, is 430 way out? I don't understand the purpose of different spring pads is this so the factory can "trim" ride height? I also understand that a higher ride height may stop "scrubbing" of the outside rear tyres which W210 are prone too? Our car has suffered from this since new, even Michelins and 42 psi wouldn't curtail.

Should I just live with it though it looks odd? What part does self-levelling system play in this?

Thanks again Mike.
 


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