BouncyBouncy- is it shox or coils??

[Lord Lucan]

Hi All,
My 140,000miles, £395 E200 (WDB1240192017827) 11194022010385. rear end 'bottoms out' with 4 up, over our lovely black speed cushions in Huddersfield..

Looked underneath and cant see a spring or a shocker!! -
Q. Will it be the shoxs that need replacing or the coil springs?? How can I tell??
Which spring do I purchase? They seem to range from £15 - £95.
Cheers.

 

[roadhog]

My guess would be shocks. I got mine from ECP, Bilsteins at £47 each. There's cheaper ones available but I didn't want to risk it.

Replacement is straight forward, one bolt at the bottom and a nut at the top.

Test the shocks by bouncing up and down on the car, it should settle within a bounce or so. Not very scientific but always worked for me.

While you're there, have a close look at the springs, there have been a few broken ones on here lately although I think it affects the newer cars more.

 

[television]

It cannot be the shocks,all they do is to stop the recoil effect on the springs, the springs will be too weak or may the incorrect ones fitted

 

[Lord Lucan]

BouncyBouncy

Cheers for that Roadhog / Malcolm -
Gosh - this is a friendly forum
Got an offer of a ramp on Saturday to inspect underneath.. I'll take some photo's and let you know... Thanks

 

[roadhog]

I respectfully disagree Sir M. :Oops:

Similar symptoms to mine and the shocks cured it.

Theory says that the springs do the load and the shocks do the rebound but if the shocks are sufficiently shot then the spring won't have any support on the initial compression and just hit the bumps stops.

Lord Lucan, how does the car behave when driving? Mine was very bouncy even on the slightest bumps.

My money's still on the shocks.

 

[roadhog]

Gosh - this is a friendly forum

We do try.

 

[Lord Lucan]

BouncyBouncy

Seconds Out!!

One up.. fine.. smooth as silk - until you go over a speed cushion. Loud bump bump.
With 4 up... bottoms out on any minor road deflection..
Going on my new friends ramp tomorrow to inspect - so I should know more then.. Hopefully easy job?:-(

 

[television]

I wonder if you have the hydraulic suspension fitted as an option

 

[Lord Lucan]

BouncyBouncy

Now stop trying to scare me with that expensive sounding hydraulic word
How could I tell if it's hydraulic by just looking?

Reg: L673 MYA

 

[television]

This is the complicated one that you do not want to know about

http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...717.412413&CT=F&cat=44Q&SID=32&SGR=135&SGN=04

This is the standard suspension that you hope that you have got

http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...717.412413&CT=F&cat=44Q&SID=32&SGR=120&SGN=03

 

[Lord Lucan]

BouncyBouncy

Yep.. just had a look from under the boot area. Looks like rusty springs and standard shockers... nearside shocker is all wet/moist/oily.

 

[television]

Then the rear shocks must be replaced anyway, a dead easy job to do, they just bolt on top and bottom as in the link

 

[Lord Lucan]

BouncyBouncy

Confirmation of a oily moist shocker.... oooo Matron :-|

Thanks Guys - I'll let you know tomorrow..

 

[television]

That is U/S,,try Euro car parts, or GSF also ask MB how much

 

[Lord Lucan]

To keep anyone interested up to date:-
My Merc has now been on the ramp....
Broken Front OffSide Spring.
Leaking Rear NearSide Shocker.
So - Monday, going shopping to EuroPart in Leeds for 4 springs and 2 Shocks and a fanbelt tensioner shocker....

Is it a straight forward Chassis Number / Reg Number details needed??

Should be sooooo smooooth after that??
Wednesday - Taking family of 5 to Chester Zoo - To Test it out..

 

[television]

He will have all of the details from the car VIN, and do have a nice day out when it is finished, and no one will be sick anymore in the car once its done

 

[philharve]

Worn springs

Hi

Looking at the photo suggests to me that the rear springs have seen better days. I expect they have softened and shortened thereby reducing ride height, especially if the car has been used for carrying heavy loads. Clearances will have been reduced.

It is the springs that govern the height. The shocks merely control the rebound.

REGARDS

Phil

 

[oigle]

Hi

It is the springs that govern the height. The shocks merely control the rebound.

REGARDS

Phil

Not quite right, Phil. Shox have two purposes - one is to control rebound as you stated. The other is to slow down/control the rate of compression too. This means less spring compression takes place on a bump and reduces the rebound stress on the shocker as it has a reduced travel to control. There has to be a good balance of both "bump" and "rebound" control for a shocker to work properly.

 

[philharve]

Springs and dampers

Not quite right, Phil. Shox have two purposes - one is to control rebound as you stated. The other is to slow down/control the rate of compression too. This means less spring compression takes place on a bump and reduces the rebound stress on the shocker as it has a reduced travel to control. There has to be a good balance of both "bump" and "rebound" control for a shocker to work properly.

Hi oigle

True - I just wanted to keep my answer brief to help Lord Lucan understand the difference in function between springs & dampers. It's surprisingly how often this issue is raised. I could have mentioned variable rate springs but decided that might be too much information.

Do you refer to shock absorbers as shox or dampers in Oz?

REGARDS

Phil

 

[oigle]

Hi oigle

Do you refer to shock absorbers as shox or dampers in Oz?

REGARDS

Phil

Hi Phil.
I guess over the years, the term shockabsorbers was always the normal one used here but in recent times, dampers has certainly become more common. Shox is just a lazy term really for those who don't feel like typing the full words - bit like texting. Guess we are all guilty there at times.
When you look at the purpose of the article in question, dampers certainly fits the role better.
Cheers
Ian.