Broken Springs!!??

[DougCLK320]

The other front spring went on my W140 this morning.

I guess Mercedes must have designed them for German roads which may be in better condition than our atrocious roads. The springs cannot cope with so many potholes, poor repairs and sunken drain covers.

Yes, but these are expensive high quality cars.

Supposed "world cars" should be able to cope with the bumps and humps of British roads. Other manufacturers vehicles seem to be able to!

If the spring's break (in normal use) then they are self-evidently not good enough!!!
Doug

 

[jberks]

Fair point. The service manager I spoke to was a little more open as he's leaving. He said they are a very common failure. In fact he reckoned he had cars on the forecourt stood for a couple of weeks and on moving them its very common for them to go twang!

Given that whilst UK roads aren't great, Mercs are used in Africa, I don't give the springs much hope in those locations.

Speed bumps do seem to be a major contributor though. Perhaps whilst rutted roads are something they can handle, the full compression clout they take every time you roll over a speed bump is possibly something they weren't designed to cope with.

 

[television]

The average pot hole does not flex the spring much as the car has passed it to quickly, speed humps are something else flexing the spring to near max every time.

My local garage fit loads these day to all makes.

At least on the 230 you cant break a spring

 

[AndrewIles]

Can't say I am surprised but MB Customer Care rejected my claim for a goodwill gesture towards the cost of replacing all 4 springs today.

I have now got a couple of quotes to get the work done. Surprise, surprise the MB dealership is £250 more expensive (and that is after them discounting their labour rates by 40%!). They shan't be the ones doing the work!

 

[alindsay81]

what are the main signs of a broken spring ?

 

[jberks]

what are the main signs of a broken spring ?

The gap between the top of the tyre and the wheelarch isn't what it should be (and unless both have gone, isn't what it is on the other side), a failure on the MOT, sometimes a clunk from the suspension. Plus, if its gone completely like mine did, no bounce in the suspension on that corner.

 

[jberks]

I have now got a couple of quotes to get the work done. Surprise, surprise the MB dealership is £250 more expensive (and that is after them discounting their labour rates by 40%!). They shan't be the ones doing the work!

My dealer was within a couple of quid of the indie. It does depend on how much work is involved as savings are on the labour rather than parts. On mine it's only an hour or so per side so there wasn't much for the indie to undercut but I still expected a saving of £30-50 per corner but it wasn't to be.
I don't know where the prices came from really. Price per side was pretty much what I'd expected but when I said do both at the same time, it wasn't remotely double.

 

[television]

what are the main signs of a broken spring ?

Most springs break off a piece about 3" long at the bottom, some folk do not know that they have a broken spring until the MOT man picks up on it. Jberks break was unusual as the height of the car seldom changes

 

[jberks]

Most springs break off a piece about 3" long at the bottom, some folk do not know that they have a broken spring until the MOT man picks up on it. Jberks break was unusual as the height of the car seldom changes

As Malcolm says, it does depend on where it breaks. in my case, because the spring on the front of a 211 is thinner at the bottom, it dropped past its mounting down the strut, but even then, as it's factory lowered anyway, there wasn't more than 10mm in it.
I'm not sure how or where they broke on the back of my Dads 211 but it is noticably higher at the back now it has new springs. It had always looked a bit 'saggy' at the back and now looks a lot better. So I guess it depends on how and where. As Malcolm says, if its the bottom 3" on a rear spring, then the spring will continue to do its job and it won't get picked up until the MOT.

 

[mikestrivens]

At least on the 230 you cant break a spring

Am I being think but what is a 230? I guess you mean the C230. I must admit I never had a broken spring on my w124 280TE, but I do try to avoid pot holes etc and drive over sleeping policemen slowly. I have only just got the W140 and the W124 320TE so I don't know how much abuse they had with previous owners.

Both of the front springs on the W140 lost the bottom coil so the car sank about an inch. With 18inch wheels it was very noticeable. It is booked in next week for the other one to be replaced.

 

[jberks]

Am I being think but what is a 230? I guess you mean the C230. I must admit I never had a broken spring on my w124 280TE, but I do try to avoid pot holes etc and drive over sleeping policemen slowly. I have only just got the W140 and the W124 320TE so I don't know how much abuse they had with previous owners.

Both of the front springs on the W140 lost the bottom coil so the car sank about an inch. With 18inch wheels it was very noticeable. It is booked in next week for the other one to be replaced.

The 230 is the current SL model designation. It has Airmatic so no springs to worry about. Just a stratospherically expensive hydraulic pump, pipes, computer, sensors, valves .... etc. ;-)

 

[mikestrivens]

So yes I was being thick. Thanks for the clarification. I missed the R230 when I looked at the wikipedia merc timeline.

 

[television]

The 230 is the current SL model designation. It has Airmatic so no springs to worry about. Just a stratospherically expensive hydraulic pump, pipes, computer, sensors, valves .... etc. ;-)

Actually the 230 and ABC only on the 500 and 600 also AMG has the electrohydraulic controlled spheres that do contain a spring, you get virtually no roll on bends, the 220 has the air system

 

[HelpThisDude]

I had a broken rear spring when I first bought my C270 W203. I was quoted £140 for springs and 45min a side.
I replaced both rears in about an hour- Doing the job for the first time laying flat on my back with the car sat axle stands.
It annoys me that garages charge so much for springs change.
Anyway, Low and behold within a few thousand miles my rear spring opposite side to the first, broke.
I read on this site, that many people suffer broken springs with Mercs, so rather then fit another rear set of Merc springs, I fitted 4 German made 'Eibach' springs, known for quality of ride and being able to take abuse.
They cost £161+fitting.
The 4-wheel alignment was very slightly out on the front - and adjusted OK.
The end result is small (10 -15mm) drop in ride height, about the same as the Merc sport pack springs, but not noticeable. The drive is not bumpy, if anything it rides better then before (I could put this down to new springs?).
The turn-in-response is instant and the car is much more composed through a long bends like a bumpy roundabout or sharp bends on our lovely A roads. Also, there is less nose-dive under hard braking. I can’t find a bad thing about these springs yet.
It is worth noting that Insurance will take a dim view of any modifications, if they are not declared. Find out first if your insurance will cover minor modifications - most do.
Hope this helps.

 

[RoyDavis]

Most springs break off a piece about 3" long at the bottom, some folk do not know that they have a broken spring until the MOT man picks up on it. Jberks break was unusual as the height of the car seldom changes

Yeah mine have just broken off the end so i was unaware of it untill i had the guy do a full check when he did the service, like he said though it should of been picked up on the MOT and failed but they missed it.

 

[television]

Paint is not flexible enough to hold grip on compression of the spring, so flakes off and surface rust appears. Nothing to worry about.

Worn shockers are a factor in spring breakage, due to them allowing the coils to overwork under load.

I am changing both my rear coils this weekend, as offside has just broke. Will check the shox when they are off, most likely will change these the following week. (cash restrains me doing all this weekend)

In a report in the last moths trade mag, it put down rust as the biggest killer of springs. The bottom coil sits in a rubber cushion that can fill with water and retains the moisture . Once the metal has started flaking away then that part is weaker than the rest.

The answer must be a good coating of waxoil on the spring and rubber when fitting new ones

 

[roofless]

a thing worth checking on 124s ect is the front top mount. i thought a front spring had gone but found this & on my other 124 both had started to split

 

[television]

a thing worth checking on 124s ect is the front top mount. i thought a front spring had gone but found this View attachment 6943 & on my other 124 both had started to split

And that is a hard place to see until the springs are off, the 210 can go the same but worse

 

[LYNALL]

Wifes offside front yesterday new one picke dup today from mb just under £50 fitting it tonight cant wait!


Lynall

 

[LYNALL]

Wifes offside front yesterday new one picked up today from mb just under £50 fitting it tonight cant wait!

I was only changing lower track control arms the alloy ones as the bushs had split.

Guy on mbclub reckons bushs are a 40k service item ho ho.

Lynall