Coil Spring replacing

[Jeremy Holder]

I am about to replace a set of coil springs on my 1988 190E - any info on doing the job would be most appreciated along with hints or tips.
- UPDATE: have done the job today, fairly straight forward, just fiddly resulting in a few grazed knuckles. would advise anyone doing it to use a trolley jack under the axle stub as it gives you more control to raise and lower the arm especially for re-locating the damper in the bulkhead. Thanks for your replies

(Edited by Jeremy Holder at 12:07 am on Feb. 17, 2002)

 

[Matt Crooke]

Andy is the man to speak to here, ive never done that particular job before, but i know you need some sort of clamp to compress the springs while you are putting them in place.

T

 

[steveperry]

Hi Jeremy,

I had to get this done on my old '86 190E I was traversing a round-a-about when *CLANG* I thought the car had been hit or I had hit something in the road, it was such a major bang. All signs were clear so I pulled the car over to see what had happened and to my suprise the front off side coil spring had snapped near the base.

Rather than change the springs myself I got a local MB specialist to change them. Matt is right, you need special clamps to compress the springs and stop them jumping a mile in the air when removed and also when the new ones are installed.

If you do get  a garage to fit them then make sure you check the front quarter panels (the ones that cover the relevant wheel arches) for minor denting after the job has been completed as this can often occur. It happened on an old Peugeot of mine after the front shocks were replaced and on my old 190E after the front springs were changed. So the cars had to go back for minor smoothing of the bodywork (totally different garages too), grrr.

S.

 

[Anonymous]

The front wheels need to be hanging to give the best opening for the spring to be withdrawn with the minimum of compression.  This ensures the spring has the minimum energy stored.
A proper spring compressor is required.  The MB tool is a plate compressor, but I see no reason why a pair of regular claw type compressors will not be ok.
You  dont even need the dampers to be removed.

Operate in a safe manner and all should be ok.

Will

 

[fuzzer]

Believe it or not , after 14 months and about 13,000 town miles , my A160 auto ( £19,000 car !! ) needed new springs. One Snapped and one fallen off the mountings  on the back!! Just one of the many trips to the dealer with that car. I had my reg number painted on a parking space there!

 

[dave elcome]

I am left wondering how you managed the job without a trolley jack, (and stands) at all, but you did so well done, saved some cash!!