W124 Front Springs

[tom7035]

I pretty sure I have the correct springs this time, the heaviest ones.

I haven't looked into the rubber bits yet.

I took the whole of the suspension off tonight. The wishbone mounts are slotted. The front mount was all the way in and the rear mount was all the way out. These can be set with the off centre washers. Does this sound right? or should I get it set up properly once I get it all back together?

These 'off centre' washers are part of the pivot bolt and are responsible for setting the camber angles. Need to be set with special gauge when you're done turnipsock.
Cheers, Tom.

 

[anyweb]

i'd love to see some photos of the process you went through turnipsock

did you take any ?

cheers
anyweb

 

[Ian B Walker]

These 'off centre' washers are part of the pivot bolt and are responsible for setting the camber angles. Need to be set with special gauge when you're done turnipsock.
Cheers, Tom.

If you center punch the washer then adjacent to it the wishbone it will give you a setting point not too far off the mark. BUT a camber check should be carried out as soon as possible after.

 

[kth286]

turnipsock

I do not understand why you would want to take the wishbone off to change the spring.
However, as you have done it, write down before you forget, the position of the eccentric wishbone bolts you mentioned, for each side of the car. This is critical for your geometry set up. Ideally you should have scribed around the washers to mark the positons.

The front eccentric bolt is for camber, and the rear eccentric is for castor.

The camber one is critical for tyre wear - ensure it goes back to original positon.
Ideally you need to get the car tracked etc after it has settled down a bit after you have driven it for a while.

 

[turnipsock]

Don't worry kth I had marked the position of the eccentric washers, I was curious that they were at opposite extremes. I wondered if somebody had replaced the bushes befoe and just put them on in any position. Either way I'll have to get it checked. The other side is not set to the extremes.

It's true I didn't need to take the wishbone right off, but I thought it would make it easier to get the spring in. It also meant I could get the whole thing out and get some hamerite onto any rusty bits.

 

[turnipsock]

another broken spring

I just took the year old spring off and guess what...it's broken as well. This was the spring that was on the car when it went through the MOT.

Both springs, that I fitted a year ago, have broken. If it was the wrong springs that were supplied, this would explain it.

 

[turnipsock]

Rusty bits

Here are some of the rusty areas and a big bit of wheel thing I took off.

 

[kth286]

turnipsock

Looking at your picture of the two springs, is that the flat end of the spring that is broken off ??????????? Most unusual if it is .

You know that is the top of the spring don't you - the end which screws into the rubber cup.

As it is normally the bottom of the springs that break, Mercedes have introduced on the later models a couple of shaped shims for the bottom of the springs. Made from lead or zinc ? and prevents the rusting of the bottom of the spring. Fits in between the bottom of the spring and the recess in the wishbone and are about 1.5 inches long and tapered to follow the spring profile - one piece for each wishbone.

Sugggest you get those from the dealer, if you have alternative transport in the meantime.

Somebody didn't fit the springs upside down did they ?

Best of luck with it.

 

[turnipsock]

Both the springs broke at the top. The break was inside the rubber bit so the MOT guy didn't see it. I was going to take a picture of the broken bit inside the rubber bit, but I thought it would be hard to make out.

The car had the zinc things before. I was going to put the suspension back together and see how the car sits. The zinc things will be easy to put in a later date if needed.

The other spring broke twice at the top, so the MOT guy spotted that one.

Here is the thread from last time...

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=13866&page=2

 

[tom7035]

Should have persevered with the diet turnipsock! :-D

 

[turnipsock]

all back together

The car is now level, if anything, it's high at the front.

I think it will settle a bit once I drive it.