W211 Rear Spring change with internal spring compressor question .

[Wighty]

I changed the shocks on the rear of my 2009 E320cdi the other day but failed to undo any of the lower control arm bolts that seat the base of the spring .
I was thinking earlier , is it possible to use internal spring compressors to compress the spring enough to remove it without releasing either end of the lower control arm . The lower control arm has a hole below the spring to allow an internal spring compressor through it .
I do have an internal spring compressor.
I can hear you thinking well if he has one , why doesn’t he just try it .
In order for it to work I’m going to have to cut the top 2 inches off the internal thread of the compressor because as it squeezes the spring the internal thread rises out of the top of the compressor and fouls on to the rubber top mount of the spring .
I wonder if anyone has had any success along these lines ?
If not it’s Indy time .

 

[LostKiwi]

I changed the shocks on the rear of my 2009 E320cdi the other day but failed to undo any of the lower control arm bolts that seat the base of the spring .
I was thinking earlier , is it possible to use internal spring compressors to compress the spring enough to remove it without releasing either end of the lower control arm . The lower control arm has a hole below the spring to allow an internal spring compressor through it .
I do have an internal spring compressor.
I can hear you thinking well if he has one , why doesn’t he just try it .
In order for it to work I’m going to have to cut the top 2 inches off the internal thread of the compressor because as it squeezes the spring the internal thread rises out of the top of the compressor and fouls on to the rubber top mount of the spring .
I wonder if anyone has had any success along these lines ?
If not it’s Indy time .

Drop the bottom of the shock off the arm and also disconnect the anti roll bar. You'll find it gives a lot more room to get the spring out.

 

[Wighty]

Not doing my springs on the rear of the E class the other day I had another attempt at loosening the inner bolt holding the lower control arm to the subframe .
Before rain stopped play I managed to get some movement on one side of the car . I’ve sprayed some lube on both bolts and will continue my attempts tomorrow.
Using a large breaker bar that was bending nicely got things moving . I think pressure wise I was into the “wind release” zone , maybe even moving to the “brown” zone
I must admit have declared to @C16RKC that “I am a real man“ I need to get this job done . Otherwise I might have to give back my mechanics L plate badge .

 

[Wighty]

Does anyone know if reversing a bolt will cause any problems . So at the moment the 16 spline bolt is at the rear with the nut forward of the LCA .
If I end up changing the bolt or find it easier to insert it the other way would that cause an issue ?

 

[Snake Charmer]

Is it an eccentric bolt for suspension alignment or just a normal bolt?

 

[Wighty]

Is it an eccentric bolt for suspension alignment or just a normal bolt?

Normal I believe , the alignment for the rear is a seperate arm next to it

 

[DREAMER NO2]

Wighty How are things going on the spring replacement . I searched and find nothing on removing the springs withouit dropping the control arms ..Those bolts will have to come out first as last ..Get some heat on them nuts with a gas torch .=.Then penetrating oil .

 

[Wighty]

Wighty How are things going on the spring replacement . I searched and find nothing on removing the springs withouit dropping the control arms ..Those bolts will have to come out first as last ..Get some heat on them nuts with a gas torch .=.Then penetrating oil .

It’s a saga buddy I’ll update in a couple of days

 

[DREAMER NO2]

For now ,,and to get the job done without buying other parts, it looks like cutting off the top 2" of the compresor .You can keep it then just for your own use . It will be interesting to know if it can be done without removing the control arm holding bolts.. Are those bolts the ones with a setting on them ?

 

[Wighty]

For now ,,and to get the job done without buying other parts, it looks like cutting off the top 2" of the compresor .You can keep it then just for your own use . It will be interesting to know if it can be done without removing the control arm holding bolts.. Are those bolts the ones with a setting on them ?

I didn’t cut the spring compressor down in the end , I just don’t think the spring would compress enough to remove without undoing one or the other end of the control arm that supports the base of the spring .
To cut a very long story short , after many hours of wrestling with it all , I just could not reconnect the lower arm to the back of the hub .
I gave up after trying everything I could . Cobbled it together enough to drive the half mile up the road to my local garage to sort both springs along with new control arms I had in the garage (after last years MOT advisory on them) .
I should know next week

 

[DREAMER NO2]

Wighty . At least you did have a go at it . That was my idea .To buy a pair original used c / arms and fit new bearings in to them .But the way i am going , i wont be able to do any hard jobs anymore on my car .

 

[Wighty]

Well the rear springs , shocks and lower control arms along with new subframe bushes are all in . I would like to say that i did all the work but after 20 hours of fun on axle stands it became clear that the inner lower control arm bolt was totally seized to the bush .
At this point I had undone the outer LCA bolt to the hub , a fair number of those hours were spent trying to re connect the LCA to the hub . In the end after a valiant attempt I used a metal punch to connect the front toe arm to the hub , a strap to hold the hub to the LCA and a very thin bolt and nut to hold the camber arm to the hub .
A very stressed drive for half a mile at 3 mph up the road to the local garage (they don’t have a recovery vehicle) I left the old girl with them . It’s a good thing there was no Po Po around .
A week or so later they did the work of new LCA’s and springs (I had already done the shocks, I must get some credit for that and saved myself £20) He said they had to remove the exhaust and fit new bushes . it took them 4.5 hours .
Kindly he said there was no way it could have been done on axle stands .
The bill was £450 which included new subframe bushes and bolts .
I’ve just done a Wales and back trip and the cars ride and handling has been transformed. I had done the front shocks and springs a few months ago .
Probably the first time I have been well and truly beaten .
Roll on the next saga