Replacing shocks

[SLCPUNK]

Well it's time to replace my shocks. I think I remember reading this is a DIY job. If so I'd prefer to tackle this myself. Of course I searched but that isn't working currently. Can anybody let me know the process? Please PM or email ratkos2002@yahoo.com

[Sulaco]

Looks like you and I are in this same boat. I have 4 new bilstein HD's I'm waiting for a chance to put on. I know they are DIY. There are several how-to's around the web. There's a decent one at benzworld.org

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w202-c-class/1559375-rear-shocks-diy.html

[Denlasoul]

It is actually very easy. Really all you do is unscrew everything and replace. You dont mess with springs at all, just might be tight in some areas. I did mine a long time ago, going in blind.

[Sulaco]

I just swapped 3 of 4 shocks on mine. they were all factory originals! denlasoul is right, it's not that difficult. i'll tell you a few pointers I just discovered:

always unscrew the TOP part of the shocks before you get the car in the air, also break loose all the lugs on that wheel.

it will take some elbow grease to pop them out once all bolts/nuts removed. easiest to compress them as best you can, and in the 3 or 4 seconds it takes for them to decompress, wiggle them and pry them. keep trying until they come out. reverse for installation. compress them BEFORE you try inserting them in place.

YOU WILL NEED 2 17mm WRENCHES. or, if you're like me, you can cheat and use your lug wrench (very helpful for breaking loose the bottom bolts) and/or an 11/16" wrench (pretty darn close to 17mm)

I replaced 3 out of 4 because I hit a snag on the front passenger side top nuts. there's so much crap there in the way, I can't get anything in there to hold the bottom nut while I loosen the top nut. any pointers, anyone? I dismounted and put aside all the electronics (diag port, OVP, bracket holding them, vac element) but still couldn't get anything in there to completely secure that nut, so I put it all back together and decided to come do some recon.

[mbsickness]

I replaced 3 out of 4 because I hit a snag on the front passenger side top nuts. there's so much crap there in the way, I can't get anything in there to hold the bottom nut while I loosen the top nut. any pointers, anyone? I dismounted and put aside all the electronics (diag port, OVP, bracket holding them, vac element) but still couldn't get anything in there to completely secure that nut, so I put it all back together and decided to come do some recon.

As funny as it sounds I had a cheesy tool that someone bought me when in line at Home Depot. I didn't want to offend the person so I graciously accepted the item. Well it worked perfectly for holding the passenger side strut nut...go figure. Here is a picture of the adjustable wrench that uses a 3/8 drive. Good luck.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/geraldch/photo-1.jpg

[eundaddy]

just remember to loosen the top bolts of the shocks BEFORE you raise the wheel off the ground. i used vice grips to hold it in place and 17 and 19 mm wrenches did the rest of the work.