Shocks, struts, question...

[r0csfinest]

I have a C280 98. Am I suppose to get front and rear shocks or front shocks and rear struts or what? :(

[benzfan]

There are no struts. Front and rear are simple straightforward shocks, and are intuitively easy to install yourself.

[r0csfinest]

woooh THANK GOD! Cause I ordered front and rear shocks a while ago. And my friend was telling me I MIGHT need struts. WHEW what a relief! THANKS!

[benzfan]

Except.....Don't forget to put some of the weight of the car on the suspension arms when undoing the bolts, for obvious reasons.

[202rules]

Originally posted by benzfan
Except.....Don't forget to put some of the weight of the car on the suspension arms when undoing the bolts, for obvious reasons.

The obvious reason is not getting yourself killed here in case it's not clear enough.

I've never done this before and I'm gonna be doing it in the next couple of weeks with the help of one of my friends who's done it before and I'm still kinda freaking out about those high tension springs coming loose.

SO BE CAREFUL.

[c280nz]

the standard springs are a bastard to get out! you will probebly also have to unbolt the bottom suspension arm off the subframe using a jack to take the spring weight thats what i had to do, not just unbolt the shock

[benzfan]

Originally posted by c280nz
the standard springs are a bastard to get out! you will probebly also have to unbolt the bottom suspension arm off the subframe using a jack to take the spring weight thats what i had to do, not just unbolt the shock

I see where you're coming from with this, but he doesn't need to take the springs out to change the shocks, he just needs to support the lower suspension arm so that the spring doesn't try to expand to its full length when the shock is unbolted and drive his brake disc into the ground. I had the spring cup separate from the frame on my old 190e years ago, and yes, taking the spring out is tough as you can't compress enough coils with a spring compressor it seems. The coils you haven't compressed want to expand further and you soon run out of room.

[Abuimad]

small question since yall know what ur talking about, is cutting the spring to achieve a nice and cheap lowering considered as a terrible idea or no, cause every1 seems to b doing it ??

[benzfan]

Let's examine the spring replacement process for a moment. Regardless of whether you cut stock springs (a monumentally BAD idea by the way) or go with a proper set of lowering springs, you need to remove the springs from the car. This will require 2 different compressors. One that grips the outside of the coils for the front springs, and one that can be inserted through the inside of the spring to do the rear ones. It isn't likely that you or a friend will want to invest in these tools, so you still must go to a shop. You must pay them labor. The difference in cost between cutting springs and putting a set of Eibachs or the like in will be only the cost of the springs, which was only a couple of hundred dollars last I checked. In fact, if you buy the springs from an installer, you can frequently get the install done as part of the package, thereby saving money.
If you decide you can tackle the install yourself, and can borrow tools, you still only need to spend a bit of money on springs. Do it right. Save your money until you can afford it, and get a set of Speeybenz camber arms to have the rear alignment correctable after lowering.

I can't think of any reputable shop that would advocate cutting stock springs, although plenty of people have anecdotes about people who have gotten away with it. Thier cars look fine but handle like S**T.

[manny]

benzfan

Well, you're about 30 % right.
To remove/install the front springs, a " special " ( internal ) spring compressor is required.
To remove/install the rear springs NO spring compressor is required. ;)

[benzfan]

Well, thanks, Manny. I've never actually attempted it on a 202, just my old 201, and since the design is similar I just assumed....RTFM I guess.