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Thread: Time to get out the tools

  1. #1
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    Time to get out the tools

    I bought a Sachs Sport kit about a year ago and today I have finally received the final special order part needed for the install. Because I am changing over from the early style flattened springs to the later double rolled type I had to also get new spring pads and supports for the pads. These parts alone added $160 to the tab. The rear supports were $54 a piece and if I would have known this beforehand I would have not gone down the path of updating to the newer spring type. I ended up with the #4 pads for the rear and #3 for the front....hopefully the stance will be where I want it, otherwise add some more $ for different spring pads. I also collected the DIY camber kit parts as well as the front adjustable camber bolts. Now it comes down to getting out the tools and firing up the air compressor.

    My parts collection:
    Last edited by mbsickness; 02-26-2012 at 07:23 AM. Reason: Spelling mistakes
    1994 C280
    1996 C36
    2005 C55
    2013 Volvo XC60 R-Design
    1999 Porsche 911
    ......dang now I know where all my money went.

  2. #2
    Moderator hvmercy's Avatar
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    Sweet!

  3. #3
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    nice!! ive always wanted to do the DIY camber arms...

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    Quote Originally Posted by wichipong View Post
    nice!! ive always wanted to do the DIY camber arms...
    I did the trial set on my C280 and they are great. I drive 80 miles a day so I was burning through tires and had to do something. Do you have the camber bolts up front?
    1994 C280
    1996 C36
    2005 C55
    2013 Volvo XC60 R-Design
    1999 Porsche 911
    ......dang now I know where all my money went.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by mbsickness View Post
    I did the trial set on my C280 and they are great. I drive 80 miles a day so I was burning through tires and had to do something. Do you have the camber bolts up front?
    stock from factory... i need to do the DIY rear camber arms.. whered you get the parts? i know its under 100 bucks

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by wichipong View Post
    stock from factory... i need to do the DIY rear camber arms.. whered you get the parts? i know its under 100 bucks
    You get all the parts less the 7/16" washers from Speedway Motors. I found the washers at Lowes for under $2. Got the front done last night and I already had the front camber bolts so I have a pair of used bolts available if you are interested.
    1994 C280
    1996 C36
    2005 C55
    2013 Volvo XC60 R-Design
    1999 Porsche 911
    ......dang now I know where all my money went.

  7. #7
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    do you have a spring compressor by any chance?

  8. #8
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    Alright, it is done. Not sure about the stance as it seems a tad high and slightly uneven. I hope things settle a bit in the next day or two. Also, the toe is off so much I will have to find a really local shop to align the wheels. Now I know why it took me so long to swap all this stuff......it is a royal pain.
    1994 C280
    1996 C36
    2005 C55
    2013 Volvo XC60 R-Design
    1999 Porsche 911
    ......dang now I know where all my money went.

  9. #9
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    it will still settle... did you use a spring compressor?

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by wichipong View Post
    it will still settle... did you use a spring compressor?
    I hope you are right and I hope it settles while parked as the toe is off so bad the car is unstable even at 30 mph. I might have to adjust it myself just to allow me to get it to. the shop. I used a compressor only for the front and had to do the control arm drop for the rear.
    1994 C280
    1996 C36
    2005 C55
    2013 Volvo XC60 R-Design
    1999 Porsche 911
    ......dang now I know where all my money went.

  11. #11
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    do you have a mb spring compressor that i can borrow sometime?

  12. #12
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    I have an older style compressor that covers the W201. You are welcome to come by to change a spring pad or two but due to a couple of bad past experiences I don't lend out tools. I hope you understand.
    1994 C280
    1996 C36
    2005 C55
    2013 Volvo XC60 R-Design
    1999 Porsche 911
    ......dang now I know where all my money went.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by mbsickness View Post
    I have an older style compressor that covers the W201. You are welcome to come by to change a spring pad or two but due to a couple of bad past experiences I don't lend out tools. I hope you understand.
    i understand... had an opportunity to use a klann spring compressor... made the job so much easier!!

  14. #14
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    Nice! Make a DIY as well! Our community doesn't have much detailed ones for such installs!
    1997 C280 Sport

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by wichipong View Post
    i understand... had an opportunity to use a klann spring compressor... made the job so much easier!!
    You are more than welcome to swing by and use it for your fronts. It is a Klann but an older KL-0018
    1994 C280
    1996 C36
    2005 C55
    2013 Volvo XC60 R-Design
    1999 Porsche 911
    ......dang now I know where all my money went.

  16. #16
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    I returned the camber bolts to their original position and now the wheels are again pointing straight ahead. After this the front settled quite a bit....actually too much so. The rear is a tad settled but still too high. So #5 pads up front and #1 pads in back have been ordered. I'm already dreading the rear spring pad change.
    1994 C280
    1996 C36
    2005 C55
    2013 Volvo XC60 R-Design
    1999 Porsche 911
    ......dang now I know where all my money went.

  17. #17
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    The rears should be easy...
    1997 C280 Sport

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by 97C28O View Post
    The rears should be easy...
    If you saw how easy the front spring pad change is with a Klann, you would see that the rear spring pad change using the control arm drop method is something to dread doing.
    1994 C280
    1996 C36
    2005 C55
    2013 Volvo XC60 R-Design
    1999 Porsche 911
    ......dang now I know where all my money went.

  19. #19
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    i would say the rears are always the easiest... but with a klann compressor it should be much more easier i think...

  20. #20
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    So after a pad swap I am finally happy with the ride height of the C36. Here is the final result.....I'll get an alighnment next week and call it done.

    1994 C280
    1996 C36
    2005 C55
    2013 Volvo XC60 R-Design
    1999 Porsche 911
    ......dang now I know where all my money went.

  21. #21
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    i want your wheels... lol... at first i was seeing too many w202s with those on now i want one for my w202! looking good there!!

  22. #22
    Senior Member horgantrevor's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mbsickness View Post
    So after a pad swap I am finally happy with the ride height of the C36. Here is the final result.....I'll get an alighnment next week and call it done.


    ride hight looks great and will settle as time goes on very sexy w202 bet it draws attention even today
    c36 ///AMG ,,, c240 v6 sport

  23. #23
    Moderator hvmercy's Avatar
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    So nice looking with those wheels. A true MB Classic look.

    Quote Originally Posted by mbsickness View Post
    So after a pad swap I am finally happy with the ride height of the C36. Here is the final result.....I'll get an alighnment next week and call it done.


  24. #24
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    Thanks for all the kind words. As mentioned at the beginning of the thread I was converting from the early flat top style spring to the double rolled type found in the later cars. In order for the conversion you will need new style spring pads which all start with part number 210. You will also need spring pad supports for both front and rear (part numbers visible in the pictures).

    Front support


    Front support installed in spring pad


    Rear support


    Rear support installed in spring pad


    For the rear support the Mercedes parts diagrams shows it in the wrong end of the spring as well as the wrong orientation so don't be fooled. The front supports were $10 a piece while the rears are $49 each so be prepared for a hit to the wallet.

    Always use caution with springs....you can see how much energy is stored up on the compressed spring vs the uncompressed one.

    1994 C280
    1996 C36
    2005 C55
    2013 Volvo XC60 R-Design
    1999 Porsche 911
    ......dang now I know where all my money went.

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by wichipong View Post
    i want your wheels... lol... at first i was seeing too many w202s with those on now i want one for my w202! looking good there!!
    Thanks. I just put these back on last night....earlier I was running C32 rims. I think I might actually have more rims than even you.
    1994 C280
    1996 C36
    2005 C55
    2013 Volvo XC60 R-Design
    1999 Porsche 911
    ......dang now I know where all my money went.

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