What do you make of these springs? Mercedes W126

[JHZR2]

1991 MB 350SD.

Did one LCA bushing, guide mount, mount bushings, and shock a few months ago. Drove maybe 150 miles on it. Did the other side recently.

Took it out today and I’m noticing there’s a big height difference. The photos make it look worse, I’d say it’s a finger width difference in height.

Low side I just did:

Other side I did sometime back:

I tried to get photos of the springs on each side. Is it me or is the bad side one less coil?

Low side:

High side:

I decompressed the springs when I had them out. The job took a few weeks per side as I could only devote a few hours per week. It wasn’t like this before. Could the side I just did have broken at the very top somehow? I don’t see a broken piece.

Thoughts? I guess I’ll have to take it out to look further. I took off today to do stuff, may have to take a few more hours off now… ugh.

Thoughts?

 

[Rand]

looks like the one spring has collapsed... look at the coil spacing? or is there something funny going on with photos.

 

[V70tdi]

The first thing i think about is if you get the rubber part (dont know the english name for it but its aviable in different hights mounted in one end of the coilspring) back on bouth sides ?

 

[97prizm]

1991 MB 350SD.

Did one LCA bushing, guide mount, mount bushings, and shock a few months ago. Drove maybe 150 miles on it. Did the other side recently.

Took it out today and I’m noticing there’s a big height difference. The photos make it look worse, I’d say it’s a finger width difference in height.

Low side I just did:

View attachment 196321

Other side I did sometime back:
View attachment 196322

I tried to get photos of the springs on each side. Is it me or is the bad side one less coil?

Low side:
View attachment 196323

High side:
View attachment 196324

I decompressed the springs when I had them out. The job took a few weeks per side as I could only devote a few hours per week. It wasn’t like this before. Could the side I just did have broken at the very top somehow? I don’t see a broken piece.

Thoughts? I guess I’ll have to take it out to look further. I took off today to do stuff, may have to take a few more hours off now… ugh.

Thoughts?

Ine spring looks to have more space between the coils. Have you thought about varible rate springs? The height difference looks like several inches.

 

[JHZR2]

Ine spring looks to have more space between the coils. Have you thought about varible rate springs? The height difference looks like several inches.

The car was fine and even when I took the spring out. I didn’t change the spring. Each one came from its respective side. It’s not several inches in reality, it looks like it. But my last measurement it was like an index finger width.

The first thing i think about is if you get the rubber part (dont know the english name for it but its aviable in different hights mounted in one end of the coilspring) back on bouth sides ?

Both spring pads are three bump size. They haven’t changed.

looks like the one spring has collapsed... look at the coil spacing? or is there something funny going on with photos.

It was hard to get consistent photos on the ground in low light. I need to mess with the driver side spring tomorrow. The spring photos I took on a slightly uneven gravel surface.

I do think the number of exposed coils is different per side. Not sure how.

 

[JHZR2]

looks like the one spring has collapsed... look at the coil spacing? or is there something funny going on with photos.

Also, on this type of supension setup, the springs are a bit banana shaped. It’s more obvious when they’re extended.

 

[Passport1]

I had an '89 300se (126 chassis) and despite the abuse I meted out it always rode level. I replaced the original Bilstein shocks with some KYBs and the car seemed nonplussed. Yours might have a bushing problem but older cars sometimes develop an inexplicable list as well just like people

BTW the 126 chassis was the last of the (semi) hand built MBs. Savor the quality build of that car, there won't be anymore.

 

[AZjeff]

How can you be sure sitting in gravel all tires are level? Not just the fronts but the backs too. Go on a nice smooth level parking lot somewhere and check it.

 

[Nukeman7]

1991 MB 350SD.

Did one LCA bushing, guide mount, mount bushings, and shock a few months ago.

I tried to get photos of the springs on each side. Is it me or is the bad side one less coil?


Thoughts?

I count 10 coils on both springs in the photos, so they appear to be equal. However, like others indicated, the gap/spacing between each coil does not look the same. The gap looks smaller on the left (driver's side) coil unless it is an illusion due to the angle of the camera.

Are you certain that the top and bottom of both springs are properly seated in their respective perches? Also, any chance that one of the springs was installed upside down? Before removing struts/springs, I always put unique index marks on the ends with a paint marker to ensure proper alignment upon reassembly.

 

[JHZR2]

How can you be sure sitting in gravel all tires are level? Not just the fronts but the backs too. Go on a nice smooth level parking lot somewhere and check it.

I should have been more clear. Once I was on flat concrete, I determined the gap to be a finger width difference.

 

[JHZR2]

I count 10 coils on both springs in the photos, so they appear to be equal. However, like others indicated, the gap/spacing between each coil does not look the same. The gap looks smaller on the left (driver's side) coil unless it is an illusion due to the angle of the camera.

Are you certain that the top and bottom of both springs are properly seated in their respective perches? Also, any chance that one of the springs was installed upside down? Before removing struts/springs, I always put unique index marks on the ends with a paint marker to ensure proper alignment upon reassembly.

Impossible to put them upside down, because one end had its spring pad, and the other didn’t.

While it’s not a great assumption, I can also see that the orientation of paint markings is the same orientation on both sides.

The bottom plate on the LCA has a little indent spot where the spring end is supposed to be stopped. Both springs look to me to be parked in the right spot with the butt end of the spring touching the correct spot. But I’m going to jack the car, pull the tires, and compare more thoroughly maybe tomorrow if I can free up a few hours off.

 

[Egg_Head]

Drive it over RR tracks a few times at 50 MPH and check it again.

 

[RAR]

Springs in this vintage Mercedes are failure prone. They need replacing more often than not.

My old 190E 2.3 had bad ones. I was driving about 60mph on a local county road when I hit a bump. I heard a loud thunk, the car leaned over on the right side and I caught a glimpse of a large piece flying into the ditch. The spring had broken and the bump opened the mount enough for it to vacate the premises.

I replaced mine with a set of salvaged springs from a California 190E and they’re still in there. Putting these in was a dodgy job, with me worrying these things were going to fly out at any second, injuring me in the process. . But they worked for a while.

Note: The car hasn’t been on the road in 19 years though!

 

[JHZR2]

The low side spring is fine in terms of installation.

 

[JHZR2]

Looks like problem solved. Jacking the car up. Didn’t indicate anything obvious per my last post.

I gently compressed the spring, and I didn’t see anything happen, when I released it again and put the tire back on I could tell that everything was higher.

I really need to clean my wheels. Someone applied some sort of silicone to them and they catch all of the semi metallic break dust.

Anyway, I took it for a drive, I stopped partway, and I could tell that the height was still higher than it was before. Lighting was not my favor but you can tell from these pictures.

The measured difference before I did anything was about a quarter inch and the photos made it look pretty pronounced. It is much better now. But my highly scientific hand measurement, both sides are even at four fingers, and half a pinky.

Crisis averted…