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I had difficulty removing the strut retaining nut #160 it was corroded in. The removal tool just stripped it. I had to cut the struts with a hacksaw. Good that I was replacing the shocks at the same time. I used Bilsteins.
After assembly, I noticed a 1/16 to 1/8th inch gap at the top assembly between #120 and #130. Is this normal?
You should have at least that much. Those two parts should not be touching when the car is resting on the ground with suspension loaded. 120 is just a catch plate that prevents the strut from falling completely out of the car when the car is lifted off the suspension. Under normal operation, 120 will turn with the strut when you steer, so you don't want it touching 130, which is stationary to the car.
Just wondering which part of the coil I should compress the front springs at. Changing my whole front end suspension with Koni FSD struts and Eibach springs. Did the rear today. Also have upper and lower control arms for the front and inner/outer tie rods
Just wondering which part of the coil I should compress the front springs at. Changing my whole front end suspension with Koni FSD struts and Eibach springs. Did the rear today. Also have upper and lower control arms for the front and inner/outer tie rods
I placed my hooks as far towards the ends of the spring as possible.
Also make sure your compressor is partially compressed already, because the spring expands a lot when you remove it from the strut and extend it to a relaxed state. I used a floor standing compressor with 12" of travel, and made sure I was already 3-4" down before engaging the spring.
I'm not using a floor compressor just one that you manually turn the hooks on each side with a ratchet or impact gun.
Okay, then just screw the compressor in a bit before you mount it on the spring, so that the spring can stretch a few inches longer from where it sits on the strut when you remove it.
Ended up having to take them to a mechanic because I the tool I bought, the one for the inner thread that pulls the strut up into and holds it in the bearing...ended up not even fitting over the threads of the strut. Dude was advertising the exact same part number on amazon but it fits a w220...
Anyway now that they are assembled it's kind of a pain to get them up into the body socket. I have the bundt nice and greased as well as the body socket. I'm not 100% sure its sitting perfectly but to make sure I tried pushing it up in there with the notches not aligned and it wouldn't go, so it should be good.
As far the upper plate under the hood where the mounting bolt sits I'm confused as to how many threads should be past the nut, I'm have about one thread.
Also as the strut bearing rotates should the inner threat be rotating with it?
Ended up having to take them to a mechanic because I the tool I bought, the one for the inner thread that pulls the strut up into and holds it in the bearing...ended up not even fitting over the threads of the strut. Dude was advertising the exact same part number on amazon but it fits a w220...
Not sure exactly what you are describing, but our front strut springs need to be grabbed from the outside. I am curious as to what tool you are referring to -- I have never seen a compressor that uses the shaft of the strut.
Originally Posted by akssdd
Anyway now that they are assembled it's kind of a pain to get them up into the body socket. I have the bundt nice and greased as well as the body socket. I'm not 100% sure its sitting perfectly but to make sure I tried pushing it up in there with the notches not aligned and it wouldn't go, so it should be good.
I had this experience as well. The smaller ribs on the bundt don't seem to match those in the body cavity. However there is one large rib that allows the bundt to only go in one way. My car sits at the correct height so I can only assume that the rib mismatch is intended.
Originally Posted by akssdd
As far the upper plate under the hood where the mounting bolt sits I'm confused as to how many threads should be past the nut, I'm have about one thread.
Sounds about right -- here are pics of mine I just took:
Just make sure that the bearing is seated fully down onto the strut shaft, against the taper in the shaft.
Originally Posted by akssdd
Also as the strut bearing rotates should the inner threat be rotating with it?
If you mean the strut shaft? ... then no. That top plate is fastened to the strut shaft, which is tightly fastened to the bundt, which is sitting in the body socket. None of that will rotate with respect to the car.
I'm in process of replacing suspension strut bearing on my 2003 C230K. I have official manual from WIS but step 13 is confusing for me. (Please see attachment) Mount suspension strut bearing (11c) so that the highest point (a) of the suspension strut bearing (11c) lies on an imaginary line with the outer end of the mounting bracket (b).
Anyone has photo how the bearing has to be mounted?
I'm in process of replacing suspension strut bearing on my 2003 C230K. I have official manual from WIS but step 13 is confusing for me. (Please see attachment) Mount suspension strut bearing (11c) so that the highest point (a) of the suspension strut bearing (11c) lies on an imaginary line with the outer end of the mounting bracket (b).
Anyone has photo how the bearing has to be mounted?
You are probably overthinking this. I changed mine and it was very obvious how to place the bearing. I dont even recall reading that part. Reading it now it is hard to imagine what they mean.
But looking at the pic, I think I understand... The strut bearing is mounted slanted, so turning will change the suspension geometry.. It just means that you allign (in this case it looks like the lowest point) of the bearing with the bracket. But you will see this is obvious when you assemble it.
Just installed a pair of new front struts (Sachs) and springs (MB) on my 2003 C230k sedan today . But I notice there is a gap when you look up from under the strut mount (part A referenced in the above posts). In other words the rubber brim does not fully seal, as if the strut mount is sitting too high up. Is this normal? Everything else looks to be in place. Thanks!
Last edited by wanderlust360; Oct 26, 2019 at 10:07 PM.
You are probably overthinking this. I changed mine and it was very obvious how to place the bearing. I dont even recall reading that part. Reading it now it is hard to imagine what they mean.
But looking at the pic, I think I understand... The strut bearing is mounted slanted, so turning will change the suspension geometry.. It just means that you allign (in this case it looks like the lowest point) of the bearing with the bracket. But you will see this is obvious when you assemble it.
Wanderlust360 -- Are you talking about this gap, between the rubber flange on the bottom part of the strut mount, and the fender well? I don't think that those should be touching, they are just supposed to be close together to minimize dirt from the road getting up on top of the "brim" part of the strut mount. Here's a pic I just took from my car a few minutes ago -- it looks the same as yours ...
Wanderlust360 -- Are you talking about this gap, between the rubber flange on the bottom part of the strut mount, and the fender well? I don't think that those should be touching, they are just supposed to be close together to minimize dirt from the road getting up on top of the "brim" part of the strut mount. Here's a pic I just took from my car a few minutes ago -- it looks the same as yours ...
Yes, this is the gap I was concerned about. This looks identical to what I have. Thanks for going in there and taking a picture for comparison. I can sleep better knowing this...
The only other comparison I would look for is Sport vs not ... the sport strut shaft extension is 3/4" less than the non-sport, and the sway bar link mounting bracket has a larger hole (M12 vs M10?) than the non-sport ... but this may not be the case here.
That drawing of the part doesn't look much like the actual strut.
Take a look at the Bilsteins at PartsGeek ... that's where I bought mine from ... you can see visually in the pics the differences in shaft length between the sport and non-sport variations ...
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