BilOutkast

I've changed alot of suspension on different cars before, so suspension work is nothing new to me. I'm going to order another set of Bilstein sport for my 99CLK430 since mine are crapping out now. For you guys that have done it, can you list which size sockets,wrenches, etc I would need? Any tips or tricks to make the work easier or what I should watch out for, etc, etc. I will go in this blind if I have to but rather have advice from peoples experience. thanks for looking. -Bill

blackbenzz

I dont remember all the exact sizes but I thinkn you need: 13mm, 16mm, 17mm, and 22mm. Basically unbolt the shock (and sway bar link for the rear) from the lower control arm. Take the 2 nuts off the shock from above (one at a time. Hold the bottom one and take off the top, the take off the bottom one). Unbolt the control arm from the side farthest from the tire. Now drop the lower control arm slowly (have a jack underneath it and slowly lower it so the spring doesn't shoot out). replace shocks and springs, and put everything back to gether in reverse. Oh yea, you will have to take out the trunk liner (well not completely) to get access to the top nuts on the rear shocks. I typed this pretty fast so if it doesnt make sens elet me know. I have to be in a meeting in 5 minutes lol. Good luck!

BilOutkast

It makes sense but is that just for the rears? I heard the fronts are easier to do. I'll get the bigger picture when I actually see the control arms in front of me. Thanks for the info bud.

blackbenzz

No problem. The only differences up front is that there are 2 bolts holding that side of the lower control arm in, there is nothing covering unbolting the shocks from the top (under the hood), and theres no sway bar link to unbolt.

raymond g-

it's possible that (depending on current shock design) even when unloaded,
you may still need to compress the shock in order for it to be removed from
the fittings.

the last swap I did, after pulling the wheel/tire, I slipped a floor
jack beneath the LCA and jacked up a little. with suspension loaded I used
some jute twine I had lying around.....did a simple tie-off of the shock in its
compressed state. i removed the jack and the shorter shock was easy to
tip out of the perch.

with weak shocks, this may not be needed as the
dampening qualities may allow simple hand pressure to compress. but I was
pulling the Bilstein HDs (which were too long/firm) and replacing with shorter
Koni adj so i couldn't easily grip or muscle the shock out inside the wheel well.

otherwise, for the W210 E320 I have, shock replacement was an extremely
easy chore and sounds very straight forward as blackbenz implies...though
no lowering of LCA needed at all.

blackbenzz

I've never done just the shocks. My writeup was for a complete spring/shock replacement. Sorry for the confusion.

BilOutkast

Thanks for the info, I was thinking about getting a shop to do this since works got me tired everyday but thinking twice again...

I finally recieved my Bilsteins sports. Do I still need to take out my springs when changing my shocks even though they are seperated? What are the difference between changing the shock vs shock/spring anyway?

I know, I have alot of questions but I'm trying to make this as easy as possible by getting a bigger picture on this procedure.

As you quoted:
"with suspension loaded I used
some jute twine I had lying around.....did a simple tie-off of the shock in its
compressed state. i removed the jack and the shorter shock was easy to
tip out of the perch."

- Whats a Jute twine?
- What do you mean by tie-off


Thanks again guys.

-Bill

raymond g-

i ahve 99 E320. the design is separate spring and shock (not coilover type
design). i just swapped out the fronts last weekend and it took me less
than 30 mins. i dont know if your suspension design lends to such ease,
so your mileage may vary.

when you have the weel off and you're about to remove the shock, chances
are high that you'll need to compress the shock so that it can be pivoted out
of the mounts. if you're build like Aw-nold, you can just grip the shock body
and push it upwards so that it clears the bottom mount...then, quickly maneu-
ver it out of the fittings before it has a chance to decompress. because I
was removing OEM length shock (read that as 'long shocks') i had to compress
them a bit in order to remove them. i'm not as muscular so i had to improvise
an alternate method.

i slipped a floor jack under the lower control arm and carefully lifted...thereby
compressing the shock. i then looped string around the top and bottom
mounts and tied off the shock in its shortened form. finally, i lowered the
floor jack and the shock (now much shorter) easily slipped free from the
perches.

reverse should be easier. you are installing Sport shocks which should be
a couple of inches shorter than OE length. depending on the valving/damping,
it may be an easy thing to slide the top of the shock into the top mount, then
muscle the lower tube upwards...compressing the shock slightly....and then
slipping the shock into the lower mount.

if you're not able to compress this and maneuver easily (via freehand), then
you just apply body pressure on the shock...against the floor to compress...
and then tie off the shock in compressed/shorter state.

maneuver the shock into position....cut the string....and quickly guide the
top/rod end of the shock into the top mount.

jute twine is simply rough, unfinished twine...with lots of fiber sticking out.
the rougher texture has higher coefficient of friction and makes tying off
a bit easier than smooth twine. I just happened to have some lying around
the house.

tying off shock in compressed state....


now that shock has been inserted into bottom (LCA) mount, i'm ready to
cut string and guide the top of shock into top mount....


dunno how much is crossover info, vis a vis, your 208 and my 210, but here is
my shock swap write up DIY i posted on the other board.

SoCalw11w123

Raymond G is that blood (last pic) on the upper spring perch???

raymond g-

es okay, homes.....i'm HIV negative.







nah, my body color is maroon aka burgandy aka "Bordeaux" (said with nose in the air)

i had gone through mud and hadn't cleaned it off yet

springs are now purple (Vogtland) and the shocks are bright yellow (Koni Sport)
....and my hair is vivid red (old RCA television commercial)

BilOutkast

Thanks Bud

BilOutkast

I finally got my @$$ to the garage and change them out. Took 3 1/2 hours but I was in no rush. Saved me $250.oo, only b_tch part was I didn't have a string to compress the shock so I had to muscle it in. Thank you guys for your help

raymond g-

with the Bilstein HDs, I really couldn't muscle it. it is valved pretty high. now
by comparison, the Koni Sports adjustables were quite a bit easier to muscle
shorter. natch, it is softer than the HDs....even when adjusted to the highest/
firmest setting.