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My RR coil spring was broken last week, most shops quoted me about $700 before tax also need to wait for 3 weeks to get it done, so I decide to change both sides on my own tomorrow.
I watched many youtube videos, some of them used a compressor tool, and some didn't, I decided to try to follow those who didn't use it, hoping I could be lucky enough...
I have Torque issues I couldn't find any info about the torque value of these two bolts:
Is there anyone who can give me some advice? Thank you!
The one on the right is 50 Nm plus 90 degrees. The one on the left (shock absorber) is 55Nm plus 60 degrees. All the bolts should be tightened with the weight of the car on the suspension You can use your jack to do that. The manual says: raise wheel carrier using jack until the rear axle shaft is roughly horizontal, then tighten all bolted connections loosely.
NB: The bolt and nut at the wheel carrier should not be reused.
The one on the right is 50 Nm plus 90 degrees. The one on the left (shock absorber) is 55Nm plus 60 degrees. All the bolts should be tightened with the weight of the car on the suspension You can use your jack to do that. The manual says: raise wheel carrier using jack until the rear axle shaft is roughly horizontal, then tighten all bolted connections loosely.
NB: The bolt and nut at the wheel carrier should not be reused.
Thank you so much John! Those are pretty helpful! Well, so it just seems like I don't have new bolts and nuts for now... I wish I could ask earlier.
I have taken my 2013 GLK 250 for tire rotation and balance by Costco. Free tire rotation with tire purchase by Costco. Technician measured Front tire depth 6/32" and 7/32" and rear both tires 6/32 " prior to rotation. They cancel the tire rotation due to current Front tire depth and asked me to check any issues with with rear suspension. I donot feel any rough ride or abnormality during my drive. Is the this minor tire wear difference ( 1/32" )consider to be issue or not ? Please provide your feedback.
They scare and scam you to buying new tires. Nowhere in the manual or my talk with MB is any wear of concern . The only concern is different sized tires . Costco Lies . Demand proof in writing from Costco naming MBs rules. You won’t get it.
They scare and scam you to buying new tires. Nowhere in the manual or my talk with MB is any wear of concern . The only concern is different sized tires . Costco Lies . Demand proof in writing from Costco naming MBs rules. You won’t get it.
Thank you for your reply. I know more wear should be on front tires prior to tire rotation. it is only 1/32" difference between front and rear tires. I have told Costco tech that not planning to change the the tires with 6/32" tire depth on rear tires. Costco should have balanced my all four tires instead of cancelling full rotation and balance process. All four tires should have been balanced and more depth tires ( 7/23") in the front.
Always tires with better tread should be on the back. If they are the same then go ahead and rotate them. If the front have less tread than the back, leave them where they are.
COSTCO does that crap to scare - screw the public into buying, un needed tires. I’m sure what the employees make is based on what they sell. Where is the store that did that to you. One that did it to me is Riverside Illinois. Just west of Chicago .
Back to the original issue. I just discovered a broken rear spring in my GLK. My friend runs a salvage yard and had a pair of springs from a 2011. He gave me a great price, but they're badly rusted in exactly the same spot as the break.
I found Sachs replacement springs for a very reasonable price. Anyone have any experience with them?
Can the spring be installed with either end up? They appear to be symmetric. If I install the used one upside down (and flipped the one on the other side) it might last longer.
EPC says "UPON EXCHANGING SPRING, ALWAYS REPLACE LOWER SPRING SEAL" Do you think they mean item 170? It's called "Shim Bottom". I don't see a seal anywhere.
TIA
(Oh, BTW, the WIS approved method of removing the spring is to use a spring compressor. No bolts are to be removed.)
2014 GLK350 base model (active) ; 2001 E320 base (retired)
Originally Posted by John CC
My friend runs a salvage yard and had a pair of springs from a 2011. He gave me a great price, but they're badly rusted in exactly the same spot as the break.
Are you SERIOUS???? You're gonna replace rusted out and broken springs ... for springs in the SAME CONDITION ???
I guess some folks have no concern for a proper fix.
I found Sachs replacement springs for a very reasonable price. Anyone have any experience with them?
EPC says "UPON EXCHANGING SPRING, ALWAYS REPLACE LOWER SPRING SEAL" Do you think they mean item 170? It's called "Shim Bottom". I don't see a seal anywhere.
Well, I'll volunteer to be the guinea pig for the Sachs springs. They arrive Tuesday. Unfortunately, the seats won't be here until Thursday. No seals to be found.
Turns out the answer is "No". If I'd thought about it I'd have realized, when you flip them end for end the coils switch from CW to CCW, so the shims and such wouldn't fit. (The Sachs springs have stickers that say "This end up".)
The finish on the end of the new springs that corresponds to the area that's rusted was a little beat up, so I cleaned them up and added a coat of etching primer and some glossy black paint to make them more purdy.
I'm tempted to use some form-a-gasket to glue the shims to the bottoms of the springs to add a bit of a cushion, keep them from abrading against each other, and exclude moisture to prevent rust. Anyone think of a reason not to, other than "it won't do any good"?
Decided today to start by replacing the good spring, so I could get a feel for how things all fit together, and how much I had to compress the spring to get it in. I borrowed a spring compressor from AutoZone that fits up inside the spring. Much safer than the ones that clamp on the outside.
Jacked up the driver's side and removed the wheel and this is what I found:
Then I discovered there was no way to fit the spring compressor inside the spring. I tried all my best Chinese puzzle tricks to maneuver the hooked end into the spring, but it just was not to be. So, the car sits on jack stands (a whole other battle, since there doesn't seem to be any "approved" jacking points other than the ones for the wheel jack) with the wheels off waiting for Amazon to deliver this:
To me , I'm not sure "what I found" is supposed to be, as the photo (to me anyway) is slightly blurry, plus no verbiage to say what you "found".
The spring is in two pieces. The top piece is displaced to the outside. Not sure what kept it from leaving the building.Maybe the shock.
I can only speculate that you can't get the internal spring compressor up inside the spring.
Is there NO opening under the lower a-frame to push up an internal compressor?? Maybe from the top?
It's too big to fit through any available openings. No access from the top.
What about a shop manual - any clues in there??
Just to use the Mercedes compressor. The top piece is different and slips between the coils from the side.
Have you tried disconnecting the shock so you can drop the lower control arm to give more clearance?
I considered that, but there is a control arm on top that is very close to the body now and I don't think it would allow the lower arm to drop down enough without hitting the body first. Besides, I don't have the proper socket for the bolt on the shock...
This is the method I would use if I were doing it.
Yeah, that's the next plan. Have to find the right triple square driver. I have a socket that'll fit the splined bolt for the shock, but it's 1/4" drive. Hope it holds...
Spring compressor is going back to Amazon... The broken spring prevents the compressor from fitting in correctly.
I also may have figured out what the "Spring Seal" is. There's a hole above the spring with a plastic plug in it to keep water out of the trunk. Can't find the plug in the EPC, at least not for certain.