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I am really going to try and be aware of taking pics during this and to document everything because I feel that MBworld is too full (on the AMG side, at least) of "Bought parts, (one pic) Part installed (probably by someone else while he had a latte, (second pic) End of thread.
Where I come from, its pics or it didn't happen (well, pics or you didn't do it).
So with that -
I pulled the wheel well liners in my normal reveal-process work so I can focus. I found some interesting complexities:
Some gotchas on the wheel well liners are that there are many bolts where you may not see them if the car is not above your head.
When I started disassembling the rear suspension, or at least got the calipers off (which I understood, and on a friends E55, experienced very tight caliper bolts - but mine were... not tight) and the old rotors off - I found that its easier (though not called out) to get the brake shield loose so it can be pivoted around to get to the suspension bolts.
You can see me pivoting it around to show the much better access to the bolts for a garage - jack stands - not-on-a-lift mechanic.
This coilover piece of the work is going to be complete - a complete mod to the car - not a rip out. No proof the car was de-contented will be aparent as that's just not classy.
So the buttons in the interior, the headlights that adjust (maybe), the wiring and air lines, as well as the (spring mounted!) air pump - all will be removed.
I found some wire routing for the system for the control of the air shocks to attack:
All of this will be cleaned extensively once disassembled, including the wheel wells
The BOM is still growing for the job at hand. Things like Rotors, pads, axle nuts, and motor/trans mounts are being added and removed from shopping carts daily.
I have not attacked the front as of yet (that will be this weekend).
The rears are plugged in, as you can see, to the wheel well "BUS" and I just pulled it out after removing the clip. The other two wires per wheel well are of course ABS/TRAC and, at least on the passenger side, the brake wear sensor.
I even bought a camera with a good macro lens for my birthday so I can get good close ups.
I don't remember what it looked like, but when I pulled the front sub-frame I had to work it around the shock wires because they weren't coming out, and I didn't wan't to break them.
Okay cool. I'll take more pictures when I get there. I'll be removing any semblance of the air tragic.
Originally Posted by StarvingArtist
I don't remember what it looked like, but when I pulled the front sub-frame I had to work it around the shock wires because they weren't coming out, and I didn't wan't to break them.
So on and off, yesterday, I went at the right rear suspension. Instead of alternating both sides for each part of the job, I just went at one corner to learn what to do.
The WIS is completely ****ing useless. Sure, there are directions, when you can find them, but there is so much detritus in between "How do I do this" and "This is the step you need to do" that it verges on the ridiculous.
I am sure someone will come on here and say its fine. That's great. Use a PDF Porsche manual, or a GM maintenance program and come back to this. You will agree with me.
Another observation is that Mercedes is strange about how many different types of bolts are used on one subsystem. Why do I need 5 different sizes/types of tool bits to be able to take one corner off the car? Male 12 point this, 6 sided socket that, Female 12 point that....
The bolts are all combinations of 17s, 22s, some 10mm femal allens, and a 12 point male tool you can substitute a 3/8 inch female socket extension in a pinch. There are more of those, so I will buy the pieces and inform those watching what size they turned out to be.
Anyway. To the pics:
Top links are easy. Just, like I said, need to take the brake shield off so you can pivot it around to get to each set of bolts.
To get to the top of the shock (the skinny one) you need to get into the trunk, and get the sound deadening out.
To do this, you need to take a bunch of plastic clips out - these are the two piece compression clips that are similar to what is used throughout the car, but you have round AND square ones.
The net anchors in the side of the trunk bottom are also on the remove list.
Don't go too fast and yank the wires on this:
Aha! Here is the top of the shock:
Oh - one thing I learned was that no one has EVER, that I have personally read, mentioned the central reserviour for the shocks being in the trunk. Everyone always mentions the canister that is attached to the rear air springs - which come out when you take the subframe down to remove the air shock and tubes.
But this is beautiful - and was still full of air:
That will be removed for a clean uninstall.
Shock drops nicely down.
I had all the links off, and though innitially that this was keeping me from separating the hub carrier from the lower arm press fit.
It was not. The bottom a-arm just is really in there nice and tight between the two inner surfaces of the hub carrier.
You can see it in the picture above just where a bushing like rubber area is peeking out.
That is very loose rubber bushing by the way. I am not sure how this hub will mate to the E320/E500 non air spring arms, but I'll show it when I get there.
Don't know if I posted this one:
This is a ****er. Right next to the gas filler line. I think it is a 20mm, and since I come from Porsche, I have never had a 20 in my tool set. The other side is a 12point female bolt. I don't get it.
Hub carrier is free here in the pic below. You can see the end of the lower a-arm in the left mid area of the pic. It had to be pried out of the carrier
Better pic:
I loosened the inboard bolt of the a-arm and pushed it down to get to the air spring:
Much of this may be easier to do if you have a jack and make the half shaft about level with the ground.
Air shock just hanging. It never did get as loose as they show on youtube. It is at full extention but can be compressed. Maybe when I take the line off, it will let the air out. I believe that is an electric valve though. It will hang there, (unless I get irritated and cut it out), until I release the subframe a bit to get it and the air canister out.
Thats it for now. I pressed out the half shaft this morning from the hub - not a tight fit - just used a weak thread bearing/flange press. I will try and get a pic from the other side when I do that.
BTW - as part of this refresh, I will just get the rear bearing assemblies complete - possibly even a new hub flange. No reason to use old stuff with these reasonable prices:
I decided to go much further on the project since I had the car "down". I then bought a few other cars. So two cars are now in front of this one in the production line. I have since purchased a one pass intercooler, a 175mm crank pulley, and an interesting intake.
I will also be getting some form of LSD so I can put that in "while I am in there" and hopefully get it back on the road... in 2018 if I am being at least somewhat realistic. I have restored an 88 928S4 and purchased a 79 and 86.5 in the mean time. Bought a truck and leased a KIA. I don't like the threads with no updates, but I didn't go anywhere, and as the project gets on, I will continue to post informative, clear pictures.
Swapping the pumpkin - perhaps. Do you have another pumpkin ready with LSD internals?
Working inside of those things is no party, either. Maybe I'm just stressing for no reason...
Every quaife install I have read about mated right up with no shims needed... I will go that route eventually
I probably will go gutted factory IC/fab'd up dual intercoolers first just bc yea that thing looks like a complete PITA to remove. I do not hard launch my car often for fear of destroying another transmission... post rebuild of this one I will probably be even more skeeeered todo so
Swapping the pumpkin - perhaps. Do you have another pumpkin ready with LSD internals?
Working inside of those things is no party, either. Maybe I'm just stressing for no reason...
I have done that shimming before, but would probably buy another to build up as an LSD. I don't see many failures here so there should be some out there.
06-06-2016, 07:52 PM
