500SL rear shocks

[wobbly]

The car is a 1989 R107

I changed the front shock absorbers on the front of my SL a few months ago no problem.

Today, I was going to change the rears. I was going to remove one of the shocks to make sure I got the correct replacements.

But I cannot see where the top mounts for the shock are located. After digging around for a while it seems like the only access point to the top mounts is through the boot. There is a removeable panel at the rear of the boot, where I belive the petrol tank sits.

Am I correct in thinking the panel in the boot has to be removed, and or the petrol tank removed to gain access to the top mount.

Any help please.

 

[Ian B Walker]

Just the panel mate. The part number for the shocker is A126 320 09 31

 

[wobbly]

Many many thanks Ian.

I didnt want to have to remove the tank.

Wobbly

 

[Ian B Walker]

see edit

 

[wobbly]

Finally after months of being busy, I finally managed to get some time to replace the rear shocks.

Last night I sprayed the bottom mounting nuts with WD40, to make sure they would not be stuck solid.

At 8.30 this morning started by checking the bottom nuts were free, these came loose no problems, great I thought the rest should be easy.

I then had to loosen the top locking nuts, so as Ian has said I removed the panel at the rear of the boot space, about 20 plus bolts, and there as I thought was the petrol tank. I couldnt even see the top mounts let alone get to them.

Sh*t I dont want to have to remove the petrol tank, far to much trouble, and just as well I didnt remove the tank, as the top mounts arent there.

I looked and looked, and finally realised that the top mounts must be somewhere behind the rear jumpseats. So the seat pads just pull out, and four screws to remove the seat back, and a couple of screws to remove the side trim panel, and there is the shocks topmount.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r136/wobbly1963/01112006035-1.jpg

Heres a picture showing the top mount with the looking nuts removed.

The job was straight forward from there on, Remove top locking nuts, remove two nuts holding bottom of shock in place. Drop out the shock, insert new shock, and fit and tighten four nuts, total time for replacing both sides 3 hours, 1 hour to fit, and about 2 hours headscratching trying to find the top mounts.

Im sorry Ian, I may have to remove the Thanks I gave you earlier, but still another job sucessfully done.

Wobbly

 

[jaymanek]

I did this a few months back on mine... sorry i didnt see your original post!