Another broken spring!

[Midland45]

Just spotted my 04 W209 CLK 270 has a broken front coil spring. So had all the quotes ranging from £290 + vat at dealers, to £216 at local Indy. Job i've done a few times before on other makes, without problems using standard spring compressors. Had a good read of posts on here and having looked at the struts, looks like my trusty compressors will not fit due to the size of the spring pans. Just wondering if anyone has done this job, and if anyone has tried machine marts 1 tonne hydraulic compressor (about £100) on these struts. Also I believe there's a special tool to required to remove the slotted nut on the upper pan, anyone know where this is available from. I'm fully aware car springs posses a lot of energy when compressed, and would only attempt this with suitable tools.

 

[coupe deville]

[QUOTE= Just wondering if anyone has done this job,

Mr Ian B Walker replaced my front pair in no time at all with the proper compressor

 

[GrahamC230K]

Broken springs seem mighty common and not just MB.

 

[BlackC55]

The 209 need special tools to do the springs. You cant use a regular spring compressor, it just wont fit.

You need a Klann spring compressor that retail at about £1700 to do it safely and properly. You cant mess about with springs.

Of couse I have one!

 

[Midland45]

I would love to have £2000 worth of spring compressor but......... Obviously this is a macpherson strut unit that can be taken off the car and I hoped something like the sealey hydraulic unit £150 or clarke pro £100 would be man enough to compress safely. Fully appreciate older models without macphersons require the more expensive and robust compressors.

 

[Midland45]

Thanks,
Has anyone used these compressors at all, they specficallly mention Mercedes C and E. Around £200, but could go to that if someone can guarantee one of springs on the rest of the familys cars will break due to poor manufacture/roads/speed bumps etc lol

http://dropshiponline.co.uk/product_...28&language=en

Also anyone know of a supplier of the pin wrench required for strut top ?

 

[nick mercedes]

Also anyone know of a supplier of the pin wrench required for strut top ?

203589000700 MB - £20ish if they're up for selling you one.

 

[Roger Jones]

I sent to Honest John (Daily Telegraph) a scan of the Which? article on a broken spring in a 2004 W211. He repeated what he has been saying in his published column: "Springs are regularly failing on every make and model of European car fitted with European made springs. Lots of reasons for this, one of which is speed humps."

 

[quasarman]

Just identified my second broken coil spring in a year! This does seem awfully common and is very annoying especially as I have AMG suspension on my W203 - this is an upgrade so surely should be less common than on standard equipment models.

Regarding compressors etc I know that the use of a commercial vehicle compressor is needed on mine but I don't know if the same would be true here...

 

[Wully]

Thanks,
Has anyone used these compressors at all, they specficallly mention Mercedes C and E. Around £200, but could go to that if someone can guarantee one of springs on the rest of the familys cars will break due to poor manufacture/roads/speed bumps etc lol

http://dropshiponline.co.uk/product_...28&language=en

Also anyone know of a supplier of the pin wrench required for strut top ?

If its this set thats the one i purchased off ebay.

Works like a charm, strut top nut socket £12 odds plus the vat from dealer, do not attempt to do a strut without this!

I've now done the front two on the W203 and the front springs on a 2001 Renault Scenic, makes it a doddle!

 

[Midland45]

Thanks, looks like that'll be the compressor set to get. As for the pin wrench socket, the dealers will indeed sell them (guess times are hard) and the pricde is £16 + vat. To be honest i think its maybe something that can be made up as the tightening torque is only 20NM if iirc. Looks like a 22mm nut with 2 pips on the bottom.

 

[Wully]

Thanks, looks like that'll be the compressor set to get. As for the pin wrench socket, the dealers will indeed sell them (guess times are hard) and the pricde is £16 + vat. To be honest i think its maybe something that can be made up as the tightening torque is only 20NM if iirc. Looks like a 22mm nut with 2 pips on the bottom.

Just buy it don't muck about trying to make something. Also make sure you have the correct hex bit to hold the shocker.

 

[Baron_Samedi]

Honestly Midland45, I been here with springs on a W209 and had a bit of a dilemma with a tyre place who attempted to replace my front springs and found (when they had the strut(s) off) that they could not proceed, having butchered the top of one of the struts.

Olly at PCS saved my bacon over that one!

 

[Midland45]

Honestly Midland45, I been here with springs on a W209 and had a bit of a dilemma with a tyre place who attempted to replace my front springs and found (when they had the strut(s) off) that they could not proceed, having butchered the top of one of the struts.

Olly at PCS saved my bacon over that one!

Yes thats exactly what I want to avoid. So i will only attempt it with suitable tools. If I get to a stage where i am stuck, I will put it back together and use a reputable indy Merc specialist.

 

[BlackC55]

The place where the spring mounts in to the top of the compressor is very specificn part hence the Klann tool.

I do loads for other garages.

 

[Midland45]

Well just to update I changed the broken spring yesterday. Strut removal was straight forward, one of the easiest I've done, compressing the part broken spring was quite tricky getting the positioning correct on the compressor tool. The official MB one is positioned over the upper spring mount, so is much easier to use. I found my compressor to be easily man enough to compress the spring safely, but needed to just compress the spring tail slightly with one of my old style 2 piece compressor set. What did shock me was the amount of threads on the nut needing the pin wrench to remove it (Agree now MB tool is a must for this). I think I would leave the damper self lock nut on the strut unless the spring is compressed in future for safety sake. Recompressing the new spring again is tricky getting the positioning right so that when you release you can withdraw the compressor. So to sum, up can be a tricky job but can be acomplished safely with the good tools and by a lot of head scratching, time and patience. Would I do this job again, yes but I just don't like to be beaten by anything. I still have the other side to do, but 2nd time around will be a lot easier. Thanks for all from the forum who helped.

 

[mykulmerc]

If its this set thats the one i purchased off ebay.

Works like a charm, strut top nut socket £12 odds plus the vat from dealer, do not attempt to do a strut without this!

I've now done the front two on the W203 and the front springs on a 2001 Renault Scenic, makes it a doddle!

I've just had spring replaced on W209, but garage said they could not undo strut so they had to replace strut nad top mounting kit. Total bill £500!! Does this sound like I have been charged for something because thtey did not know how to do the job??

Many thanks

 

[A210AMG]

^ was it an Indy? Mine booked in for Friday for my spring and it's £150 all in I'm hoping they don't charge £500 !!

 

[mykulmerc]

^ was it an Indy? Mine booked in for Friday for my spring and it's £150 all in I'm hoping they don't charge £500 !!

No it wasn't an Indie - the Indie failed to spot the broken springin the 1st place. I'm beginning ot think I've made an expensive mistake by not using an Indie though.

 

[A210AMG]

Could it have broke after the Indy looked though? Apart from on almost full lock mine feels no difference broke.....