Coil spring colour codes

[quasarman]

Can anyone tell me what the different colour codes painted on MB coil springs actually denote?

I assume the colours relate to ride height/spring rates but would love to know as I have just found out I have a mismatch across the rear axle...

 

[grober]

MERCEDES divide their springs into 2 broad categories

LONG SPRINGS blue stripe
SHORT SPRINGS red stripe
other stripes may be white or yellow and signify the rating.ranging from comfort to heavy duty . If you have a red and blue spring on the same "axle" that's probably wrong, however the car's ride height is "fine tuned" using spring pads of different thickness so that has to be taken into account also. Old springs also "sag" a bit with age. However the most common cause of uneven ride height is a broken spring- this can be difficult to see especially if the break is up beside the spring pad.

 

[markmifsud]

mine are Blue Blue Green

 

[quasarman]

Hmm, I have one with three blue (definitely broken) and the other with two yellow (possibly also broken). The ride height hasn't been right since the 3blue was put on (by a national chain-not MB), mine has factory sports suspension.

I think given the choice I'd have 'long' springs with a 'heavy duty' spring rate as I often have a lot of weight in the boot. (unless this doesn't make technical sense). I believe the factory fit was the two yellow spring, either way I feel its time for an axle pair (whether they're both broken or not) but want to get it right this time. I've no idea what's on the front as they weren't visible when I had it on a ramp.

Also do MB still use the sacrificial anodes under the springs? The broken 3blue has been on the car less than 18 months!

Any help much appreciated...

 

[kth286]

Hmm, I have one with three blue (definitely broken) and the other with two yellow (possibly also broken). The ride height hasn't been right since the 3blue was put on (by a national chain-not MB), mine has factory sports suspension.

I think given the choice I'd have 'long' springs with a 'heavy duty' spring rate as I often have a lot of weight in the boot. (unless this doesn't make technical sense). I believe the factory fit was the two yellow spring, either way I feel its time for an axle pair (whether they're both broken or not) but want to get it right this time. I've no idea what's on the front as they weren't visible when I had it on a ramp.

Also do MB still use the sacrificial anodes under the springs? The broken 3blue has been on the car less than 18 months!

Any help much appreciated...

are you saying the national chain DID NOT use original Merc springs ?

if that is the case, then a wrong move by you.

if you see the great number of varieties of springs availble for your car which are allocated according to options fitted on car and the chassis type, then you would see the sense in only using original springs from merc.

You need to give full Vin to Merc parts dept.

colours are normally a manufacturing process at factory only.

 

[quasarman]

No, as far as I know it was an original Merc spring.

But as for the 'sense' in using original merc springs - not so sure how valid this is as this will be the third broken spring in 3 years and they have all been MB parts. Apparently this is a weakness caused by Merc springs not being de-stressed during manufacture, all my springs have broken in the same place due to minimal corrosion leading to stress fracture. A common problem I've read here....

I have given the chassis number to MB, they are still looking into it.

I just want to have the best chance of a new set lasting a few years rather than months, surely this isn't too much to ask from a Mercedes!

 

[grober]

These are different springs-
Boge colour codes give:-

3 blue, Boge no 81-368-1, MB part no 2103243404

2 yellow, Boge no 81-369-1, MB part no 2103243604

Incidentally have you rear self levelling suspension?

 

[quasarman]

Thanks grober, no I don't have self levelling suspension, just the factory sport option.

The plot thickens....

According to my local MB parts department, I should have either 1 yellow and 1 white or 2 red and 1 white. The latter being slightly stiffer, looks to me like replacements have been made using whatever was in stock!

Furthermore according to MB there is no spring with any blue identifiers at all listed for my car (2002 C320 estate avantgarde SE with sport suspension)!

Don't expect to get much luck at getting replacement FOC but fingers are crossed...

 

[grober]

Thanks grober, no I don't have self levelling suspension, just the factory sport option.

The plot thickens....

According to my local MB parts department, I should have either 1 yellow and 1 white or 2 red and 1 white. The latter being slightly stiffer, looks to me like replacements have been made using whatever was in stock!

Furthermore according to MB there is no spring with any blue identifiers at all listed for my car (2002 C320 estate avantgarde SE with sport suspension)!

Don't expect to get much luck at getting replacement FOC but fingers are crossed...

I too found difficulty tracking down these springs for the UK market on the SACHS/BOGE/LEMFORDER site. As you can see from the part nos they were originally for the W210 series - Not that that means anything. The reason I asked about self levelling is because with self levelling suspension the springs "assist" the hydraulic struts to suspend the rear of the car- particularly at rest. They are not so strong as conventional springs and would soon break if expected to bear the entire load of the rear suspension without the self levelling struts. Maybe that's what's happened they are fitting too weak springs -- or someone's done a cheapo conversion to conventional suspension ---check your vin details to see if the car was fitted with self levelling originally?

 

[quasarman]

These are different springs-
Boge colour codes give:-

3 blue, Boge no 81-368-1, MB part no 2103243404

2 yellow, Boge no 81-369-1, MB part no 2103243604

Incidentally have you rear self levelling suspension?

This makes some sense as you could end up with either of these depending on your sums. Am I correct to assume the 2 yellow is a stiffer spring? Whats the difference between the two?

 

[kth286]

forget the colours; springs are specced according to a points system based on options fitted to your car and your chassis.

So, after you enquired with parts dept you did not tell us the part numbers they arrived at for your car.

what were the part numbers quoted by the parts dept for the front and rear springs for your car ????????????????????????

 

[quasarman]

I end up with 2103243604 for the rears from the table as I get total of 202 points, fronts are fine so no worries there.

This fits with my thinking re cause of problem also.

But what about part no's 2103250284 and 2033240084 which I believe are the boot for the top and the sacrificial shim for the bottom. Should these both also be replaced?

 

[grober]

I end up with 2103243604 for the rears from the table as I get total of 202 points, fronts are fine so no worries there.

This fits with my thinking re cause of problem also.

But what about part no's 2103250284 and 2033240084 which I believe are the boot for the top and the sacrificial shim for the bottom. Should these both also be replaced?

As they are pretty cheap I would replace them also. Normally the spring pads last for ever but might be torn if the springs were broken??

 

[quasarman]

Do you know if the pads drop out easily enough or are they held in place?

 

[kth286]

on my 124 the rubber cap is a threaded inside, so screws onto the top of the spring.

you push the spring and pad up into the recess.