Shocks & Springs

[ddodson1]

Planning to replace shocks, springs and spring pads on my '65 230SL.  What brands/ sources do folks recommend for these items?  Other than everything rubber, are there other parts recommended to be done at the same time? 

I plan to do king pins and sub frame bushings in a later project.

[jameshoward]

OEM shocks are billstein. I use Koni and am happy with them; they're a bit firmer or can be if you get the adjustable ones.

What's wrong with your springs; ie why do you need to change them?

You could check your brake hoses and lines at the same time.

JH

[ddodson1]

I've already done all the brake hoses.  I don't have a specific problem with the springs, but figured at 50 years old they've compressed some and would make sense to renew while I'm replacing spring pads and shocks to get the best ride and handling.

[jameshoward]

I've seen nothing here to suggest that you'll get a better product than OEM. I've looked at mine on my 66 and they're fine. Personal opinion is that you could be wasting your money replacing the springs. The other stuff is a good idea if you're going to get amongst the rubber, but springs are supposed to spring back and forth. And they're pretty robust. They most certainly don't build them the way they used to.

[stickandrudderman]

The springs most definitely DO say with time and in the absence of a spring rate tester it is a good idea to change them. I have written at length about it before but in a nutshell: buy your springs from SLS.

[jameshoward]

And what do the springs say to you, Stick?

[tel76]

Apart from the price, why purchase them from SLS, what if anything is wrong with springs from MB?

[Raymond]

If you want to fiddle with your ride a bit, you can purchase progressive rate or Sport Springs from John Olson.  I have tried all three.  OEM, Progressive, and Sport.  The progressive give you a soft ride and get stiffer under hard cornering.  The Sport springs are linear rate like the OEM but are more firm for better cornering and less nose dive in hard braking.  The OEM springs and spring rubbers were matched at the factory and the springs were coded with from 2 to 4 paint marks to tell you which thickness of rubber matched those springs.  There are four thicknesses of front spring rubbers and three for the back.  Those paint marks may long since be gone.  If you change springs, the matching of spring rubbers can become a bit unpredictable.  They make a real difference in ride height. The trial and error for changing them is not a big deal for the rear springs, but the front ones are a serious job.  The height at the back has a major influence on the camber of the rear wheels.  Get that right first. 

Use the search tool to find more threads on this topic on the forum. 

[Mike K]

Last year I undertook the same exercise, replacing shocks with 4 new Bilsteins, all the rubbers, the 5 springs, sway bar rubbers and steering shock absorber.

Prior to doing this work my car was originally sitting lower at the back.
Front measurement from center of hub cap star to bottom of fender lip was: 36.5cm (14.4in) both sides.
Rear measurement from center of hub cap star to bottom of fender lip was:  34cm (13.4in) both sides.

I replaced the front rubbers with 27.5mm rubbers and the rear with 30mm rubbers.
The car now sits even all round at 35.5cm (14in) from center of hub cap star to bottom of fender lip all around.
It's like driving a different car; ride, handling, cornering etc. all much improved!

On removing the old springs it was obvious how much the old springs had compressed compared to the new ones.
The rubbers were trashed and split.

After doing the first front spring, which was a real pain and hassle to fit with the shock absorber still in place, I then found that by removing all the shocks prior to installing the new springs, made everything so much easier and painless. Especially when it came to the front in raising and lining up the lower wishbone back into place with the new spring.

Another tip is to use masking tape to attach the rubbers to the springs prior to installing.
Also used talcum powder on the rubbers to make it easier to swivel/twist the springs into their final position.

Best,
Mike

[stickandrudderman]

Apart from MB springs being expensive, they DO NOT COMPLY WITH THEIR OWN TECHNICAL SPEC. SLS ones do. I tried to complain to MB but life is too short........

[Cees Klumper]

Mike - thanks for posting this convincing report of how the springs do sag and the effect on ride quality. Off to the SLS website ...

[stickandrudderman]

You're welcome!

[batman]

After reading this discussion I measured travel height of my RHD 1968.

Front: 37.0/36.0
Rear: 35.5/34.5

So the rear is 1.5cm lower than the front but more interestingly - the right drivers side is 1.0cm lower than the left side.

I had new Bilstein shocks put on the front but the rear shocks were not replaced.

My questions are:
1. would the new shocks at the front would raise the ride height by 1.5cm ( I would have thought not)
2. what is causing the right drivers side to be lower - the spare tire or the age of both right side springs or both right side rubbers (or both maybe)??

thanks

[Panzer82]

Full disclosure, I am the editor of the SL Market Letter (the specialty Mercedes publication Olson founded in 1982) and work closely with Olson on that, although his springs are a separate business and I don't have anything to do with that...

I put Olson's springs on my car last Spring. I wanted to go with sport springs all the way around (I was coming out of an air cooled 911), he suggested sport springs up front and progressive rate springs in the rear, so that's what I did, I replaced all 5 springs and the shocks, as they were due for replacement... I replaced the old Bilsteins with new ones.

WOW, what a difference.. seriously. The springs transformed the car. They're not at all uncomfortable, but they make the car much easier and more fun to drive around corners and it feels more secure under braking. I can go around corners faster now without the crazy leaning and body roll I used to have. It's still no sports car, a Pagoda never will be, but the lack of nose dive on braking and much less lean around corners with the new springs changes the driving experience, for the better. I put in new spring pads at the same time, the old ones were original and pretty deteriorated. I ended up putting the thickest size they have in the rear and sort of medium ones up front for proper ride height. Spring pads come in 3 or 5 different thicknesses if I recall.

Here is a link to more info about Olson's custom springs, pricing, etc.

[stickandrudderman]

The data is only valid if you then tried all new parts to original spec and compared the two.
Comparing the Olsen set up with old worn out original parts doesn't actually offer anything by way of comparison.

[Doug McAllister]

Hi Mike
Interested to know where you bought your new springs/rubbers, and if you got SLS progressive, or sport.
I am just starting to restore a 1969 280SL which has been sitting in a garage unstarted for over 10 years.
It is very strange in that I measured 15.1 inches on the front and 12.9 inches on the back using your hubcap center to lip method - which makes for a very nose high attitude which I need to fix.
I do not know the history to know if springs are original but am guessing the front may have been replaced with incorrect, too tall springs, and the rears are original and sagging, or center rear is compressed with age.
Doug M

[mazmonza]

I have Olson springs, sports front and progressive rear I also had them made3/4" lower than standard.
In the 38 years I have owned the car this is the best setup I have had, it gives a firmer ride and flatter
cornering which for me gives better handling. Of course this setup won't suit everyone.

                                                                                                                 MP

[DaveB]

1. would the new shocks at the front would raise the ride height by 1.5cm ( I would have thought not)

Several members have reported this happening - new gas shocks pushing the front higher

2. what is causing the right drivers side to be lower - the spare tire or the age of both right side springs or both right side rubbers (or both maybe)??

Yes maybe tyre size or pressure or deformed spring/rubber (perhaps on overweight (previous) owner). But 1 cm variation is probably barely outside factory tolerance.

[Tyler S]

The subframe mounts also affect ride height in front. I gained almost 3/4 inch when I changed mine last year.

[Mike K]

Hi Mike
Interested to know where you bought your new springs/rubbers, and if you got SLS progressive, or sport.
I am just starting to restore a 1969 280SL which has been sitting in a garage unstarted for over 10 years.
It is very strange in that I measured 15.1 inches on the front and 12.9 inches on the back using your hubcap center to lip method - which makes for a very nose high attitude which I need to fix.
I do not know the history to know if springs are original but am guessing the front may have been replaced with incorrect, too tall springs, and the rears are original and sagging, or center rear is compressed with age.
Doug M

Hi Doug,
Just seen your post. I bought my springs from SLS.
http://www.sls-hh-shop.de/en/230-280SL-W113/33-Front-Suspension/?force_sid=kuk5iboc22pofpuoem5m9910f4?_artperpage=10&listorderby=oxstock&listorder=desc

http://www.sls-hh-shop.de/en/230-280SL-W113/35-Rear-Suspension/35-a-Rear-Suspension/?_artperpage=10&listorderby=oxstock&listorder=desc

Getting the correct height rubbers is also important. In my case, in order to correct the higher front ride height, I guesstimated that I needed the 27.5mm rubbers at front and the 30mm rubbers at rear. It worked out perfectly.

Best,
Mike

[kiheimatt]

Curious if anyone knows the center of axle to lip of fender measurements from the factory... not only at the 12 o'clock position on the hub,but from the 9 o'clock on the rear hubs and the 3 o'clock on the front. I searched and found this thread which is extremely helpful... but wasn't clear where exactly it "should" be from factory.

Thank you.