rear shocks--necessary to remove wheel?

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Rooster - 12 Jun 2009 01:10 GMT

I'm doing the rear shocks on my 84 300SD and read somewhere
that I need to remove the wheel. Do I really need to do this?
Getting under the car it looks like that's not really necessary.

I have read about removing the rear seat to get to the top nut.

Thanks,
Jeff

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Tiger - 12 Jun 2009 01:30 GMT

No... you don't have to remove wheel but the car must be jacked up before
removing the bolts... or it will slam downward.

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Rooster - 12 Jun 2009 02:23 GMT

> No... you don't have to remove wheel but the car must be jacked up before
> removing the bolts... or it will slam downward.

Tiger,
Yea, I was going to jack it up and put it on some stands.
Some long post I saw said you had to take the wheels off.

How far up should I jack the wheel?
Til it clears the ground?

Thanks,
Jeff

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Paul Fretheim - 12 Jun 2009 13:59 GMT

> > No... you don't have to remove wheel but the car must be jacked up before
> > removing the bolts... or it will slam downward.
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> Thanks,
> Jeff

You might want to take the rim and tire off just so you have room to
work. I always do when I am working under the car.

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Tiger - 12 Jun 2009 15:07 GMT

Real high off the ground to clear the shocks. It is best to do this with the
big floor jack. I also put a safety jack under the arm. I don't recall if
the arm has something to block the spring from popping out... so that is why
I suggest you do the safety jack under the arm before you remove any bolts.

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sdah - 13 Jun 2009 01:32 GMT

hallo
test 123

> Real high off the ground to clear the shocks. It is best to do this with
> the big floor jack. I also put a safety jack under the arm. I don't recall
> if the arm has something to block the spring from popping out... so that
> is why I suggest you do the safety jack under the arm before you remove
> any bolts.

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Wan-ning Tan - 12 Jun 2009 23:51 GMT

Better check the manual first. On some cars (not necessary MB or
300SD), the shock also works as a limiter so the wheel/tire don't drop
all the way down. If the car is jacked up first before the bolts are
removed, the spring may force the shock to pop out when bolts are out.

At least I am sure W201 front shock also works as limiter. I recently
did the work.

What I would suggest is to jack up (as high as possible) the car under
the multi-link. Place a jack stand under the body (W201 has 4 rubber
buffers for jacking. I don't recall if W126 has or not). Remove the
tire/wheel, then remove the bolts from shock. Lower the jack at last
while keeping the stand there. The axle will come down then you will
have the space to remove the shock.

> No... you don't have to remove wheel but the car must be jacked up before
> removing the bolts... or it will slam downward.

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