Hi,

I live in Los Angeles, near Venice, Santa Monica and Culver city. Anyone in the area that would be kind enough to rent/loan a spring compressor. I need to remove the front lower control arm on a 1999 E320.

Thank you.
Elliot
310-890-3784

I have one but lent it to a friend in anaheim. I can see if he can bring it back this weekend.

Shoot me an E-mail while you are at it.

asherson at gmail.com

Well i finally got around to replacing the 3 bushings in the lower control arm. It turns out to be a reasonable 1/2 day job (both sides) if you bring the control arm to a shop with a large enough jaw press. Removing the lower control arm does not require a spring compressor. In fact using a compressor could make the job more dangerous since you'd have to handle the compressed spring out of the car (yikes!). If you have limited experience working on suspensions DO NOT TRY THIS with or without a spring compressor

Begin by placing a jack stand under the frame and a good floor jack beneath the lower control arm. Remove the wheel, lower ball joint, lower shock bolt, tie rod end, stabiliser link and upper ball joint. The upper and lower ball joint and tie rod end must be pushed out of their attachment point so that the lower arm is completly free besides the two large hinge bolts found on the in board side of the arm. DO NOT REMOVE THE TWO LONG HINGE BOLTS until the coil spring is completly relaxed and removed from the car. Once all this is done you slowly lower the floor jack supporting the lower arm. the lower arm will pivot on the hinge bolts all the way to the point that the spring is completly relaxed. It is only natural not to stand in front of the spring while relieving the floor jack.

Assembly is the reverse, you might as well change the lower ball joint if it is showing any wear while you are at it. Check all the other parts as well such as the upper control arm, shock, tie end and stabiliser link.

Is that Los Angeles spring compressor still around? Would it work on a W201? I live by Magic Mountain and work in Chatsworth, if its within range I can come pick it up.

Thanks.