my 72 280SE 4.5 [heavy w108 content]

[lewda]

trimming down the springs

Ok, so today, i went ahead and took about half a coil out of the rear and trimmed the front bump stops more, here are the pics...



which gave me this:




bump stops on front lower control arm where cut in half and flipped upside down back into the control arm:


my new clearance into the garage:


back in the garage:


In total, the rear has 1.75 coils cut, the front has 2 coils, I could trim more off the front, but i think i need to get the tie rods in order first. I am hoping the rear compensator doesnt push the rear back up again, if anything, I may loose the rear camber, if it at least stays this low, this will be good enough for me for now.

Heres a pick of the progress so far:

[lewda]

from what I understand, there is a combination of gas and oil in the unit. When the unit is compressed, the oil recirculates against a membrane of the gas pressure chamber....something like that, hopefully that helps, I don't know where the oil would come out without damaging the unit. When i last went under the car, I noticed there are 2 Phillips screws on the length of the unit that don't seem to hold anything, at least externally, but i highly doubt they are drains.

Here's some diagram explaining the Hydro-Pneumatic compensator...albeit its in German:

[TeckniX]

Coming back to your compensator, how does it do it's job?
I mean how does it know to push or not? If it's a self contained unit with fluid in it, you *could* get some fluid out, so it can't push anymore than it already is at. Or plug it so no fluid leaves or goes in?
Just suggestions since I have no clue what/who/why/how

[lewda]

ok, so today I finally got around to snapping some good photos of my car, and not off the phone! It was still a gloomy day, but i think they came out ok. So, as you know the car started out as a rust bucket:



to this:













I lowered the car, however, mine still has the factory hydro-pneumatic compensator on the rear differential, which is designed to push the rear back up under load, after lowering the car, the compensator thought the car was under load and pushed it back up. Im debating on ditching the compensator for a spring kit and selling the compensator as its worthe a pretty penny, and then just adjusting the springs....or.....just saying F it and bagging the thing and keeping the compensator on it, thoughts?

The front is currently running on the bump stops, need to get the rear sorted before it goes real low.

[D&W]

I would go air, but between having four cars that I do enjoy having and that I drive regularly, I don't have the funds for air at the moment. I'll look more into the hydro thing, from what I read, is part of the suspension to have, and that the spring isn't that favorable, in my situation, I definitely don't care for it, maybe I can find some purist who has the spring and wants to trade

Possibly, especially if it's working as if they aren't they aren't worth fixing... hence the spring replacement kit

You may find someone interested

Good luck!

[lewda]

Mine had the spring instead of hydro compensator when I bought it. I guess I should be thankful for this! I don't have any issues though.

Martin, your car is static low right? How many coils did you cut front and rear?

Well I read some more about the Hydro-Pneumatic Compensator, and its sole job in life is to right the rear. It was designed so when the car was loaded up in the rear, which driving, the car would eventually raise the rear to a normal driving height...sooooo...my cars rear was low for about a week, then driving it around I of course noticed the rear was coming back up. So, at least i know the compensator works...

[lewda]

I had the spring so it was not an issue. Can you disconnect the hydro spring? that might make it drop even more actually, thats not a good idea.

Perhaps you could pull a spring from a junkyard and fabricate it to be workable just like the spring replacement kit?

but maybe the $180 is just worth spending and its sorted?

or just go air

I would go air, but between having four cars that I do enjoy having and that I drive regularly, I don't have the funds for air at the moment. I'll look more into the hydro thing, from what I read, is part of the suspension to have, and that the spring isn't that favorable, in my situation, I definitely don't care for it, maybe I can find some purist who has the spring and wants to trade

[lewda]

Mine had the spring instead of hydro compensator when I bought it. I guess I should be thankful for this! I don't have any issues though.

I assuming you cut the springs on the axles though and not the center spring?

[D&W]

I may have too....thats my fear on the springs, dont want to keep cutting, then realize i have to get the center spring, but at the point, may have almost nothing left of the springs on the axles....

I know you went straight to air, but do you have the static spring or the hydro-pneumatic jig?

I had the spring so it was not an issue. Can you disconnect the hydro spring? that might make it drop even more actually, thats not a good idea.

Perhaps you could pull a spring from a junkyard and fabricate it to be workable just like the spring replacement kit?

but maybe the $180 is just worth spending and its sorted?

or just go air

[martinm13]

Mine had the spring instead of hydro compensator when I bought it. I guess I should be thankful for this! I don't have any issues though.

[lewda]

might have to spring for the $180?

The compensator will keep doing it up to a point, but also the shorter the spring if the compensator keeps pushing up, the springs may get loose in the cups?

I may have too....thats my fear on the springs, dont want to keep cutting, then realize i have to get the center spring, but at the point, may have almost nothing left of the springs on the axles....

I know you went straight to air, but do you have the static spring or the hydro-pneumatic jig?

[D&W]

might have to spring for the $180?

The compensator will keep doing it up to a point, but also the shorter the spring if the compensator keeps pushing up, the springs may get loose in the cups?

[lewda]

ok, ran to the grocery story real quick and snapped this photo, this is the rakage i have going on now:



i guess it doesn't look tooo terrible, but it definitely needs to go lower, need to jack up the front and take the wheels off to trim the bump stops down more and probably take some more off the rear coils, my only worry is that the rear compensator will keep pushing the rear back up.

[lewda]

yeah....thats 180.00 i dont want to spend

[TeckniX]

Just replace it with a spring, instead of having the hydro:

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Bilstein-W0133-1604495-FEB-Febi-Compensator-Spring/dp/B001G6G1LE"]Amazon.com: Febi Compensator Spring Kit: Automotive[/ame]