I bought one of the JTC 1801 spring compressors so I could replace the LCA bushings (and lower ball joints while I'm in there already)... but I can't get the top through the hole in the body of the car so it can seat properly on the top plate.

Has anyone else had this problem?

It is very close, an extra 2-3mm clearance would be all that's needed.. What am I supposed to do, grind the hole in the car 2-3mm larger or something?

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'83 300DTurbo http://badges.fuelly.com/images/smallsig-us/318559.png

Broadband: more lies faster.

Yes. That's what some have done for the early version of the Sir Tools spring compressor, when used on a 123 chassis. The later version ST is supposed to clear the hole due to a slight re-design. The Klann spring compressor fits.
There are now several different clones of these two original manufacturers. The JTC must have cloned the Sir Tools version; ZDmac (or some such) seems to have cloned the Klann. I've got the ZD clone and friends have used it on the 123 chassis with no problem. The archive has a few posts of guys lightly "whittlin'" the hole wider with no ill effects. They all seem to fit on the 126.
Dave Morrison knows the different brands well and can steer you right.

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The Golden Rule

1984 300SD (bought new, sold it in 1988, bought it back 13 yrs. later)

Could you snap a pic of where the problem is at the spring? I've been eye balling that spring compressor.
I'm actually hopeful I can find somebody around with a loner.....

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Jimmy - you can borrow mine. I have the ZD MAK clone of Klann - worked beautifully on my 126. I have a good assortment of front end tools you can borrow as well (though I don't think the 20 ton press is going to fit in your car

PM me and I'll respond with my cell #

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~shell
As of 2/2010:
2001 CLK55 0o\=*=/o0
13.6 @ 106mph
10K mi
1984 300SD
260K mi and going and going...
97 S600
46K miles
1991 Sentra SE-R (extremely dorked with)
www.se-r.net

I'll see if I can get some pictures tonight.

However, the problem is pretty simple. To use the compressor, one wedges the plates in between the coils of the spring, then inserts the telescoping "post" down, through the hole above the spring in the engine bay, through the top plate, then through the bottom plate. There are some hooks at the bottom that grab onto the bottom plate, and some detents in the top that seat in the top plate.

My problem is that the post is too fat at the top to fit through the hole in the body in the engine bay. Since it can't do that, it can't seat on the top plate.. which would make attempting to compress the spring.. well, this I think says it best..

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'83 300DTurbo http://badges.fuelly.com/images/smallsig-us/318559.png

Broadband: more lies faster.

I had the same issue on my TD. Air Die Grinder to open up the hole a bit at the top of the spring perch. The spring is no where near the center so you can remove some material with no ill effect. The steel was three layers thick here so you won't be doing this with hand tools.

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tgingrich
'83 300TD 282k
'83 300D 239k
'82 300SD 204k
DFW

Thanks. That's what I was thinking of doing, but I was very suprised I'd have to. So, I wanted to check with others smarter than I to make sure I wasn't missing something obvious first .

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'83 300DTurbo http://badges.fuelly.com/images/smallsig-us/318559.png

Broadband: more lies faster.

would work the best, but if you don't have one, or maybe even the air to run one, then you could get it done with a 110v Dremel tool. If you use the dremel tool, make sure you don't get your hands over the air vents. If you are working it hard, and running it fast, it needs all the air cooling it can get. It is not as fast as the die grinder, but it will get it.

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Junqueyardjim
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. C.S. Lewis



1983 Mercedes W123 240D 4 Speed 285,000 on the road with a 617 turbo, beautiful butter yellow, license plate # 83 240D INDIANA

2003 Jaguar Type X, AWD. beautiful, good mileage,
Mom's car, but I won't let her drive it!

Here's some pictures...

First is the problem -- the top of the spring compessor post doesn't fit through the hole in the body. You can see the top of the post sitting here -- the rest is sticking down inside the spring.

Second picture is a closeup of the hole in the body. You can't tell from this picture, but the heavy gauge steel of the body sticks into the hole a little. I had to grind that back flush and then enlarge the hole by about 1mm all the way around. If they had made the post 2-3mm smaller in diameter, it probably would have fit right off.

Third picture is the post in the hole upside down (that's how I was test fitting it).

Jim, I ended up using my dremel tool since I was too lazy to reassemble the car to drive it next door and borrow my neighbor's air die grinder/compressor setup. Took a little longer, ~20 min per side, and I used up a stone in the process, but its done now.

Thanks everyone for all your help.

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'83 300DTurbo http://badges.fuelly.com/images/smallsig-us/318559.png

Broadband: more lies faster.

Thanks for the pics patbob! It is so much more clear when seeing the problem. I'm surprised that metal only used up one dremel grinding stone. That looks fairly substantial.

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Anyone purchased one of these lately? I see lots of variants on Amazon indicating that it fits w123, but no indication of if/which have been "modified" to ensure that I don't need to grind my shock towers. My cars are pristine, and there's no way that I'm grinding my car...

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Current Diesels:
1981 240D (73K)
1982 300CD (169k)
1985 190D (169k)
1991 350SD (116k)
1991 350SD (206k)
1991 300D (228k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (267k)

Past Diesels:
1983 300D (228K), 1985 300D (233K), 1993 300D 2.5T (338k), 1993 300SD (291k)

To the best of my knowledge all of the sub 300 euro models need you to grind the hole bigger.

Only the 'king expensive Mercedes and Klan tools are "grinder free".

An alternative solution for people with big nuts is to get the tool turned down to size! (I wouldn't do that though)

If you measure the hole on your car and then ask the seller to measure the tool diameter you might get a better idea - though in my experience sellers (particularly of the cheaper items) are not interested in "customer service"...

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

The change you are making grinding is negligable if you prepare and paint it after.

Consider it this way, you will be knocking off paint anyway struggling with either compressor since the springs curve

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

I know - the dimension is often reported as a fraction of a gnat's cock - but when you're grinding it out by hand I'm sure it feels like you've been doing it for ages.

For my cheapo spring compressor there was no way I could hammer that "square peg into a round hole" - it was quite a bit past an interference fit. It wasn't a fit. I had to remove quite a lot of metal - more than paint.

That was my experience on my car. 'Cos "I was born under a bad sign and if I didn't have bad luck I'd have no luck at all" (etc etc) this doesn't surprise me!

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

Doesn't matter if it's minor or simple. My cars, especially the 240, are like new, and I don't care to do so.

Apparently the Klann doesn't need metal to be ground out.

Apparently the others have been modified, at least some of them.

So I'd much prefer to buy one that's right upfront.

Perhaps the Klann if I can find a good used one.

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Current Diesels:
1981 240D (73K)
1982 300CD (169k)
1985 190D (169k)
1991 350SD (116k)
1991 350SD (206k)
1991 300D (228k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (267k)

Past Diesels:
1983 300D (228K), 1985 300D (233K), 1993 300D 2.5T (338k), 1993 300SD (291k)