Any advice on removing 300C springs?

[tomr2c]

Just picked up my new 300C AWD. It sits way to high (4" gap between tire and fender) Found some springs from Canuckmotorsports.com. Any tricks to remove the rear springs?

[frank29]

Buy a service manual. It will be the best $60 you have spent. Even if you only use it for this one thing, it would be worth the purchase; however, it is loaded with information in a condensed package. I advise purchasing the CD version. It takes awhile getting used to navigating (at least it did for me); but, now it is easy to find stuff (and you saved about $300 versus the printed version).

[marlinspike]

From where does one purchase said manual? Dealer?

[cirob]

buy it from wycoff one of our sponsors 79.95 or on ebay

[frank29]

Originally Posted by marlinspike

From where does one purchase said manual? Dealer?

If I had to do it all over, I would buy it from Chrysler (list price $90). I got mine off of EBay for about $46 plus the junk fees that brought it up to about $60. While I am happy with mine, the problem is some people have gotten copies, off of EBay, that were denintly bootlegged and these don't have all the files included (like the body repair manual and several smaller things). While I am pleased, I do wonder if I am missing something.

You can buy it from Chrylser's website or your dealer; however, you will probably have to pay list. Some of the supporting vendors on this forum might have it at a discount.

[Northern Rider]

Originally Posted by tomr2c

Just picked up my new 300C AWD. It sits way to high (4" gap between tire and fender) Found some springs from Canuckmotorsports.com. Any tricks to remove the rear springs?

Hi Tom, congrats on you new ride.

If you plan to lower the AWD, remember, it has a completely different suspencion from the 300C RWD. The fender gap is there to allow full wheel travel on rough and uneven surfaces (like an AWD SUV).

Lowering is tricky but it can be done. There are some threads in the forum on this. A search should turn them up. The service manual, as others have said, is a must as this is a major change on an AWD vehicle.

Hope this helps.

[joeSRT8]

The springs you found probably won't work. Eibach is currently prototyping a 1.6" kit for the AWD 300C which they claim will be out in June. I would wait for that kit if I were you -- it'll be done right.

In fact, one of the guinea pigs for the AWD eibach springs goes to my local dealership sometimes (Tustin)... his car looks beautiful in terms of wheel gap AND yet also has the "AWD" on the back - two things ya don't normally see! It's sitting about .6" lower than a stock RWD.

So, it's not just vaporware -- there ARE guinea pigs out there and it's worth waiting for so your car doesn't turn into a ball of flames with some other spring set. Lemme see if I can find some pictures someone posted a few months ago of that guy's car.

Ahh yes, here we go... by the way, according to 'turbohips' in another thread apparently this guy with the test car still had to cut the springs from Eibach a few coils to make the gap look the way it is. Hopefully eibach will get it right by the time they come.





See this thread for more pictures: http://www.300cforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=51032

[tomr2c]

Everyone says the suspension on the AWD is different than the RWD. I inspected both versions sitting side by side and could see no difference in the spring mounts, control arms etc. The spring wire in the AWD was slightly thicker than the RWD, apparently because of the greater weight of the AWD. What do you mean by "completely different"? As far as removing the rear springs is concerned, it looks like you can support the frame on jack stands, put a load on the lower a-arm with a floor jack, remove the outer A-arm bolt. Then slowly release the the floor jack and the lower A-arm will swing down, releasing the spring tension, at which time you can pull the spring out and put in the new one. Reverse the procedure to install. Am I right or am I missing something? By the way. Canuckmotorsports says their springs are the correct one for the AWD. $179.13 delivered.

[Northern Rider]

Originally Posted by tomr2c

Everyone says the suspension on the AWD is different than the RWD. I inspected both versions sitting side by side and could see no difference in the spring mounts, control arms etc. The spring wire in the AWD was slightly thicker than the RWD, apparently because of the greater weight of the AWD. What do you mean by "completely different"? As far as removing the rear springs is concerned, it looks like you can support the frame on jack stands, put a load on the lower a-arm with a floor jack, remove the outer A-arm bolt. Then slowly release the the floor jack and the lower A-arm will swing down, releasing the spring tension, at which time you can pull the spring out and put in the new one. Reverse the procedure to install. Am I right or am I missing something? By the way. Canuckmotorsports says their springs are the correct one for the AWD. $179.13 delivered.

Look at it from on a hoist. Very different.

Different transmission; transfer case; front cv joints; driveshaft; rear end; etc.

Different suspension settings. It is from the Mercedes all wheel drive system. Altering the spring height and tension affects wheel travel; cv angle; castor and camber. Make certain whoever does the work has worked on these systems before.

You don't want drivetrain issues with an AWD later on down the road. Very expensive to fix. And your warranty may be no good if you lower an AWD. I have had a lot of experience modding rally cars. AWD is very different from RWD.