Mercedes-Benz Forum banner

300SE need to move no air

3K views 11 replies 5 participants last post by  mercmad6.3 
#1 ·
I need to move my 300SE. The air is out of suspension because the front end is disassembled to repair rust. Can someone tell me how to temporarily block the suspension in an up position to get on tow truck for ride home? Thanks - jim
 
#3 ·
no air in suspension

thanks I have been to the site, but like everything else when I last went I was not an owner and since making my purchase I have been thinking about a great many things. I now have read and have an even greater understanding of what I am facing.

Jim
 
#4 ·
I went this morning helped get the front inner and outer crossmember welded in. I was unable to pump enough air into the system to raise the car, so I put 1" block of wood under the front rubber suspension bumper and a 5" block of wood on the axle tube under the rear axle bumper. Next step is to get it home. Of course pictures to follow.
Jim
 
#6 ·
Well, I picked up the 300SE today and it is home at last. Hope no one minds, but I plan on discussing as I go along. I always enjoy reading about everybody elses projects. So to all who are following please feel free to jump in ask questions, make comments offer words of encouragement or just shake your head asking why? I was explaining to my friend John today I owned my 1964 220SEb 27 years ago and never got over the feeling of driving -- being seen and all the comments from that mercedes. Oh what a feeling, I am sure I will need to remember that as I go down this path. Jim
 

Attachments

#7 · (Edited)
Jim ,

What I mind is that you didn't include more picture's of the car !

I'm excited watching that W112 get resurrected . I know how special these car's are and I'm aware that many avoid them because they fear the expense they will encounter . I disregarded all of that and happily own one and have never "not" smiled from ear to ear when I drive it....That is priceless to me.....
So I understand the feeling you're talking about when thinking back about your W111 coupe of 27 year's ago....

Keep the progressive update's coming !!

Regards ....
 
#8 ·
One good peice of advice that Chris at 300SE.org has is the fitting of the lengths of hose with shrader fittings onto each air bag so you can pump the car while you work on it. As long as the bags are not leaking and from your pics ,they look OK,it will stay pumped for as long as you want.
What ruins bags is leaving a car parked with no air in them.
To pump a car up,I just remove the discharge( 'D' on top of the compressor head) line from the compressor and fit a connection I made to the end of this hose that allows me to pump the whole suspension up with the shop air. Thats easier than using the valve on the tank when the fenders are on the car.
 
#9 ·
mercmad6.3 --- thank you. I have done so much reading about the 300SE, but did not have my car or any car at point to visualize exactly what was being discussed. Since my fenders are off, I tried to pump the air suspenson up using shop air, but I could not get enough pressure. Right now I still have blocks of wood raising the car, so I am resting on a deflated air bags causing undo wear and tear. I am selling my 93 C2 Porsche project car to make room for the 300SE in the garage so I can start in ernest my restoration. My goal this weekend is to replace the radiator, drain the oil and get the engine running again. It needs more time at operating temperator getting everything seated again before I pull and crate the drive train. Jim
 
#10 ·
Chris Johnson is the expert on W112's. He has allot of experience and knows the M189 engine well. He hangs out over the the M-100 board.

M-100 Message Board

The engine is all aluminum with cast iron liners. Please don't attempt any work without proper documentation. Also, the air suspension is complex and will require an overhaul.

http://www.starmotorsny.com/pdf/AirSuspensionGuide.pdf

Star Motors

Star Motors - Home

There are a few differences between the sedans and 2 doors.
 
#12 ·
There must be major leak if your shop air cannot pump up the car.It only takes around 100 PSI to fill the bags .I have one here at moment which has a badly leaking main valve ( the control valve up by the engine) which I just left on the air full time so it could be pushed around ,the shop compressor is only 13CFM but it hardly needed to cut in to keep the pressure up.. Be aware also ,that the volume required is very large so it can take up to 10 minutes to fill a dead empty system with a smaller volume compressor.
Besides carefully listening for a leak,get squirt bottle with soapy detergent and spray it all over ALL the air system and you will find any leak.
I would say that the axle valves are leaking. because they now very obsolete ,They cannot be repaired by normal methods.the interior parts are repairable,but the outer seal is usually fixed by filling with Black "sikaflex". The other alternative is to fit rebuilt W109 valves.


Don't bother trying to get around this,rebuild your compressor,replace the valves,the three hoses from the body to the front axle,and any bags which a worn look and the suspension is good for another 40 years.
As for numbers of W112's still on the road,Chris has most of them in the USA i think :)) but I would be guessing and say that a lot of the have survived but are just not being used.
Once you have yours on the road you will wonder just how far cars have really progressed in 40 years!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top