W123: Total SLS Suspension Overhaul

Customer brought in his very clean 82 300TD for a full SLS suspension overhaul, entailing of SLS pump rebuild, SLS leveling valve rebuild, new hydraulic rear rams, new accumulators, rebuild of the high pressure line and a new low pressure feed line. While I was going over the car I welded up the air cleaner bracket as it cracked off and was making all sorts of nonsense worth of noise. 

I'm going to warn you, pictures are sporadic as I was too concentrated on work to take a quick snap - the cold doesn't help the situation! 

You can see the rear suspension has totally given up the ghost here. Totally bottomed out

Get the ass in the air and ready to dig in.

The new SLS strut on the left and the old with blown seal on the right. To get these out, there's a 13mm top fastener underneath the carpet. Pull up and roll the carpet up all the way towards the front of the car and you'll see a 1" wooden slat running across the car. Three philips screws and you can remove that. Look around on the carpet itself and you'll see two or three philips buried underneath the weave. Remove those and you can remove the carpet assembly and have the SLS top fastener visible and the 17mm fitting to remove.

If I have the struts removed, I don't bother doing the accumulator work on the car. Three 13mm nuts hold it to the body, one 11mm flare fitting, and this 17mm banjo.

Admittedly, I'm sort of regretting not having more pictures of the job, as this car was an absolutely JOY to drive with new suspension. Looks fantastic and rides as nice as it looks. New springs/spring pads, strut and accumulator here.

I did find engine oil in the SLS system - the seal behind the SLS pump failed and started letting it in. Regardless, the filter here gets changed as it's cheap insurance!

That's all I have for pictures - I didn't take any pictures of the hydraulic line building or the rebuild of the SLS pump/valve. Hydraulic oil covering my hands and fairly delicate work necessitated most of my attention. So, with that, here she is sitting at a normal ride height, happy as can be.

For those interesting in replacing the springs on these cars, if you do not have a spring compressor like I do, please do not attempt to do this work. You'll have to drop the subframe do get the suspension far enough from the body to get it out. Even then, when it comes time to put everything back together, you won't be able to. The spring pressure as you try to put everything back in place will just raise the car!