[quote=LantanaTX]I did the whole lowering job yesterday and this included two trips to various parts store looking for spring compressors. I ended up using a NAPA spring compressor that is fairly small and attached to both sides of the spring. It is still a real &*&(%^*! for really good instruction on how to do the front, go to Benzworld.org forums and do a search in the R170 (SLK) forum for spring removal by a guy named Bazzle. If I did this over again I would use the spring compressor in his pictures. He give excellent step by step directions.

I used my Dewalt grinder with a 4.5 inch cutting blade to cut EXACTLY one coil of the BOTTOM of each spring. I let the side of the blade run against the end of the spring to use as a guide to cut exactly one coil off.

The rear are easier, Just jack up one side and remove the wheel. Remove two small screws that hold the plastic piece to the lower control arm. Put a jack under the lower control arm abut where the spring cup is and raise up a bit to take pressure off the lower shock mount and sway bar link. You will see three bolts and nuts at the end of the lower control arm. they are for the upright, shock and sway bar. Remove all three and then slowly lower the jack. The rear spring will just about fall out. If not push the lower control down a little further until the spring comes out. After you have cut one coil off reinsert the spring with the upper cup and make sure it is positioned right and then jack up the lower control arm until you have lined up some of the removed bolts. If you use the jack to align the bolt holes it will be very easy to put all the bolts back in. The rears can be done this way in less than 30 minutes per side. Allow a couple of hours for each front side. If you get the right spring compressor for the front it would be just as easy as the rear. There are probably other ways to do this but this is what I did and it worked.[/quote

Place the lowering spring onto the strut. Try to place the strut cap back on the assembly. It should fit without having to use the spring compressors