My 2004 Mercedes Benz E320 aka The Benz

[87gtVIC]

It was under a day of turn time. I dropped them off at 2:50pm Monday. I got the call that they were ready at 12:45 the next day.

[87gtVIC]

Similar to the rear window valance/spoiler thing the trunk spoiler devolped weathered checked spots so I decided to replace it this morning.

OLD:





Had to use some fishing line to get some of the adhesive separated. Once a corner was separated some I was able to pull the entire spoiler off.

It did leave behind some adhesive but I had picked up a 3m adhesive eraser wheel in preparation of this task. Its did fantastic.

Once all old adhesive was removed I clay barred the trunk lid and then compounded and polished it. Wiped it all down with some ISO-propal alcohol and then stuck the new spoiler in place.

This is the finished product after some AMMO SKIN was applied:







MUCH better.

[87gtVIC]

I painted the Calipers on the Benz the other day.

I removed all of the components in the way to give me the best possible chance of this working out okay…and it did!




I was originally going to use a duplicolor caliper paint kit (brush on type) but decided against it. I heard of the “G2” brand and looked up some reviews and videos and it was decided that was the way I would be going.



I decided to paint the calipers in red. It was something I wanted to do since I purchased the car back in 2014. They look boring left all natural.



Once the car was stripped of its rotors I remounted everything and wire wheeled and scotch brited everything before applying three coats of paint.





End result is good. I had enough left over to even apply a 4th coat if I felt it was necessary. 3rd coat went on around 7:15 in the evening. I just decided again the 4th due to time constraints. It still looks really good. I like that the G2 kit comes with an activator for the paint. Cannot use your leftovers but your paint will be nice and hard!



I also washed and clayed the car in preparation for a one step on the paint. I used Meguiars 3 in 1 wax on my dual orbit polisher and it performed quite well. She shines. Car has been spot compounded in areas that needed it numerous times before. This was all she needed.

[87gtVIC]

Drove a bit today....

[87gtVIC]

My stock original lug nuts were getting severely rusted. The way the lugs recess in the wheel face makes water sit there all of the time....rusty water that then comes out and drips down the wheel which could potentially stain it.

I replaced them all today with some zinc plated ones.





At least these wont rust for a while...and no more ugly rust water dripping out of the wheels...

[IPreferDIY]

Are there no stainless offerings? I've seen solid stainless ones for panthers, but they're too expensive for me. (I recall seeing something about some kind of concern with stainless threads, but probably nothing a bit of lube wouldn't avoid.) I've got some new Dorman stainless-capped ones soaking in tranny fluid that I'm hoping will seep into places my usual oil spray would not. I hate the rust bulge BS.

[87gtVIC]

Haven't thought about it. I kinda just searched ebay and found a reputable seller of European lug nuts. Price was right and they are not rusty.

[gadget73]

Is this lug nuts or lug bolts?

[87gtVIC]

Is this lug nuts or lug bolts?

They are in fact bolts. It just does not sound right though.

[87gtVIC]

I made a thing

[87gtVIC]

Yeah...so this happened.








Havent used the car since Tuesday. Pulled it in front of the house today to wash it and once done parked it back in its spot.

Checked on it later in the day to find this all out.

All I can say is THANK GOD it did not happen while driving.

Had to put on the spare to even be able to drive it into the backyard to disassemble it.

New front struts and springs for the front and new springs and shocks for the rear on all on the way.

[Kodachrome Wolf]

Yikes. That could have been real bad.

Any idea how the spring just sheared like that? Don't see any rust that would indicate fracturing prior.

[87gtVIC]

No idear. Just as perplexed as you.

[Tiggie]

So it was just sitting there in the driveway when the epic fail happened? Holy smokes.

[Giraffe]

Most likely a manufacturing defect.