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85 300SD: I need help identifying supspension parts, plse

My 85 300SD W126 is vibrating badly at highway speed. The front tires are wearing out quicker than they should. The mechanic shop wants over $500 to fix it. The whole car likely isn't worth $500! On the estimate, they list for parts needed: (2) guide rod mount kits and (1) control arm bushing kit ---lower inner. I can get the mount kits for $80 each, and the bushing kit for $40....totalling $200. THAT is affordable, $500 is not. So I need to do the work myself. , I have a

1/2 in air impact wrench, and all common heavy duty mechanic tools. Also have a Haynes manual--- However, it doesn't have one word about repairing /replacing those parts. THere is one illustration in the whole book showing the underside of engine compt.---but neither the guide rod or the control arms are identified. I am not sure if a "control arm" is the same as a "steering arm" or not. I have the pics of both the bushing kit and mounts copied from the Benzbin site, but am not familiar enough with the suspension to say just where they are installed. Can someone give either a verbal description of where these two components are...or reference an illustration I can get on the the internet, or by email attachment? Thanks Geronimo
Reply to
geronimo
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Lower control arm is a dangerous job. You need to compress the spring with proper inside spring compressor... whiich cost $200+ to buy or you can rent them... then you have to disconnect alot of parts so you can bring the arm to have the bushing pressed out. and in.

You need to do a diagnostic before throwing money into it... how is tire wearing? Evenly? Cupping? When did you last balance your tire?

Reply to
Tiger

Sell the car then. What color is the interior? Do you have pictures?

Realistically your car miht need those two parts right now and all that willdo is show up the next part to fail. If you're gonna f*ck around get a Tpyota or a Buick or something.

At the age it's at now you need to pull the entire front end apart and renew all the metal and rubber wear items and then you can goo 100-300 K miles without eevr haveing to dick with this again. I've done it bit by but until I got disgusted and said fuckit and did the whole fornt one year and the whole rear the next, and it's a kicker when a 23 year old car rides like a 1 yr old S class. Ha!

But, presuming you want to do jsut these two things: 1) it MIGHT be the tracj rod mounts or it might be the track rod/suspension bearing itself and those fuckkers are EXPENSIVE. THey can be rebuilt with a $100 rebuilt kit though. Look for backwards and forwards slop in each wheel at a time when sloly accclerating and braking. have somebody drive the car while you look. any slop and you replace the bearing.

assuming it IS jsu the track rod mounts and contorl arm bushing, well, uh if you have to ask I'm not entirely sure you should really be doing this and a haynes manual is utterly inappropriate. Get the factord manual/cd and do't do aything oter than dirve it until you've looked in there.

What city are you in?

Reply to
Richard Sexton

NEVER use a $200 spring compressor. Mercedes springs are so much beefier than normal car springs that you'd be taking yor life into your hands with a cheap spring compressor and a mercedes car spring. Use the right german tool or pay somebody else to. You can ret them and some mb hobbyists have them or know where to get one. I know one near lake george ny fwiw.

The diagnosis is parts hat should have failed by now anyway. I'd assume the isdler arms and ball joints have probabky been replaced already, if not they probably should be on principle, as with the drga link, shcoks and steering shock.

Reply to
Richard Sexton

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publishes a paper catalog, #46M, (free) that has an exploded parts schematic o Pg 141, complete with prices for all the pieces. It may also be online.

The catalog also covers the motor so it comes in handy as a reference.

Reply to
T.G. Lambach

performanceproducts4benz prices for these parts:

Control ams bushings lower $26.25 each Guide rod mount kit $15.75 each Ball joint $26 each

I've also had good parts prices and quick service from

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Reply to
T.G. Lambach

Well, since it involves having to compress the springs...and since I am pretty sure that every other rubber part, mount, and bushing on the car is also not long for this world, I am going to let it die. Its likely worth nearly nothing....the sealer failed so it looks lousy on the outside, and the leather interior is pretty sad looking too, has tears. I think I will stick with diesel cars...I think biodiesel is going to take off real big soon and be a cheaper alternative to gas engine cars. thanks all!

Reply to
geronimo

Part it out on ebay. You should easily be able to make enough to buy a decent one. This is not uncommon.

Reply to
Richard Sexton

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