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'92 300e suspension/steering problems

I have a '92 300e. I recently replaced my struts and shocks using the Monroe Sens-o-trac brand. While I had the car up and the tires off I tightened the wheel barings and inspected the outer tie rods and all bushings. The bushings were in good visual condition with very small cracks. Some contained none. I took the car for an alignment afterwards and up until this point the car never felt right on the road at high speeds. So I was expecing a huge difference. Not so. At a high rate of speed (70mph) I feel like I loose control of the car for a split second. On occasion It will wander on the road (never consistently in one direction). I've noticed that when I begin to make a turn at a high rate of speed the front of the car dips forward. I love everthing about this car except I wish it handled like my wifes Volvo 850. I took it back to the dealer and he said everything is fine. I'm at the point were I don't feel safe driving it. I had some sand bags in the back of it for weight and my buddy suggested that I removed them because he thought that air getting under the front of the car was affecting the steering. I took them out and it did make a small difference.

I'm dying for ideas.

please reply to john()()()AT()()()cloud9aromatherapy()()()DOT()()()com Screw you you nasty spammers. Burn in hell!

-john

Reply to
john
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You feel like you'll lose control for a split second.

Is that because the car suddenly over steers?

It never felt right on the road.

Why didn't it? Poor tracking? Wandering? What? Wandering is due to incorrect caster angles - from side to side - each side's caster angle should equal the other.

Have you checked its REAR suspension?

A worn rear bushing, for instance, will allow a bit of rear wheel steering when its wheel shifts. At higher speeds you'll notice this.

If the tires are not correctly inflated the steering will feel a bit erratic so don't discount tire pressure.

I own a E320 and have found its steering is quite sensitive to incorrect toe-in. At slow to moderate speeds the car feels a bit squirmy as the incorrectly adjusted front wheels encounter small road irregularities that put additional (or less) pressure on each front wheel causing the car to make minute course changes. Correct toe-in eliminates it entirely.

Dealers often "send out" alignment work so don't accept that "everything is fine" take the car to an alignment shop and describe the problem to the guy who will put it on the alignment rack and do the adjustment. And tell him if it's been in a wreck or not.

Reply to
T.G. Lambach

I concur. I have a '91 200e, and it still feels very stable at 140 km/h + (85Mph) even after an accident repair that involved straightening the front frame and a total realignment.

Do check the tyres too for correct pressure and balancing.

Cheers, WS

Reply to
Lee Wei Shun

Change the rear thrust arms .. the new/replacement ones are heavier with larger mount/bushings and an up-grade kit to mount them. Cheap part and easy to change. There are 5 links on each side . These are the 2 links from frame to rear wheel carrier at a 45 degree angle to travel direction. Worn ones cause the car to wander .

Reply to
AJDalton7

Replace the idler arm bolt with the kit available at any MB dealer. P.

Reply to
Peter Klein

OK, let's start with the cheap things:

a - for the front: check anti-roll bar bushings - they are very cheap and makes the front and stiffer and with more positive action when negotiating curves at speed.

b - an eavel back when curving at speed and causing oversteering in general - check toe-in at rear axle - it has to be convergent with mercedes-benz cars of this generation - the amount of toe-in is in the manufactures data and please respect it! the right value is a negotiation between stability and tyres wear.

c - fellows are right aboout links at the rear suspension. Get it checked before whell allignement, of course. Some play on the toe-in or camber links make the car behaviours erratic and difficult to keep a strait line on slightly waved roads. Replace if it has even small play.

It looks enough for the moment. Don't dispair! It's a hell's of a good car!

regards

Orlando Oliveira "john" escreveu na mensagem news:Pine.LNX.4.44.0401062218110.7341-100000@trinity...

Reply to
Orlando Oliveira

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