I grabbed hold of each link in both gloved hands and tried to twist. There was a very little bit of give but no more from the "old" ones than from the two that I replaced earlier this year. Additionally (and perhaps more importantly) there are no "clunks" or "squeaks" or other noises out of the rear end when people or other loads are placed in the rear seats or trunk. Finally, the car tracks straight down the road and does not wander or pull.

__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970