Two years ago Ray at Peninsula auto repair pressed a set out and pressed new ones in at his shop in Mountain View.

It was not smooth. He knows his way around Mercedes so I called him up to see if he had the tools. He said yes, bring the arms down (300sd). I brought them in and they pull out this international sized suitcase of C frame presses, collars and Mandrills by OTC. It looked like the mega assortment off the snapon truck. They start pressing and air wrenching with a 3/4" impact gun. No go.

They try putting it into a hydraulic press but the angles are all wrong. But we all know that here. No go.

Then Ray tells his guy to hold the arm vertically like in the redneck balljoint thread in this forum. Ray takes the biggest ball peen hammer I've ever seen and he starts whacking the bottom of the joint. His guy is freaking out begging him not to miss. After three good whacks I see the joint move 1mm. He finishes it off with an impact socket as a punch.

The second one is easier because he has the technique down. They use the c frame to drive the new ones in with the air impact driver. All done in half an hour while I'm sitting there staring at them. Ray says, how much do you want to pay me? I said two guys, half an hour, how about a C note? He nods and takes the money and I leave with my joints.

I bet he will remember the trick if you show up with the arms and tell him to get his ball peen hammer. It was worth the C note to let him do it.

Good luck. The shop is down near Google HQ.

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79 300TD “Old Smokey” AKA “The Mistake” (SOLD)
82 240D stick shift 335k miles (SOLD)
82 300SD 300k miles
85 300D Turbodiesel 170k miles
97 C280 147k miles