Phillip

Replacement of the sway bar bushings is easy.

Fronts: There are four bushings that need to be replaced: Two outboard and two inboard.

You will need to remove the two U-clamps that hold the bar to the body of the car. I believe they are 13mm bolts. Inside, between the bar and the U-clamps are the bushings. Outboard, you will need to remove the caps that hold the bar ends to the control arm. Inside again is the bushing.

I drop the whole bar before trying to remove the bushings. The old ones should slide off easily. Before installing the inboard new ones, use a rag and clean the bar of any road grime, as you don’t want that wearing on the new bushing surfaces. The newer bushings do not need to be lubed. The newer bushings are telltale because they have a little liner (inside) with micro-groves all around end to end.

Install the bar with the new bushings to the body first, then do the outboard ones by the control arms. Ideally, tighten firmly once the car is on level ground as to avoid any pre-load on the bushings.

Rears: There are only two to replace. They located the bar to the body. The ends connect to the rear suspension via vertical plastic links. While you are there, check to make sure there is no slop with the links.

It is easiest to jack up the whole rear-end, but one side at a time will work. I believe again the U-Clamps or caps are held in by 13mm bolts, two per side. Once both sides, four bolts are removed, the bar can be pulled away from the body mount enough to get the rubber bushing out.

Again clean the bar prior to replacing. The bushings are split to facilitate getting them on to the sway bar. Some people do lube here with a little silicone.

I always use a good paste lube on all the sway bar bolts. They often are not removed for years and 10’s of thousands of miles.

If you have any doubt as to whether the bushings need to be replaced, compare the old ones with the new ones. Often rather shocking how elongated the holes become.

Which bar (and bushings) influence which end of the car? It is said that the rear sway bar and bushings is most often felt in the front, and visa versa. BTW, do both the fronts and the rears.

Shocks: There are many threads regarding shock replacement on the 190s. The rears are easy. I can now replace both rears in less than an hour, often a little more than 30 minutes.

To do the rears: One side at a time works. Jack up a corner. Rip out the trunk liner on one side, by starting at the tail light and carefully pull it out. You want to uncover the upper shock mount that has two 17mm nuts, one on top of another holding the top of the shock in. For the bottom, use a 10mm socket to remove the two or three small short holding bolts of the plastic lower control arm cover. Often after all these little bolts are removed, yanking the leading or trailing edge enables the cover to come off easily. Once uncovered, you will see the bottom of the shock that is held into the control arm by either a 17mm or 19mm nut and bolt. Remove the bolt. Once removed you can move the shock bottom easily for removal.

Fronts: Technically, because the EXTREME danger of the coil spring, you should use a spring compressor to hold it. The front shock is a strut. It is held in the top by a large nut and at the bottom by three, I believe 19mm bolts.

Some people have jacked their car up, put it on jack stands, then used the jack with a block of wood for protection, and lifted under the front A-arm to take the pressure off the strut to remove. This can be very dangerous. Car springs kill people.

You might want to check the upper shock mount while you are there. Any sign of splitting of the rubber, replace.

User Locktite on all the shock bolts. Be sure to tighten the bolts firmly. This is, after all, your suspension.

Haasman

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'03 E320 Wagon-Sold
'95 E320 Wagon-Went to Ex
'93 190E 2.6-Wrecked
'91 300E-Went to Ex
'65 911 Coupe (#302580)