I've recently completed replacing the right and left thrust arms on my car.... so I'm kind of an unofficial expert on the subject.
The job can be done with a minimal amount of patience, observation and common sense. Under normal circumstances the job would be straight forward... take the old one out and replace it with the new one... but in this case MB has redesigned the bar to make it more heavy duty. Essentially they have decreased the diameter of the bolts while increasing the diameter of the rubber grommet. It is the grommet that has been wearing out.
The old(original) nuts and bolts at both ends of the rod are 19mm and the new nuts for the bolts are 18mm. The heads of the new bolts are also redesigned so that you can not screw-up and put the bolts on the wrong way... they accomplish this by forcing you to put your wrench into the end of the new bolts (a star socket) rather than let you slip the wrench on the head from the side of the bolts. There is insufficient working room at one end of the bolts to slip a wrench in from the end... so there is only one way to insert the bolt and tighten a nut onto it.
Because the bolt hole at the wheel end is designed to have an 19mm bolt fit snugly into it.... and because the replacement bolt is a narrower 18mm bolt... the new bar comes with a kit that includes a metal sleeve that fits into the old bolt hole(wheel end of bar only). Once the sleeve is slid into the bolt hole; the new bar, bolt and nut can be attached. It is essential that this sleeve be used otherwise the car will not be aligned and there will be play in the suspension.
Tools need are 18mm, 19mm open end/box wrenches and a 3/8 drive star-socket and rachet and a standard 18 and 19mm 3/8 drive sockets. I think the star-socket is about 10mm. To make sure... buy the bar and kit and then take a bolt to Sears and get a Craftsman socket to fit the bolt or to another quality tool store or auto parts shop.
When replacing the bar connect the body end first and then the wheel end. You will need a helper to hold some tension on the wheel while the bolt is slipped into place at the wheel end of the bar.
Hope this helps.
Smiles.
[Edited by ejsharp on 04-23-2001 at 10:49 PM]
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Earl
1993 190E 2.3
2000 Toyota 4x4 Tundra
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