Ok I need some advice, ever since I bought my SDL it has had a lot of steering play. Over the last month I noticed it getting a lot worse. So after a little checking and pulling I found that my outside tie rod end on the drivers side had a lot of play in it, the passengers side didn't have much. So I ordered two new tie rods and replaced them on Friday, this helped a lot but their is still a lot of play. With the passengers side wheel off of the ground I can still feel some movement but I can't tell exactly where it is coming from. I was wondering if I should replace the center link? Do these ever go bad? I also have an idler arm rebuild kit, Sunday I will do that. I also repleced the steering damper back in July.

Now I know my steering box has a lot of play in it, adjusting it doesn't seem to help. But I have a better box from my 420 parts car. It has 174k on it and a lot less play, I bought a re-seal kit and will clean it up next week and install it. I would like a rebuilt gear box but don't have the money now, maybe next year.

Any other sudjestions? Do the pitman arms go bad? My center link seems ok, but it is original. I would like to get as much play out of the system as possible, next summer when I replace the box I'm hoping to have no play.

Btw the suspension is very tight and in very good shape for 240k miles, I am in no rush to do a front end re-build. Maybe in a few years, but everything is still very tight, except the shocks their all leaking like crazy.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

First be sure your wheel bearings are tightened to specs...
otherwise they can make finding looseness in other things hard....
When they are tight if you go under the car with the engine running and someone slightly moving the steering wheel back and forth you can put your hand at the point where two items come together and feel movement in one compared to the other one....
So your hand would typically be spanning a ball joint type socket... you can feel movement/(lack of ) much finer than you can see it....
I would start at the wheels and go in feeling for play....

After you eliminate the steering links and ends for play, take a good look at the rubber flex joint that is just above the steering box, inline with the steering shaft.

Also try to make and adjustment on your steering box.
It is true that the steering boxes wear rather quickly in relation to the rest of the vehicle. However one thing I have encountered is that we have the tendancy to subconciously compare steering to cars made in the last ten years.. The technology is different and make very noticible changes when comparing them.

Measure the actual play at the steering wheel for how much play you really have.

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79 240D my current toy
42 years a Diesel addict

240D sold
250SE sold
220D sold
280C sold
280S sold
300D (2) sold
300CD sold
300DT sold
300SD sold
380SL sold

I should messure they play, it is way out of MB spec, probably 2in.

FrankM I was looking at that rubber thing, it looks pretty good, I would say half of the play is from the gear box but their is something else contributing.

leathermang the bearings are real tight, I just checked them in April and repacked and sealed them. They are in very good shape, I was going to replace them but they looked so good.

I decided to do the idler arm tomarrow I will look around more and report back, maybe the idler arm will help.

Is their bushings in the pitman arms? Do they ever go bad?

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

hatterasguy, have you checked your steering damper? If this is old and week it will show up as play alot cheaper and easier than your steering box.
m

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Martin Ingram
Colorado Springs
2005 320 CDI
2006.5 VW Jetta TDI
1991 560SEL (179000 Sold)
1972 280SEL 4.5 ('The Lead Sled' 320000 miles when sold.)
1972 220D (225000 when sold)

When you adjusted the steering, did you loosen the allen? Tightening it will make the steering worse.

Not sure if you knew this, but I've had experience with mine!

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1984 300Sd 210k

Former cars:
1984 300D 445k (!!) (Strider) Original (and not rebuilt) engine and transmission. Currently running on V80 ( 80% vegetable oil, 20% petroleum products). Actually not, taking a WVO break.
1993 300d 2.5 275k. Current 120/day commuter
1981 300SD 188k (Hans) Killed by a deer

Be sure you know which direction moving the allen head works...
On many of these cars tightening the steering involves counter-clockwise movement of the allen.... counter - intuitive... so be careful...and only turn a slight amount and do a road test.... like 1/8 th turn at most....