Brian, You say that the pads and calipers are new. Sounds like it the caliper could be sticking. What brand of pads?

Have you checked the Motor mounts?

Almost sounds like somethings not right with the suspension system on your right side.

Yeah I figured it would be a lot I would rather spend the $886 a month on property. Lets see I could buy a rental house and when the mortgage is payed off on that the renters could buy me a new MB every few years. Hmm I like this idea Hmm since I'm not paying for it a new CDI every two years would be pretty sweet. Some day...

Brian what about your rear calipers? One of those could be stuck. I have been told when guide rod mounts get real bad they could cause pulling. But you would see other symptoms.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Well, if the caliper sticks on the right side, it sticks in an identical manner to the caliper that was removed, so, I doubt it.

The motor mounts are replaced.

I am leaning toward a bad track rod bushing on the right side, but, don't have a confirmed way to check it.

Well, they could be stuck, but they retracted easily into the bores to replace the pads and the pads that were removed were worn uniformly on each face, so, I doubt it.

What other symptoms, other than pulling, are characteristic of bad guide rod bushings?

Hey Brian, sounds like the same thing that happened to my mom's ex-420SEL. The bracket had rusted that holds the sway bar. Ours pulled to the left however. The drains up there get clogged and hold water so the brackets rust out. You have to remove the battery to see the right side, or at least on the 420 you did. Anyway, we did like you and replaced the calipers, brake hoses, and pads, but found the bracket broken. The price for one isn't bad, but installation is a pain, just do the right side since the left will be a major PIA. The rigth side is easy however to do. Let me know if you have any questions. It's quick and free to check them, so just go ahead and do it.
Thanks
David

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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Thanks David. How does the swaybar affect straight line braking on these vehicles? I would have thought that the bar only comes into effect on turns.

Was the change of bracket the cure?

What's the characteristic of a worn bracket? Does it let the bar move in some fashion?

When I drove my car down from jersey, Hjohn had told me that it needed idler arm bushings as it would clunk at the slightest littel identation in the road.

turns out it wasn't the idler arm but some scamber bushing or some weird sounding name like that. Clunking gone.

BTW, I am leaning toward getting the bad lifter replaced if possible to do one, if not all. f*ck it!

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Enough about me, how are you doing?

You wouldn't happen to be able to pin it down more accurately than "some scamber bushing" would you, EP? I'd sure like to run it down, if I can.

The old german I know recommends replacing noisy lifters.

You can also make sure you have good o-rings on the center shaft of the oil filter cover, if they are bad, the oil gallery leaks down and when you get air in the lifters (tappets, actually, as they don't lift anything), it can take some time to vent off.

Cam runs directly on the tappets on the 603, no rocker arms, so the cam must come out to change them.

Plantman: Check the upper control arm ball joint on that W126, too. It must not open and close with changes in load -- best way to check is to jack the car up a bit to twist the sway bar and attempt to "close" it with a pair of large channellocks. If it moves more than a few millimeters, replace it before it jumps out and the wheel lays over.... If the boot is torn, replace upper control arm reguardless (ball joint isn't available separately).

You can check the track rod bushing by lifting the rubber boot on the firewall off -- any distortion of the bushing underneath indicates a need for replacement. If it's causing directional instability on braking, it will be obvious.

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

Peter, I've got the issues with the SDL's front end. Thanks for the assistance. I already know that the boot is torn on the right upper ball joint. Do you think that the ball joint can make this "thunk" sound if it has too much play? I find this impossible to believe because of the very small motion of the ball inside the joint. Or, can a worn right upper ball joint cause a pull to the right?

Brian, Three months ago, I was driving all over town and every bump i hit, I'd hear the "clunk" noise in the front. I finally realized I had a problem. I drove it to my father's shop and got it up on the lift. There I could take my hands and literally move the wheel up and down. Bad lower ball joints. The upper control arm was shot. I'm suprised I didn't lose the wheels on the road traveling up there. I replaced it all, both sides. It drives a whole lot better now.

OK, Tom, now what do you attribute the "clunk" noise to? Is the ball joint that loose that it can move enough to make a "clunk". The lowers look to be in good shape, however, the uppers don't look so good and have cracked boots. I find it hard to believe that the ball joints can move enough to develop a "clunk". But, I've been known to be wrong before.

I'll look on the receipt tomorrow. I will also ask him how he checked for that noise. I remember him using a channel lock to simulate the wheel going North to South and hearing the "clunk". Very distinctive clunk too!

Who's EP?

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Enough about me, how are you doing?

Thanks. That is exactly what I have, a very distinctive "clunk" that does not happen on every jounce of the suspension.

You are "EP" the last time I checked.

Uh oh, Plantman. Sounds like somebody knows your real name.

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Rick Miley
2014 Tesla Model S
2018 Tesla Model 3
2017 Nissan LEAF
Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro
Chain Elongation References