Replacement of guide rod mount

[JDmills]

Has any one replaced the guide rod mount on your car? My 84 300 TD was a southern car and most of the rubber is junk. I am looking at replacing the upper and lower control arm bushings, sway bar bushings (all, front and rear) and I am woundering if the guide rod mount could be replaced as well... I have made the assumption that there is some rubber in the mount that has dried and cracked/shrunk in the last 20 years of abuse. Also it seems as if it would be best to have the car aligned soon after, what does the adjustment on the guide rod do to the alignment? (Caster adjustments?)

Jason

[jcd]

That's the approach that I took 1 year ago. However, I had a tech do it as replacing the mount bushing, on the lower control arm, required removal of the spring. i was not gutsy enough to remove the spring, not did I have the tool.

What a difference it made, as the at the end of the day I had a full front end rebuild.

Alignment is key as well, and you will find that your tires wear much more evenly, if you get it aligned after doing the work.

[JDmills]

I am about to order all kinds of front end stuff, the whole shootin match.
Hope the car drives like new...

[dannym]

Hey,
You better do a search on spring compressors before you kill yourself.
A friend of mine is lending me his heavy duty Snap-on spring compressor this weekend. I'll let you know how it works.
The tool your supposed to use is the Klann spring compressor.

Danny

[Cateaux]

Here is a slightly used Klann compressor on Ebay. The bidding is at $199 with less than two days to go. If I had the discretionary income at the moment...

[boneheaddoctor]

I never had another Benz apart yet but my W116 springs were under 4" of compression when the fron suspension is fully unloaded with the tires in the air.....so those springs are under a LOT of compression....

[Cateaux]

Originally Posted by boneheaddoctor

I never had another Benz apart yet but my W116 springs were under 4" of compression when the fron suspension is fully unloaded with the tires in the air.....so those springs are under a LOT of compression....

Yep. I've yet to remove MB springs but I need to do the rear on the saggybutt 300D. When the time comes, I don't plan on risking my life using the wrong tool.

[dannym]

Originally Posted by dannym

Hey,
You better do a search on spring compressors before you kill yourself.
A friend of mine is lending me his heavy duty Snap-on spring compressor this weekend. I'll let you know how it works.
The tool your supposed to use is the Klann spring compressor.

Danny

Well the Snap-on spring compressor didn't work. it looked like it was sturdy enough but the Housing with the hooks didn't fit through the spring hole. I wound up supporting the control arm on a jackstand to replace the ball joints.
They weren't hard at all to get out. A 1" socket and a 5lb sledge hammer. Took each one out with about 5 blows.
The AutoZone ball joint press did work but there is no way to use it like it's supposed to be used with the adapters. The top of the press actually pushes on the ball not the housing.
I can't see it causing any real damage though. If that was the case we would be replacing ball joints every time we hit a pothole!
They were a ***** to get out though. 5lb sledge again and a pickle fork. Really had to hit that sucker hard!

All in all it worked out pretty good.

Danny