Rear end problem - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Tiredofagasser · #1 06-25-2006, 03:09 AM

On Wednesday I was on the highway and @ 75 mph drove through a really, really deep series of 2-3 potholes- 6 to 8" each- on the left side. This was not by my choice of course, someone else had a major lapse in their driving abilities and failed to see a dark blue station wagon with headlights on in broad daylight

Harriet and I almost went off roading down a ravine thanks to that dumb arse on the phone

Any way now there is a noise(popping) like everything back there on the left is jumping all around on even the smallest of bumps. There is also a very pronounced wobble at low speeds but goes away after about 25-30mph and is gone until about 65+ where it comes and goes. I am thinking I may have blown up one of those expensive rear shocks and possibly more.

When I drive the car it seems to have a wandering rear kinda like it wants to break loose and go in another direction. I just don't feel in control. There is a sound like a cupped out tire when I turn the wheel to the right that is coming from the rear. Speed doesn't seem to affect this sound but how far I turn the wheel does. I have inspected the tire for uneven wear- negative and for balancing weights- still there. She seems to not be leaning, sagging, or listing to one side on level ground. Any ideas anyone? What do you think about insurance covering this sort of thing? Also anyone in Mass. know of a good repair facility on the Cape or nearby?

pawoSD · #2 06-25-2006, 06:02 AM

I noticed in your sig that its a wagon with the SLS system, I bet you damaged one or both of the hydraulic struts or something, maybe internal damage thats not allowing them to adjust properly or hold pressure. Either that or something got physically damaged in the suspension. Depending on what happened there could be structural damage to the car too, I'd have it checked out before driving it anymore, it could be a dangerous situation.

barry123400 · #3 06-25-2006, 12:35 PM

You pretty well know something let go or really got damaged. I would get it up on a suspension hoist and have a hard look around. If not obvious use a pry bar to check that something is not snapped off or destroyed. Since you are experiencing rear steer I would do it right away. Hopefully it is not too bad. There is a possibility that whatever is causing the new rear steer could totally let go at any time. As for insurance covering it. Some places allow road claims against the state or province but do not hold your breath. If you had collision or comprehensive on your car you might get it covered as well. Also there might not be much really wrong and not very expensive to repair. If I remember right when you ran over the deer it is a comprehensive claim with no deductable. How did you miss seeing the deer you ran over anyways? Or was it just unavoidable? The nice way insurance companys treat people in general have made them open season to some of us extremely satisfied claim filers. They have become far too creative in trying to lay it back on their customers. Poetic justice?

pawoSD · #4 06-25-2006, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barry123400

You pretty well know something let go or really got damaged. I would get it up on a suspension hoist and have a hard look around. If not obvious use a pry bar to check that something is not snapped off or destroyed. Since you are experiencing rear steer I would do it right away. Hopefully it is not too bad. There is a possibility that whatever is causing the new rear steer could totally let go at any time. As for insurance covering it. Some places allow road claims against the state or province but do not hold your breath. If you had collision or comprehensive on your car you might get it covered as well. Also there might not be much really wrong and not very expensive to repair. If I remember right when you ran over the deer it is a comprehensive claim with no deductable. How did you miss seeing the deer you ran over anyways? Or was it just unavoidable? The nice way insurance companys treat people in general have made them open season to some of us extremely satisfied claim filers. They have become far too creative in trying to lay it back on their customers. Poetic justice?

He didn't run over a deer, he swerved to avoid a car coming at him with a cell phone driver in it.

He then went through some huge potholes on the side of the freeway, damaging his car's rear suspension.

Deer don't hurt these cars anyways, I ran clear over a big deer corpse in the middle of the freeway a few weeks ago. I was changing lanes at night to pass a semi, and as I was going across the lanes, all the sudden, deer corpse....thump thump on the passenger side, and that was that. Passenger side wheels went right over him, dead center.

This was at about 75mph! I barely felt it! I had blood splatter and guts on my car though, and it smelled gross.

Actual damage was 0 thankfully.

JimmyL · #5 06-25-2006, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawoSD

Deer don't hurt these cars anyways,

Wow, are you gonna have folks with deer-totaled cars pointing out how wrong you are......

pawoSD · #6 06-25-2006, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyL

Wow, are you gonna have folks with deer-totaled cars pointing out how wrong you are......

I didn't mean running into one, I meant over one. I almost hit one (actually two running side by side

) a couple weeks ago, had it not been for instant reflexes and these cars' ability to swerve a lane and a half @75mph no problem, I'd have hit TWO of them at once.

I drive like a hawk now after that experience....it was my former state of semi-hawk that allowed me to respond so quickly when that happened.

Running over a dead deer on the roadway probably will not do much if any damage (none to mine) to these cars. Running into one most definatley will.

geneksc · #7 06-25-2006, 09:09 PM

trans atlantic on the cape a little pricey but good

Tiredofagasser · #8 06-26-2006, 01:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geneksc

trans atlantic on the cape a little pricey but good

Ever heard of Bourne Bridge Motor Cars/Service Center? They are down a bit off the circle @ the bridge on 28 south. I went by there earlier on my way back from Pocasset. They had a whole bunch of older MB's there. I think I counted about 12 SL's

and quite a few others with nothing newer than 1989. It was a MB lovers paradise!!

Thanks for the helpfull hint although I was trying to avoid a "stealer" . I am still finding my way around now that I am living here full time.

t walgamuth · #9 06-26-2006, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawoSD

I didn't mean running into one, I meant over one. I almost hit one (actually two running side by side

) a couple weeks ago, had it not been for instant reflexes and these cars' ability to swerve a lane and a half @75mph no problem, I'd have hit TWO of them at once.

I drive like a hawk now after that experience....it was my former state of semi-hawk that allowed me to respond so quickly when that happened.

Running over a dead deer on the roadway probably will not do much if any damage (none to mine) to these cars. Running into one most definatley will.

i think you may have been very lucky. i certainly will avoid running over even a 'possum if i can. you never know, a bone could puncture a tire, or much worse. imho

i wont risk a wreck for any animal though. hitting a dog, while something to be avoided if possible, is not a worthy tradeoff for putting your car in the ditch. now if there was a moose or larger in the road, that is a different matter.

tom w

Tiredofagasser · #10 06-26-2006, 11:35 AM

I called around asking a few places that advertised as foreign or MB repair but am going to the stealer after all @ $100/hr.

One place tried to really rip me by doubling the price of the rear shocks. He wanted $800 each!!

I am still unsure though if those are involved but asked for comparison purposes. I never would attempt a repair like this anyway. I just don't have the ability and resources required. I have a feeling that the pos in my sig. will be funding my rear suspension rebuild. Now off to ebay to unload that thing

Tiredofagasser · #11 06-27-2006, 11:31 PM

I went looking under my car today to see if anything obvious was messed up but couldn't tell. The only thing I did see was a 2 month old tire with about 4k on it all chewed up, but only the inside. I drove about 100 miles after I went through the craters on the shoulder. We shall see what they find in the a.m. I have a 9 o'clock @ Trans Atlantic MB in Hyannis. Keep your fingers crossed.....