identifying suspension part
 

For a few hours I have been trying to find a picture to go along with this post with no luck. I have a 1982 300sd that has some suspension problems.When I look directly behind the front tires in plain view are two round things(4 in total) they are about 4 inches in diameter and have a rubber bushing.They don't look to be attached to the suspension so much as to be attached to the thin and wide piece of metal that appears to guard the transmission pan.Can anyone tell me what these are for ?

It sounds like you're talking about the guide rod. If it attached to the lower control arm in the fron and the frame in the rear, then that's what it is. The guide rod is where adjustments to the front wheel castor (sp?) are made. If the front wheel is able to roll forward or backward independently of the body then you nned new guide rod bushings.

What i'm talking about isn't a rod or attached to a rod at all. It's about the size of a big mac and from what it looks like it's attached to the frame just behind the front tires.If I were to use a big mac as a model to illustrate it I would say the area where the meat patty would be on it had some sort of rubber shoch absorber that is about 4 inchs in diameter and about 1 inch in height. looking under the car it's right out in the open and in line with the rails where you would lift the car if you were doing an oil change.

The reason i'm asking is because i can feel something tapping in the front drivers side on the floor and when i look at the part described the rubber piece is torn and falling apart.

Look at thread I started, both pages "Violent front end shaking, 55 mph +, 82 300SD". It is on first page of Diesel discussion threads today. All of the guys have posted very useful info regarding the guide rod or as MBZ calls it "Braking support link and ball joint".

Hmm, that's a real head scratcher. I think my 123 has a round body seal or something to the rear of the inner fender, if I recall, but that has nothing to do with suspension. Could you be mistaking a seal for a bushing? I don't suppose you are able to take a picture. It sure sounds like you're talking about the guide rod mount, except for the lack of a guide rod. I can't think of anything else that matches your description and is visible without getting under the car.

my mistake
 

Your right , on the inside of the part i'm talking about there is a rod attached.Actually the rod is attached to some other piece thats attached to my mystery part. So now that we know that what is the rubber piece thats torn called?

Is this the part:
http://catalog.eautopartscatalog.com/mercedesshop/sophio/wizard.jsp?partner=mercedesshop&clientid=catalog.mercedesshop&baseurl=http://catalog.peachparts.com/&cookieid=1KP0H7YR81WM0PTNUS&year=1985&make=MB&model=300-SD-002&category=L&part=Suspension+Brng+Brkt

If it's not then go to the "Buy parts" section and try to find what your talking about.

Danny

unfortunatly at that price yes it is. Do you know if you can replace those rubber pieces?

By chance could this part being worn cause the car to waunder on the road?

http://catalog.eautopartscatalog.com/mercedesshop/sophio/wizard.jsp?partner=mercedesshop&clientid=catalog.mercedesshop&baseurl=http://catalog.peachparts.com/&cookieid=1KP0H7YR81WM0T5RHU&year=1982&make=MB&model=300-SD-002&category=L&part=Bearing+Bracket+Bushing

I'm not looking up any more parts. There's no reason you can't do this for yourself.

Thanks for the info
 

I appreciate the help,the terminology of these parts make it very difficult to figure out what is what, the two parts you sent a link to after all don't have any part names in common.
Thanks again.

Guide rod part pic
 

here is the kit you need to properly repair that rod joint/mount

also......You'll need one for each side, unless you plan on doing one at a time.

This kit is for the end that connects to lower control arm.. again one for each side.


By the way, here is a spec sheet and info from MBZ svc manual and link to Main page for other info if ya need it.

http://mb.braingears.com/126_DISC1/program/Chassis/33-540.pdf


http://mb.braingears.com

There are two bolts that go through the center of the bearing bracket bushing, is removal just simply to remove those two bolt and slide the bracket off or is it much more involved?I don't want to just remove them and screw something up.

check this out, might help. Found under DIY links at top of home page here.

http://www.peachparts.com/Wikka/W126GuideRod

After reading threads on subject the car should be jacked up(safely) use jack stands, remove wheel, then jack up lower control arm thus taking spring load off of lower control arm, then proceed unbolting frame mount bearing bolts(2). Then continue with outlined repair as previously mentioned in links and info posted.

Found MBZ svc manual procedure to repair/replace.

http://mb.braingears.com/126_DISC1/program/Chassis/33-600.pdf

Come on yall. Now you need to go over there and fix it for him....... :D

If ya don't mind
 

Sure, I could really use a break from this project of mine. Never knew a car could be so much work.

-Replaced injectors and plugs.
-Did timing and replaced cover seal.
-Replaced head light assembly on both sides.
-Jimmy rigged idle after adjustment screw decided to snap while adjusting, some dick thought it would be smart to thread lock it on in the past.
-Repaired almost every wire on harness between firewall.
-Hand sanded entire car and filled where needed for paint.
-RR bowden cable after small fire melted it.
-Pulled rims and sand blasted to prepare powder coat.
Hmmm let me see.
-RR a few ball joints.
-Pulled and saudered climate contol to get it working again.
-Removed rear piece of head liner glued clips and reinstalled because it was sagging.
-Removed pillar type pieces from between rear and front doors and recoved with new vynal.
-RR door lock actuators on trunk and two side left side boors.
-Replaced clip on bottom of rear window .
-Replaced some of the wood on interior while fixing glove box door that kept -popping open while going over bumps.
-Hard wired climate control to rear light control while trying to figure out said problem with climate control.
-Removed both front seats to replace those wire things that spin to move seat back and fort and related movements of seats.
Removed Alda and replaced as a dust cover because it was busted.Dam screw snapped.
I could go on...and yes I do want a hero bicky as the saying goes.

So if anyone has any free time i'd be glad to have a helping hand.On the bright side I discovered I love messing with cars because before this I never did so much as an oil change.In addition my car get's stares when driving down the road and who dosen't like that.

BTW thanks rocketman the link you provided was excellent and should make this job quite manageable. And of course thaks everone it was all helpful info.

INFO:

The prime purpose of this joint is to take the longitudinal loading of the front suspension. They can get so bad that the front wheels can be felt moving forward and backward during braking. It’s rather unusual to get that bad because, before that, a clunking sound is usually the complaint with actual diagnosis often quite difficult. Once familiar with the symptom, one can condemn the joint when the boot is broken and the clunk is evident.

Another common complaint due to this mount/ball joint is brake pulsations and/or shimmy at a resonant speed around 60 mph.


Found this here
http://web.archive.org/web/20050307000824/www.continentalimports.com/ser_ic4232.html

clunking
 

This is sounding very familiar, for the last 3 months or so my car has been clunking during braking and around corners as well, nice to know i'm on the right track.And as for the article in the link you posted the writer talks of the tech chasing the caster and camber numbers around to get the right alignment, well that very thing did happen about 8 months ago while traveling across Canada.By the end there were two guys tackleing the job with the claim that the adjustments were just impossible and that i would have to modify my suspension somehow to have it done properly.I guess next time i'll have to make sure the next place i take it to knows as much as they claim to know.
Thanks for the info.

When I have the same problem with part names...
 

... I use this Parts WebSite as a reference: http://www.performanceproducts4benz.com/ .

They have a parts blowup feature [ "Schematics" ] that makes it very easy to come up with names for the various parts. And the site hase an extensive range of parts in stock with after-market parts being quite price competitive.

Sam

Use a large hose clamp to slightly compress the new part to aid installation.
And, be sure to line up the drain grooves.

Look here: http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/145762-w126-guide-rod-bushing-replacement.html

Sorry about that...
 

Sorry about that, I meant my referenece to :
http://www.performanceproducts4benz.com/Drawings.aspx?bmid=136
Sam

Wow, I'm glad that I get bored and read the seemingly unrelated threads!

I've been trying to figure out what is making the strange shimmy feeling in my front end, which also wobbles and clunks when applying the brakes.. Wandering through the threads, I come across discussion of just the fault that I've been scratching my head over, described, explained reasons, and fixed!

Thank you all, for all the shared information!