best price on front end rebuild kit - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

lutzTD · #16 10-17-2007, 11:37 AM

yeh, already got the obligitory $500 offer on Craigs. The motor runs well, tranny shifts hard in first then nice the rest of the gears but I hear this is normal. I just got the air and climate control working good. I have been looking at the FE repair posts and Im sure I could handle the job. If I could get another year out of it it would make life easier, im just afriad some other major thing is going to send my brand new FE to the yard...... Ill keep mulling it for the time being.....anyone local to Tampa who has done a FE rebuild?

Phil · #17 10-17-2007, 01:44 PM

You might want to get a little more specific with the shop about what they want to replace and go from there. If the lower arm bushings are ok then you do not need the spring compressor (best price I have seen for compressor is $235). If you are just talking about upper and lower ball joints I just did mine for less than $200, might have been less than $150, in parts. I had to buy a pickle fork to seperate the joints and I had the new lower joints pressed in at an indi that had the press at a cost of $30 per side.

winmutt · #18 10-17-2007, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil

You might want to get a little more specific with the shop about what they want to replace and go from there. If the lower arm bushings are ok then you do not need the spring compressor (best price I have seen for compressor is $235). If you are just talking about upper and lower ball joints I just did mine for less than $200, might have been less than $150, in parts. I had to buy a pickle fork to seperate the joints and I had the new lower joints pressed in at an indi that had the press at a cost of $30 per side.

You can get the compressor on ebay for ~$175. I dont believe you can do the lower ball joints w/o the compressor.

Phil · #19 10-17-2007, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winmutt

You can get the compressor on ebay for ~$175. I dont believe you can do the lower ball joints w/o the compressor.

I did my upper and lower ball joints about two months ago and didn't need a compressor, just make sure you put an axle stand under the lower arm to support it. I would not want to remove the steering knuckle without supporting the lower arm although I have heard of people letting the shock hold all that spring tension - I would be afraid of doing that myself.

ichbineinekrous · #20 10-17-2007, 05:32 PM

I just rebuilt everything but the lower control arm bushings and the center drag link. Parts from ********AZ were approx. $150. This is just for the tie rod assemblies, lower ball joints and upper control arms, and sway bar bushings. Rented the spring compressor and tie-rod tools from advance auto for a net cost of ZERO dollars. The only reason I needed the spring compressor was that I removed the front right shock absorber in order to have more room to get a sawzall into the UCA well and cut the stud so I could remove the old UCA.

Oh, and I spent about 6 bucks on two lengths of chain and bolts to keep the spring compressed when I relaxed the spring compressor. The tool from advance when attached to the compressed springs would not fit into the recess for the spring. The ultimate cost wasn't really monetary, I think the process of doing the work myself took a year or so off my lifespan.

lutzTD · #21 10-17-2007, 08:15 PM

well I ended up buying the kit off of fleabay that was recommended earlier. It includes all of the top and bottom joints and bushings. No sense doing half of it when they all have the same miles on them. in the past I have wrapped the compressed spring with a cable, I will look at these springs and see how that looks when im under there, can you just let it unload by popping the upper joint with a jack under the spindle then lowering it down? Also I got a 12 ton press from Northern Tools to do the joints, I figure its a free tool instead of paying someone to do it. I dont like hammering things apart. Ill probobly get as many freebees from Advance as I can..... Will keep you posted.

ichbineinekrous · #22 10-18-2007, 07:18 AM

I actually uncompressed the spring all at once by removing the inner top shock mount nut. It just launched the lower control arm into the ground about 2 inches deep, and landed beside it. I don't recommend this. You should be fine supporting the LCA with a jack, or by using cables or chain to keep the spring somewhat compressed.

123Guy · #23 10-18-2007, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winmutt

I suggest Bilstein HD's. I haven't had the chance to compare them to new Comforts but the HDs have made for a very smooth ride in my car.

I have HD's on my coupe and Comforts on my wife's 300SD. Each has it's purpose.

winmutt · #24 10-18-2007, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 123Guy

I have HD's on my coupe and Comforts on my wife's 300SD. Each has it's purpose.

To bad they arent both 123's. I would really be interested in the diference on the same chassis atleast, if not same model or car.

lutzTD · #25 10-18-2007, 08:03 PM

passenger side most of the way off. no spring compressor required. I put a jack under the spindle, removed the shock top bolt, removed the tie rod and swung it forward, removed the rear bottom link, pop the upper ball joint off, then lower the jack slowly and the spring falls out, I will install it in reverse order, the spring catches real nice on the hump in the bottom spring plate. I have also removed the lower control arm bush. total so far, 1.5 hours

winmutt · #26 10-18-2007, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lutzTD

passenger side most of the way off. no spring compressor required. I put a jack under the spindle, removed the shock top bolt, removed the tie rod and swung it forward, removed the rear bottom link, pop the upper ball joint off, then lower the jack slowly and the spring falls out, I will install it in reverse order, the spring catches real nice on the hump in the bottom spring plate. I have also removed the lower control arm bush. total so far, 1.5 hours

You are insane.

lutzTD · #27 10-19-2007, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winmutt

You are insane.

it really does just fall out.... there is no spring force left once the arm is down, but I have been called insane more than once in my life

vstech · #28 10-19-2007, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lutzTD

passenger side most of the way off. no spring compressor required. I put a jack under the spindle, removed the shock top bolt, removed the tie rod and swung it forward, removed the rear bottom link, pop the upper ball joint off, then lower the jack slowly and the spring falls out, I will install it in reverse order, the spring catches real nice on the hump in the bottom spring plate. I have also removed the lower control arm bush. total so far, 1.5 hours

This is the method I have used for 25 years changing control arms... as long as you can lift the vehicle up high enough to allow for the jack to fit under the control arm, you are golden... that would be about 24" above the ground with a 123/126... most jack stands are only 18" max. if you have the 12 ton stands, and a block of wood to raise the car higher than the 19" of most floor jacks, this works well.
be sure to remove the upper nut from the shock absorber first. leave the lower bolts connected to be a bit safer...

lutzTD · #29 10-19-2007, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

This is the method I have used for 25 years changing control arms... as long as you can lift the vehicle up high enough to allow for the jack to fit under the control arm, you are golden... that would be about 24" above the ground with a 123/126... most jack stands are only 18" max. if you have the 12 ton stands, and a block of wood to raise the car higher than the 19" of most floor jacks, this works well.
be sure to remove the upper nut from the shock absorber first. leave the lower bolts connected to be a bit safer...

yep, that is exactly what I did, I have my jack stands under the frame near the factory jack holes, just in front of the door. This allowed me to use the entire jack height of my floor jack to get the front high in the air. This way I can work sitting in a comfy chair.....I still have the lower shock bolts attached to the arm, there is no need to remove the shock to service the bushing, two less bolts I chance breaking off.

ichbineinekrous · #30 10-20-2007, 10:30 AM

I'm a little confused as to this method, sounds quicker and safe enough. I had the shock free from the top mount, and the LCA was free to swing down as far as it wanted, I could get the spring back into the top mount, but because of the angle of the LCA and length of the spring there was no way to secure the spring both top and bottom and then reapply tension with the jack. In fact, I tried to compress the spring a little more once it was installed by jacking under it, all that happened was that the whole car went up. I had to compress the spring substantially, with the 6 or 7 innermost coils nearly touching in order that the bottom of the spring allowed the bottom mount to come up to nearly horizontal and seat the spring.

What am I not seeing here?