Our '87 300TD is in need of rear suspension work, it's getting quite bouncy. The shop that works on the car suggests canning the existing auto leveling with a newer used non-auto system. We rarely load the car so the need for the auto leveling is somewhat mute.

Thoughts, suggestions?

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300TD W124, Two VW TDI Passat Wagons,Cummins Ram 250, Kubota Tractor
23 cylinders sipping the sweet sauce of the soy bean

Classic N2 sphere problem. Replace the two N2 spheres and your mechanic for suggesting such a change.

All you need is $200-250 for parts, a few hours, and a good set of line wrenches.

Lots of discussion on the leveling system, check the archives.

Jim

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14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles
95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles
94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles
85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles

I agree it sounds like the accumulators. Does the rear end sag over night? If so you may need to get a new SLS valve as well. I don't think the 124 SLS valves are rebuildable like the 123 valves are.

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There's no such thing as a "newer used non-auto system."

Mercedes never made any rear suspension for W124 wagons except for the one you have.

Your so-called mechanic is suggesting cobbling something up.

He's not doing you any favors, and you should seek another mechanic.

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Kent Christensen
Albuquerque
'07 GL320CDI, '10 CL550. '01 Porsche Boxster
Two BMW motorcycles

No sagging, just extremely bouncy on the road.

I should qualify, the mechanic was not the one with the suggestion... it was the guy at the front desk whom I asked for an estimate on the job. I'm going straight to the mechanic and talk with him now.

Thanks for the input.

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300TD W124, Two VW TDI Passat Wagons,Cummins Ram 250, Kubota Tractor
23 cylinders sipping the sweet sauce of the soy bean

It's your accumulators. Bank on it. You can get them for about a hundred bucks apiece. {there are 2} Does not take more than an hour, 2 at the max if you're figuring labor rate.
You can't imagine how horrible the wagon will ride if the system is cobbled together.......

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Phil seems to think it's the control valve or leaks in the system.

Any thoughts on that?

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300TD W124, Two VW TDI Passat Wagons,Cummins Ram 250, Kubota Tractor
23 cylinders sipping the sweet sauce of the soy bean

Does the 123 have SLS on it? Mine's an 84.

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

It's an '87, W124.

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300TD W124, Two VW TDI Passat Wagons,Cummins Ram 250, Kubota Tractor
23 cylinders sipping the sweet sauce of the soy bean

I replaced the accumulators on my wagon because it was bouncy-fixed it right up. Cost me about $200 in parts and oil. I doubt the control valve or leaks would cause bouncyness.

Yes it does.

I just got this done yesterday. I brought it in for a ball joint and I figured my accumulators were also nearly shot and my indy confirmed it. It was about 450 to do the replace the accumulators. It is something I know isn't too bad to DIY, but I am not a fan yet of suspension work. The difference in the ride is significant. It was a bouncy in the back, especially after going over a speedbump or similar. Doing both the ball joint and accumulators on the same day makes it like driving a completely different car.

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1987 300TD 231,000
#22, afterglow, plastic fan, euro lights, alternator upgrade, cluster housing update

I have a lift in my shop so replacing the accumulators wasn't nearly the job it would be on jack stands and creeper. $450 for a shop to replace them is quite reasonable.

Accumulators it was. She's riding like a Mercedes Benz once again.

Thanks for the input fellas. And thanks to Phil for getting the parts out at a great price.

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300TD W124, Two VW TDI Passat Wagons,Cummins Ram 250, Kubota Tractor
23 cylinders sipping the sweet sauce of the soy bean

Methinks Phil doesn't have a wagon.....




Glad to hear you got it taken care of. I also agree that you paid a fair price for that. I hope the high pressure hydraulic line holds together. Accumulators are THE wear item in the system.
Confucius say..... "It's always the accumulators!"

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John