Ever since I bought my CD the steering has been a little loose. If there's any slope (perpendicular to direction of travel) in the road, the car will veer that way. The shocks are also gone. Whenever I go over a larger bump, I notice that the steering will pull a little. Is this normal, or an indication of a worn front end... and is this potentially dangerous? Over the summer I replaced one tie rod that was bent, and the other look good, but I don't really know what else to look for as far as front end wear.

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1992 300D 2.5T 249k - Parked with a bad transmission
1981 300SD 142k - Daily driver

Look at everything. Steering shock, tierods, drag link, idler arm bushings and ball joints. All of it can be done in a weekend with the right tools and dry ice.

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

your steering shock will be bad, I guarantee it. Every mb diesel ive seen has a bad one, even my 119k car had a bad one. they cost about 20 bucks and smooth it out the jerking of it.

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1981 300SD 512k OM603

From looking up the steering shock (steering damper) in other posts, I'm pretty confident it's probably the culprit. I can't see anything visibly worn, so I guess the damper's getting replaced. I'll do it when I do the front shocks and motor mounts next week when my friend lets me use his garage.

One question... where do I find the steering damper, and what tools to I need to remove it?

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1992 300D 2.5T 249k - Parked with a bad transmission
1981 300SD 142k - Daily driver

Your shocks are gone? Well replace them. Bottoming out everywhere can't be conducive to good steering feel.

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

Perhaps "very worn out" would be a better term. I push down on the trunk and the car bounces.

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1992 300D 2.5T 249k - Parked with a bad transmission
1981 300SD 142k - Daily driver

The pic is of a 126, but the steering damper is in the same location on a 123. I have not swapped one out, but normal tools should get the job done, check to see if it's leaking fluid. It's just a shock.
God luck.

Attached Thumbnails

 

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83 SD

84 CD

This can be dangerous. Especially on worn out roads, you'll go around a slight bend in the road, hit some washboarded asphalt, and the ass-end will skitter off into the oncoming traffic lane. Especially rear shocks. I'd also say that if they are that far gone, you've probably smoked your sway-bar links. You'll know when you hear an extremely loud scraping noise from behind you when exiting the highway on an off ramp.

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1985 300D Gretchen (Astral Silver) 220k
1983 240D 4-speed Evelyn (Orient Red) 203k


TANSTAAFL

I realize it's a problem, and I'm replacing all four pretty soon.

Thanks a ton for the picture, toomany_MBZ, and thanks to everyone else who's helped out, too.

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1992 300D 2.5T 249k - Parked with a bad transmission
1981 300SD 142k - Daily driver