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#1
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Idler Arm repair kit
About 3 years ago my Idler Arm started squeaking on me so I bought the kit. Before I got around to installing it the sqeaking magically stopped so I put the kit on the shelf and forgot about it.
Fast forward to today, I'm under the car changing out the tranny cooler lines and decide what the hell might as well finally change out that idler arm. Man what an ordeal that turned into...........the top half came out fairly easily but the bottom took the better part of 2 hours to remove! Lots of rust and crud had that bottom half seized tight. PB Blaster galore wouldn't budge it. Removing the air cleaner and banging from above with a small pipe and 2 lb sledge did nothing. Ultimately, I had to pry and pry the metal sleeve away from the hard rubber outer and eventually was able to pull the sleeve out. Then a quick tap from the top and it popped right out. Took about 1:45 longer than expected but I emerged victorious.
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Joe ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1980 300SD - 495k miles - 'The Ambassador' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Former Family Members 95 C280 73 280SEL 90 300D 87 300SDL (X2) 86 560SEL 84 300D 80 300SD |
#2
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I had a very similar experience, having had to wail on it from the top as well. Thanks for the reminder of unpleasant memories
dd
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DAILY DRIVERS: '84 300DT 298k (Aubrey's) '99.5 Jetta TDI IV 251k (Julie's) '97 Jetta TDI 127k (Amber's) '97 Jetta TDI 186k (Matt's) '96 Passat TDI 237k (Don's '84 300D 211k Mint (Arne- Undergoing Greasecar Conversion) SOLD: '82 240D 229k (Matt's - Converted-300DT w/ 4 speed |
#3
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I just did mine a few weeks back and had some trouble getting the old stuff out but I think it only took 45mins. I was worried it could turn into one of those- "I should have left well enough alone" jobs.
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81 300D Turbo 190K sold 83 300sd 319K best $500 I ever spent-daily driverw/ 2 tank WVO set up |
#4
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Oh great story man, now im jinxed when I have to do this to my friends car soon Haha just kidding but that's good now I know what to be ready for and I need some propane for my torch
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#5
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THANKS for the warning!!! I'm glad I didn't attempt this during my Christmas holidays. I'll make a note.
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daw_two Germantown, TN Links: Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior Cluster Needles Paint New Old Stock (NOS) parts Past: 3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda" 04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben" & many more |
#6
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On mine, the top portion popped out pretty easily with a long drift punch and 3# sledge. For the bottom, I used a slide-hammer (homemade) and washers just big enough to fit inside of the sleeve, from below and it came out with convincing. I didn't see where there was access enough from above to get a direct hit.
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Sam 84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle ) |
#7
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On the flipside when I did my idler arm kit along with tie rods, center link and steering damper the whole job took me about an hour, spent most of my time measuring the tie rods to make sure they were right length. Did get ball joint seperator tool from Napa, made it sooo much easier than pounding on pickle fork.
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86 300SDL |
#8
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idler arm removal
Gentlemen,
I have something I can bring to this party. You see, I too rebuilt an idler arm on a 85 300SD. I studied a pictorial essay by winmutt.com_benz_diymbrepair_Frontsuspension_idle.pdf. (You can archive these forum articles with a freeware called Cutepdf and keep them for reference long after the urls have ceased to be live.) I forget the socket sizes but I did get the nut off and the bolt out with a minimum of profanity. Winmutt claimed getting the bushing out was "hardest part." Now, here is my suggestion; once you remove the bolt you are faced with a idler arm housing at an approx 1 o'clock angle with a bushing inside of it. And, surprise surprise, there is no clear shot at the bushing. So, I cut a piece of 3/4in pvc pipe to extend from the bottom lip of the bushing inside the idler arm housing to the garage floor. Then I gently let the hydraulic jack down. The "chock" sound of the bushing popping out was orgasmically beautiful. I used pvc so it wouldn't scratch the inside of the housing. Place the pvc on the bushing lip furthest from the front of the car. The bottom of the pvc pipe will rest on the floor,say, at 7 o'clock. So, this way gravity and the angle of the housing keeps the pvc pipe snugged up against the lip of the bushing. Not bad, huh? I charitably give it a 4.5 on the 10 point Clever Scale. Too generous? Joe Marroso |
#9
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Quote:
Hmmmmmmm........................pardon me but I don't see how this method will work at all. The bushing is in two parts, as evidenced by the photo in All Parts Express http://www.allpartsexpress.com/ShopByVehicle.epc?q=1985-MERCEDES--BENZ-300sd--/--L5--998cc--3.0l--Diesel--Fi--Turbo-Front--End--/--Suspension--Steering&yearid=1985%40%401985&makeid=MERCEDES+BENZ%40%40MERCEDES+BENZ%40%40X&engineid=1194049%40%40300SD++%2F+L5%2D2998cc+3%2E0L+DIESEL+FI++Turbo%40%40300SD&catid=Front+End+%2F+Suspension+%26+Steering%40%40Front+End+%2F+Suspension+%26+Steering&subcatid=Idler+Arm+Bushing+Kit@@Idler+Arm+Bushing+Kit&mode=PA First, you would need to remove the bottom bushing, which I found was the more difficult of the two, before using this method on the top bushing. But you would need the top bushing off, in order to gain access to the "back side of the bottom bushing. Sorry, unless the original bushing in your car is different, I don't see it.
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Sam 84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle ) |
#10
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idler arm redux
Quote:
1) Your kit looks identical to the one I purchased from ******** 2) You found the bottom bushing difficult, mine twisted off with vise grips. 3) My top bushing was immovable and hard to get to. I used the pvc pipe with the hydraulic jack to force it out. The only way I can explain the procedure further is; imagine that you lifted the car on its driver side. Now you have a clean shot at the idler arm housing. Then you had a pipe or wooden rod slightly smaller than the diameter of the idler arm housing. You put the shaft in the idler arm housing and hammer the top bushing out. That's what I duplicated with the pvc pipe and the jack. Sorry, if the suggestion didn't help. I was done in 1 hour. Joe Marroso |
#11
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On my 1980 W123 I gave up before destroying so much that I could
not put the old one in. Nice to hear somebody was able to do it. Got 308,000 on my original....
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80 300D 340K Owned 30 yrs 83 300SD 440K Owned 9 yrs - Daily Driver 150mi/day 02 Z71 Suburban 117,000 15 Toyota Prius 2600 miles 00 Harley Sportster 24k 09 Yamaha R6 03 Ninja 250 |
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