With lots of help from the people on this forum I have fixed some minor issues. Thanks. Now the bigger issues, at speeds above 60 the rear end of the car is not following the front end. It's especially bad when changing lanes.
The torque arms and the thrust arms appear newer. Shocks are firm, no bounce. Tires are good and wearing even, but I do not know when they were installed. I had the rear wheels off the ground and pryed up on the tires, like testing a ball joint. No movement. I checked for movement or wear in all the link bushings, nothing is loose or making noise. Could this be as simple as an alignment problem?
At some point the remainder of links, subframe bushings, dif. bushings etc.
should be replaced. Where should I start?

Is your ongoing battle,until they're replaced.(I'd make plans to do them all.)

Do an Advanced Search under gsxr's moniker ,in one IIRC he describes WHICH
rear suspension link causes "wondering".

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'84 300SD sold
124.128

If all suspension links are good, check the lower "bushing" between the control arm and the bottom of the wheel carrier, it is often sloppy/failed (the boot fails first usually).

Alignment can be a problem, drag your hand across the tire tread and feel for any feathering of the tread in either direction.

Last, look at the rear sub-frame bushings. If they are bad, the entire rear suspension will move relative to the car, and it can wander like two flat tires.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Bounce test on rear shocks doesn't work too well on this car with all the rubber parts holding the shape of the suspension. You practically have to get the shock out to test it. But this is not likely the cause of your wander.

I had similar issues and started replacing all the links, etc.. and then got an alignment .... only to find out I had about 1 inch of toe-in!! This was definitely the largest contributor to rear steering and was causing inside edge balding on right rear tire... down to the metal.

Moral of this story: just check your rear toe using a string method and see where you're at BEFORE tackling all the suspension parts, bushings, shocks, etc..

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Cheers!
Scott McPhee

1987 300D

There is a link on the 124 suspension that the rubber bushings wallow out on. When it is worn the rear of the car will steer left and right depending on whether you are accelerating or decellerating.

That is what I would check first.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I should probably start with the subframe bushings and the spring links and then have the car re-aligned. Is there a test for the subframe bushings other than a visual inspection? Should the car have been aligned after the torque and thrust arms were changed by the PO?
Thanks.

IF, that's all that was changed out,probably not.
(But, Betcha Zomezing got "Adjusted" in the process no matter what)

The Ole Mark One (Eyeball) will tell All about the SF Bushings.

My original comment was Intended to read:
"At that age I'd replace ALL the Original Rubber." [Who care what it looks like?]

[BUT,I'd not spend the money on an Alignment until ALL the Rubber is replaced.]
[Front AND Rear]

Caveat: Your Mercedes ,Your Pleasure.

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'84 300SD sold
124.128