Again, one step forward, one step back with this car. I just finished removing the subframe and replaced all four of the bushings/mounts, all three differential bushings, both LCA's and the sway bar links. The thrust, camber links and the LCA bushings on the wheel carriers are newer and look good. I also replaced both half shafts because the boots were in bad shape. I did all this work to get the rear wheels to follow the front wheels. Now I have this rumble/clunking noise when I go over the slightest bump. It sounds like something is rolling around in the the trunk or the exhaust system is hitting the bottom of the car. I tried to move or wiggle the exhaust sytem, no noise. When I bounce the right rear corner, I am getting a clunking sound, not loud but noise that was not there before all this work. I have to get a floor jack under each wheel and work the suspension to see if I can figure out where the problem is.
Any ideas?
Thanks.

didja leave a socket in the trunk?

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

How about your parking break..does it function well? Mine clacks from the passenger's side when I hit bumps because it is lose/worn and needs to be replaced.

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1987 300TDT - 195,000 (Original #14 head)
1993 190E 2.3 - 105,000
1981 300D - 250,000

First thing I did was look in the trunk! I have not tried to use the emergency brake. I am always afraid in a car this old that I will never get it to release. This car came from FLA and has zero rust anywhere, so the E brake probably works. I will check out the cables. Since I posted this, I was looking at photos of other members subframes. I am pretty sure I installed that big concave disc on the rear most bushings(part 1c in the manual) upside down. I have the cupped edge facing up against the subframe and it should facing the ground. I will switch those and see what happens.
When I removed all the glow plugs and injectors I took lots of pictures. All those vacuum and fuel lines spooked me. Guess I should have taken pics of the subframe before I dismantled it!

Check the shock bolts. They can strip out on reinstall. And give a false sense of tight.

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87' 300DT (Grey w/ red leather)
87' 300TDT (silver w/ palamino tex) SOLD

2012 VW JSW TDI (on tdiclub.com all the time "btcost")

Does anyone have the torque specs for the rear shocks?
I wasn't sure how much to tighten mine, cos it seems like there are several turns at the end where it's just compressing the rubber mount.

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RIP:
2011 E350 BlueTEC, Schwartz 81k (totaled by uninsured drunk driver)
1964 Unimog 404.1 (wrongfully towed by the city)
1994 E320, Brilliantsilber 208k (transmission shuffled off after sudden catastrophic fluid loss)
1982 300D, Silberblau under a blue repaint 256k (sold for parts)
1995 E320 Polarweiss, 131k (sold for parts)
1995 E300D Polarweiss, 287k (totaled by drunk driver)

Okto, are you talking about the two rubber bumpers at the top of the shock?
I always tighten the rubber bumpers until they compress to about the same diameter as the metal washers. The bolts that hold the bottom of the shocks to the LCA are good, I checked the threads before I re-installed them.

Yeah, the top bolts. I definitely could crank them down more if I wanted. I may crawl into the trunk tonight and wrench on them a little more to see if they've 'settled in' any since I installed them.

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RIP:
2011 E350 BlueTEC, Schwartz 81k (totaled by uninsured drunk driver)
1964 Unimog 404.1 (wrongfully towed by the city)
1994 E320, Brilliantsilber 208k (transmission shuffled off after sudden catastrophic fluid loss)
1982 300D, Silberblau under a blue repaint 256k (sold for parts)
1995 E320 Polarweiss, 131k (sold for parts)
1995 E300D Polarweiss, 287k (totaled by drunk driver)

I tried tightening the right shock top nut a little. When I did I, noticed a slash of red paint across the washer, indicating that the shock was put on at the factory. The noise I was hearing became constant instead of intermittent. I removed the right shock. I could completely compress and extend it with very little effort. The other side had a little more life, but not much.
Neither were leaking or looked that old. I have had shocks that needed replacing on other cars but, it was easy to tell because the body was bouncing some. Not this car.
Everything else back there is new, may as well add shocks to the list!