Now I have just about finished all my yearly engine work and adjustments. Over the Christmas break I was able to do all that lingering car work I had meant to do for the year; now it's all done. Amazingly, my car (85' 300D euro) now runs like new (almost), with an engine running so smoothly that you could balance champaigne glasses on it at idle (wow). Seems much more powerful too, great with 206,000 on the clock. But I still have a few questions:

-First, here is my biggest concern: The grease boots that are located on the ball joints directly under the front rotors and calipers that the entire wheel pivots on is torn on both sides; strangely enough happened at the same time, a few months ago. There is still some grease left in them (and I've been adding to them, more now than ever). I am wondering if there is any way to seperate that joint without a shop press or other equipment. I have replacement boots and all the accesories but have been stumped with their removal. I could remoce the the lock-nut, but the stud won't pressout with the equipment I have. Actually broke a $60 remover tool, luckily waranted. Heating did not help. Does it unscrew or some other trick to it; or is this a job for the pros (price???)? I'd like to get them closed before the roads get too salty.

-Secondly; Sometimes the rear drivetrain makes a clicking noise that is proportional to the road speed. It may do this under load or coast, turn or straight. Could this be a rear wheel bearing? Are they servicible; or is this normal. I can not remember when or if this started. I think it may have always done it. Should I be concerned?

Thanks in Advance: And a Happy New Year to ALL!!!

ATLD

It takes special tools. Performance Products rents a tool to press them in, which will be your next problem once you get them out.

The clicking noise in the rear is probably the CV joints. Look for a torn rubber boot on one of the four joints. There are many posts on axle repairs in the forum archives.

__________________
1976 240D
1987 560SL
2007 E320 Bluetec
1998 C280 (now son’s car)
1982 240D Manual - Sold

Separating the ball joint stem from the steering knuckle is a real pain....nothing tricky here..just a simple compression fit..but very tough to remove. But, I did both of mine with a standard ball joint pickle fork...I heated them with a torch, applied ice, banged with hammer, used pickle fork from all access points, banged pickle fork with hammer up down etc. etc. After about a half hour, with no apparent give, I hit the pickle fork and all of a sudden the joint separated!!! Thank you God!!

(If you have access to dry ice (frozen CO2), this in combo with torch would work well.)


The problem here is after all that, you probably would not want to keep the beat up ball joint in there! With broken boots, its probably a good idea to replace the ball joints. These are cheap. Once youve separated lower joints, the hard part is over. Separate upper control arms, remove the whole steering knuckle, bang out ball joints (real tough, but be persistant), and press in new ones. You CANNOT install new joints without the special tool..I rented one from Performance Parts. Freeze the joints overnight before pressing in..makes it easier.

This job can be done without compressing the spring...Im assuming you know what you are dealing with here (dont remove shocks...these will act as stops)
Good luck

__________________
1984 300TD Wagon, 407,800 mi (current daily driver)
1985 300DT Sedan, 330,000 mi (gone to that great autobahn in the sky)

The rear clicking noise happened on my car (84 300cd) also. I found out I had three problems Here they are (were) ranging from the expensive to the cheap:

1 The left rear axle shaft (including the CV joint, which was making the noise) was toast. Torn boot and all.

2 The driveshaft bushing? insulator? big washer? Okay, it's a black donut-looking thing that mounts between the differential and the drive shaft - I can't remember what it's called, but mine was torn and flopping around a bit while the driveshaft spun.

3 The rear sway bar mounts. Plastic ball and socket things that hold the sway bar mounts in place. one of mine was broken, causing a random rattle at parking lot speeds.

I had all three of these things fixed and now no rattles .

Hope this helps.
-Gil

I just used a pickle fork to seperate the ball joint and steering knuckle when I did my 123. I wouldn't worry about rebuilding the ball joints, they're too inexpensive to invest that kind of time. About $20/each as I recall. You'll either need to use the ball joint press to reinstall, or remove the lower control arms and take them to a machine shop to have the new ball joints pressed in. Using the correct hammer dramatically speeds up the pickle fork. A 2lb claw hammer don't cut it - get a 5lb sledge.

After replacing the rear boots with factory stuff, and doing the rear brakes I started getting a clicking that would come and go. Could not find any cause but I did remove the right rear (sound came from this side) and noticed the rotor didn't look like it was square with the axle. It did move about 1/4 inch and then looked right. Put the wheel back on, and no more click in over 5000 miles.

83 300D 265000 mile 2nd owner Fl. car

thanks; I'll give these a try. And yes I do have access to dry ice. I guess it just takes a bit more physical persuasion.

ATLD

It's been many years since I have done this but I was taught a trick by an old mechanic for removing ball joints on GM cars that I imagine will work on MB's. Instead of a pickle fork, get a long pry bar(6 feet or so) and apply pressure on the ball joint as if you were just going to pry it out of its fitting. Then strike the outside of the fitting into which the ball joint is pressed with a small sledgehammer. I have found that usually one or two strikes will cause the ball joint to release.