steering play

[MarkM]

I have seen many posts about steering play, particulardly on 123's. As many posts before me have indicated, checking/fixing the steering linkage is the first step in eliminating play. I just thought I would offer the following, having recently completed the work on steering linkage components.

Yesterday I replaced the idler arm bushings. Before doing the work, I had my son turn the steering wheel while I was under car looking. The steering linkage attaches to the top of the idler arm bushing set, and there are two bushings in a sleeve below that. the top bushing was ok, and the bottom was severely worn, and moving in the sleeve. This is a very inexpensive part, and very very easy to install...lift front of car with both wheels off the ground hanging free...just yank out bottom one with channel locks and bang out other from inside sleeve with old bolt, pull in new ones with new bolt (silicone grease first), remove bolt, attach washers, apply silicone grease, attach steering pivot arm, and reassemble (very straightforward when you see it). this resulted in MAJOR reduction in steering play.

The other steering linkage components (two tie rod assemblies and one drag link), are also very easy to install. If any of these are worn, replacement will markedly improve steering play. Other than a "pickle fork" for separating ends, no special tools are required. Just make sure both wheels are off the ground and hanging free.

Mark

Happy Thanksgiving to all and your families!!

[240 Ed]

Mark M

Thanks for the info on idler arm repair.
I know your post was done in Nov, and no one has given any response, but this was just what I needed to know how to do.!

Me too.....idler arm repair next step in my "renew all suspension parts" saga.

With regard to replacing drag bar, I was unable to get the old one off the car and will have to let a pro do it. I have a "pickle" bar but even with that, I could not do it (bent the ends of the tool trying). Maybe heat would help but I'm gonna punt. Irritating.

Nic
'85 300CD

[240 Ed]

NIC

Holy Smokes!! You bent the pickle fork????
Were you using the correct end????

Ed,

Yep. The fork looks fairly heavy duty but is made of an alloy and the ends can be bent. I straightened it back using my vice. It may be that I just got a bad tool. I sure can't bend my crowbar and it isn't much thicker. Different metal. Anyway, car is at front end shop today and I'll let them install the drag bar.

Nic

[240 Ed]

NIC

Yeah, that 'splains it, because my pickle fork is the same as a crowbar and I can't imagine bending it with a hammer.

For the future, a fork works good only with a heavy hammer, not a claw hammer (don't use anyway when hitting steel), not a 16 ounce ball peen either. You need to use a small sledge to make it work, or forget it.

I hope you enjoy your "new" car when it comes out of the shop!

[leathermang]

I may be reading this wrong,, but are yall hitting on things like the tie rod ends , or the parts they go into... ? I hope you are not taking a chance on bending something... If you have a tight tie rod end and are going to hit something use an anvil ,,like a sledge behind it.. so the force is applied to the object which has the tapered hole...one sledge held behind it and a smaller hammer to hit with..., so you have some velocity in the swing.. and if you can manage holding it there ,some form of prying instrument,, you are trying to squeeze the end out due to its taper..... always wear eye protection when using a hammer...... misdirected brute force it likely to cost you more replacement parts... or worn tires...or both.....of course , if you can find the proper puller it is worth some hassle to have it available..... Greg

[Mercedes Man]

Bent pickle fork? Check out what happened to my pickle fork.

[240 Ed]

L'Mang,

I have had good success with pickle forks. The one I have, I bought many years ago, before there was a China or India...

PLEASE FOLKS! Never use a claw hammer on a pickle fork!
A claw hammer is the typical hammer used by carpenters for general nailing, and has a claw on one end for pulling nails, Kinda looks like a pickle fork itself, come to think of it...

These hammers are hardened and may chip and shatter if used on steel, you don't want that.

Use a ball-peen hammer or dead blow hammer. The ball peen hammer is sort of soft, and you will actually see small dents in the hammer face from hitting stuff.

[Kyle Blackmore]

Just wanted to add my 0.02 Cdn,I have found that a small 2-jaw puller works better than my pickle fork.Remove the nut on the suspension part,attach the puller,tighten it up till you think it's going to break,whack the bolt on the puller a couple of times,and presto,it pops apart.A little less violent than a sledge and fork

[240 Ed]

Kyle.

True enough.

Another odd way of disconnecting these things is you smack both sides of the joint with 2 ball peen hammers. Trick is to hit at the same time. Doesn't work that great, but does when there is pressure from a road spring, like a lower ball joint.

[ricali]

240ed your right i,ve used the hammer trick several times
The pickle fork can damage the rubber boots on the tie rods?

[240 Ed]

Tie rod ends are cheap! Usually you are replacing them anyway...