85 W123 Front-End
 

At 193,000 miles I am experiencing some front-end slop, not terrible but I need to keep on my toes at highway speeds. No pulls and only slightest shake at 70~75 MPH.
I am thinking to rebuild the front-end as the rust situation isn't bad at all and I think it might come apart with some patience. I've seen various front-end kits for the car and want to go the full route even if all I find is a worn center link and tie-rod ends. The lower ball joint, is that very hard to get out? Should I replace the lower control arm with a new one with a new BJ or should I take the lower control arm off and bring it to a shop for ball-joint replacement? Would it be possible to replace the rest, Upper control arms, tire rods, center link etc then bring the car to someone to have them do the lower ball joints? I'm thinking removing the lower control arm may be more work that it is worth but maybe I should do it anyway for bushing reasons. Are there any really good semi step-by-step instructions for rebuilding the front-end on the car? Could it be professionally done for under $1000 with parts?
I'm keeping this car forever and want to be able to drive the hell out of it all the time but safely.
Thanks

Taking the LCAs to have the ball joints replaced sounds like the way to go, or rent the tool if available in the tool forum. The LCA is the last piece in the puzzle. Paying someone to do just that is paying for work that you're going to repeat.

$1000 to have it done is unlikely unless you buy substandard quality parts. Sum the cost of parts from FastLane then figure a shop won't offer as deep a discount on parts. Add [my guess of] 4-5 hours of shop time plus an alignment.

Sixto
87 300D

Well..................you can do it if you want to, or pay some one else to do it.

Here is a DIY from the resources tab.
PeachPartsWiki: Front End Suspension Rebuild

The most difficult part is the lower BJ, and thinking about doing it. plenty of write ups on it.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/267618-advanced-auto-ball-joint-press-tool.html

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/179284-write-up-ball-joints-lower-control-arm-bushings-tool-review-pics.html


Charlie

On the W123 chassis, the lower ball joint is pressed into the steering knuckle, not the LCA. Replacing the LCA's (with new) should almost never be necessary; collision damage would be the obvious exception.

Thanks all. I'll read through the DIY's and decide where to go from there. I'm pretty goos with a set of tools and the car can be out of commission for a while. Maybe I'll just see about the steering slop and check the center link and tie-rods and adjust the steering box a little. The car feels OK, steers OK but has a little wander on the highway, need to correct a lot. The tops of the tires don't come out a whole lot whit the steering at extremes which Ithink was one way to check the UCA's. More undercar time is needed. I'd rather tackle it myself with good parts than try to get out cheap. Car needs to run for at least 150000 more miles.

Rear subframe bushings also affect directional stability.

Sixto
87 300D

X2, when I replaced the Sub Frame and Trailing Arm bushings, it really tightened things up. definately a difference. this is on our 85 300D.

After 360K miles, things do tend to deteriorate over the yrs and miles.

Charlie

Forgot about the subframe bushings, thanks. I think I'm going to find that it's them and the steering components. Quick look and the bulk of the other stuff looks to be still OK. I'm going to have a shop near me put it in the air and poke around. They are pretty good with older cars, even MBs.

I personally think that you are absolutely able to rebuild a front end for less than $1000 bucks. However, that figure depends on how mechanical you are.

I rebuilt my entire front end for about $800 when it was all said and done. I used only high quality parts and had the right tools for the job. Now, if you are NOT mechanical and have access to the proper tools then no I do NOT think that you will be able to rebuild the front end for less than a grand.

However if you are mechanical this is what I suggest. Rent the Klann spring compressor from someone (I even have one), when everything is taken apart take the Spindle assembly (where the lower ball joint is located) to a machine shop or even a euro car shop and have them press out and in the ball joints, and DO YOUR RESEARCH! Knowing what you are getting in to prior to doing the job will help!

I was able to rebuild my whole front end in about 7 hours including a lunch break. I did however do this at Pierre's and paid him for the use of his tools and garage space.

Hope that helps.

Yup, I'm pretty sure I can do this. The spring compressor will be the big deal at first, but I know I can find the Klann or other that would be safe for the Mercedes. I'm well aware of the dangers. tools I've got, space to work I've got, no lift though. My concern is time but I'll just take a week off this spring to fix all my cars and hope this job gets in the mix too. I do have a boat-load of work on my Volvo, my old Benz, my Subaru (although that is going to be easy) and the Mazda. My kid wants the old Mazda for school in Sept so I need that to be in pretty good shape for him. I've recently found that I like older Volvo wagons and will be fixing the one I have and getting another later this week for my wife.
Too bad, if I was getting paid for all the work I have to do, I'd make an extra 30K this summer.