123 Suspension (Front End) Rebuild - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

ROLLGUY · #1 01-08-2013, 12:58 AM

My neighbor took his 1980 300TD to an alignment shop last year, and they told him it would cost $1,000 to fix the front end. He saved the money and took the car back, and they said more parts were bad, and it would cost almost $2,000 now. He asked me if I would do the job, and if it could be done for $1,000 or less. I told him that $1,000 would be plenty enough to rebuild the entire front end, replacing all the parts the other shop was going to replace, and more. The car is a very nice original 1980 300TD- gold with the reddish brown interior (not sure of the color name). All the suspension parts seem to have been original, as the car only has a little more than 120,000 miles on it.

We ordered all the parts from Pelican Parts. We got upper control arms, lower control arm bushings, ball joints, center link, tie rods, outer radius arm bushings, and sway bar bushings. We also got a pair of hatch supports. I had a nice pair of used (like new) Bilstein shocks that I got at a wrecking yard that I installed. We went to a friends shop and sandblasted and painted some spare parts I had (spindles, lower controlarms, backing plates, and spring pearches) and installed the new bushings and ball joints in them so the parts would be ready to install on the car so it would not be out of commission for more than a day. The parts ready to be installed:

One side ready to install the new parts:

We got a spring compressor kit from Amazon, and it worked well:

Finished side:

I had no issues with the suspension rebuild. This has given me the needed experience to rebuild the front end on my 240 next (it is much worse than this TD).
The pile of old parts:

I am planning to sandblast and remove all the bad parts from the LCA's, and spindles and paint the parts. I will install new bushings and ball joints, and then use them for my 240 suspension rebuild.

Walkenvol · #2 01-08-2013, 08:14 AM

Bet you get flamed about your spring compressor.

How did you allign it after replacing everything?

Nice work!

daw_two · #3 01-08-2013, 09:40 AM

Nice work!
I figure you have just encouraged the owner to KEEP his 300TD! I think you might have just given me the courage to tackle the Light Ivory with Henna Red interior 300D if the frontend needs to be rebuilt.

The reddish brown interior you speak might be Henna Red or Tobacco; although I can never remember if Tobacco was the early color and then they discontinued it.....or it was a later color.

I found the caliper "holder" especially interesting.

gatorblue92 · #4 01-08-2013, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walkenvol

Bet you get flamed about your spring compressor.

How did you allign it after replacing everything?

Nice work!

Just what I was thinking about the spring compressor. Yikes

TheDon · #5 01-08-2013, 10:01 AM

Why did you not replace the guide rod bushings?

vstech · #6 01-08-2013, 10:25 AM

NEXT TIME RENT A PROPER SPRING COMPRESSOR... the tool rental forum has 3 or 4 members (including me!) that rent them!!!!

what was the tally for all the parts?

vstech · #7 01-08-2013, 10:27 AM

also, I notice old guide rod bushings in the pile of old parts, did you replace them? I see the mounts are still original.
did you rebuild the idler arm?

ROLLGUY · #8 01-08-2013, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDon

Why did you not replace the guide rod bushings?

The parts I did replace were bad, but the guide rod bushings are still good. However, I suggested to my friend that they should be replaced, as they are as old as the car, and everything else (suspension) is new. He needs to order a new steering damper, so new guide rod bushings may make the order over $75 so he can get free shipping!

ROLLGUY · #9 01-08-2013, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

also, I notice old guide rod bushings in the pile of old parts, did you replace them? I see the mounts are still original.
did you rebuild the idler arm?

The guide rod bushings in the end that is in the LCA (front) are new, but the bushings on the other end of the rod (rear) still might be replaced.

Adriel · #10 01-08-2013, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

NEXT TIME RENT A PROPER SPRING COMPRESSOR... the tool rental forum has 3 or 4 members (including me!) that rent them!!!!

what was the tally for all the parts?

vsteck, I am almost certain I know the answer, but figure I will set that aside, help others who don't know, and ask what is wrong with this compressor. Is it also wrong for other manufactures?

Thank you in advance!

ROLLGUY · #11 01-08-2013, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daw_two

Nice work!
I figure you have just encouraged the owner to KEEP his 300TD! I think you might have just given me the courage to tackle the Light Ivory with Henna Red interior 300D if the frontend needs to be rebuilt.

The reddish brown interior you speak might be Henna Red or Tobacco; although I can never remember if Tobacco was the early color and then they discontinued it.....or it was a later color.

I found the caliper "holder" especially interesting.

You should do it. It really is not that hard, other than installing the ball joints. Next time I will put the LCA in an oven for an hour or so, and put the ball joint in the freezer overnight. I believe the interior is "Henna Red", and not Tobacco. Is not a cubie the "official" tool for MB Diesel owners to use for holding a caliper?

ROLLGUY · #12 01-08-2013, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adriel

vsteck, I am almost certain I know the answer, but figure I will set that aside, help others who don't know, and ask what is wrong with this compressor. Is it also wrong for other manufactures?

Thank you in advance!

I would ask the same question. I was not aware that spring compressors are available to rent, and did not have time to make one like I had planned (3/4 ACME shaft and nuts). I feel that the compressor I got (having used it) is entirely adequate for the job, and worked well.

vstech · #13 01-08-2013, 11:23 AM

the simple fact you needed to strap the shafts onto the spring shows how dangerous using an external compressor is on these springs... also, the straps you used prevent complete compression of the springs for easy removal.
the proper compressor would have been entirely internal, and completely stable. also, a single point to adjust the spring, not ... 4 like you used.

vstech · #14 01-08-2013, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adriel

vsteck, I am almost certain I know the answer, but figure I will set that aside, help others who don't know, and ask what is wrong with this compressor. Is it also wrong for other manufactures?

Thank you in advance!

cast aluminum can shatter under the MASSIVE load of the MB front springs.
the compressor can slip off.
the compressor can slide out of position and cause the compressor to rapidly jump and fling themselves through anything/anyone in the flight path...

firstdiesel · #15 01-08-2013, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

cast aluminum can shatter under the MASSIVE load of the MB front springs.
the compressor can slip off.
the compressor can slide out of position and cause the compressor to rapidly jump and fling themselves through anything/anyone in the flight path...

Years and years ago I did that regular spring compressor with my '80 TD and never again! Just being near the thing made me feel like I was looking down the barrel of a loaded gun. I'm not flaming the decision as I did it too, but looking back on it, tool rental for me when I do it on this car.