1985 300SD guide rod mount kit and 2 bushings that go into the "L shaped aluminum bracket.

I took the guide rod mount out by taking off the back plate and jacking the guide rod bushing out the back end.

BUT, when taking out the 2 long bolts (19mm heads, i think)... The ones that go through the 2 other bushings, the front one somehow spun the bent sheet metal part with the nut welded onto it, into the cavity.

After this I tried holding the nut back by sticking a screwdriver through the slot, thought I might be able to jam the nut, but there was too much room inside the cavity. I could not get a wrench through the slot to hold the square nut, so I decided to cut the bolt with a hacksaw blade), just below the nut.

The bolt fell to the ground and I got the bracket off the car but I can't get the nut out the slot or the sheared sheetmetal parts either, so, the new part can not be inserted through the 2 slots because of the interference.

I think I will need to cut a pocket above the small slot in order to remove the scrap metal and nut. and then have someone weld a plate over the opening...

Does this make sense. Has this happened to anyone else?

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1985 300SD

I had to cut a slot in the pocket. The captive nuts were spinning. Cut the slot just big enough to get a wrench in to hold it. It was a while back, cant remember every detail. Just remember having to open the pocket.

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1982 300sd, new project car to restore

It doesn't matter if you know what you're doing, as long as you look like you know what you're doing.

Same thing happened to me. After an hour or so of trying to hold the nut, I used a grinder to open a hole in the chassis to remove the nut. Before I installed the new nut assembly I spot welded the nut to the sheet metal flange. It was crimped in place.

Good news, after a good nights sleep and a new start, i fussed with the metal parts that were twisted up and stuck inside that pocket. At one point in time, the foward end of the metal pc poked thru the slot! I gripped it with a set of vise grips and drilled a hole in it, stuck a drift pin in it and pryed it out a bit, used a spacer to pry it even more and it finally came out, but only 2/3rds of it total metal. So I fished around and got the other pc to poke thru. the nut never came out, but the new part fit inside the cavity and I eventually got the car back together. The hole I wanted to drill would not have worked since the cavity is not that big. It is not that tall, so to speak.

Tough job, glad it's done. I did not replace the 2 bushings, even though I purchased a new set. The rubber looked ok and I did not want to mess around with something that was not needed.

If anyone is interested in the bearing bushings, I would like to sell them

now it's time for alignment, perhaps new tires too. right tire , front, is worn on the inside. Can a shop align a car with worn tires and then, later, install new tires. Would like to get alignment to prevent further uneven wear but don't want to pay for new tires as yet... Can they put the good rear tires up front and the worn fronts to the rear to do the alignment?

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1985 300SD

If you take it to an alignment shop that has Good Techs that know how to align a car, then take it with the tires left where they are. The tech can look at the tires and then know what to look for while doing the alignment. If the tech is a 90 day wonder, then it won't make any difference where the tires are, you still won't get a good job.

Paul

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84 500 SEL (307,xxx miles)

The condition of the tires shouldn't cause a problem with the alignment. However, if there is abnormal wear, it may affect the "test drive".

Most of the places I've been to have a policy of new/good tires go to the rear. I think it is mostly for safety during braking. Some will wave this policy if the existing rear tires appear to be recently replaced.

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Sam

84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )