Is it possible to properly allign when LCA bushings are needed?
 

Well yes and no! (Mostly no)

It is often possible to get what seems like a good alignment but when things are worn parts move more than they should - so on the road with different forces applied to those applied during an alignment test the apparently "good" alignment has little effect.

If for example you are getting weird / bad wear patterns on your tyres and you try to "align them away" the chances of success with worn parts are slim.

When you replace the lower control arm bushings, use the W126 bushings.
Suppose to be beefier or tougher than the w123 Bushings.

126-330-00-75
http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/...300075-M69.jpg


1985 Mercedes-Benz 300SD Base Sedan - Suspension, Shocks & Springs - Page 2

123-330-13-75

http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/...301375-M36.jpg

1984 Mercedes-Benz 300D Base Sedan - Suspension, Shocks & Springs - Page 2


Charlie


sent from my pos computer

I wouldn't spend money on a store-bought alignment until I replaced the LCA bushings. But I would do a poor-man's toe-in adjustment w/ a tape measure. See youtube and google. I do that on all my vehicles and they drive perfectly straight w/ no tire wear. Since you know your parts are worn, adjust for 1/8" toe-in, so when driving and the front wheels rotate back slightly due to the play, they will be parallel, or you can rig a "front spreader" per M-B manual to take out the bulk of the play first. Of course, for FWD cars you adjust slight toe-out. The LCA pivot is mainly loaded in one direction (by weight of car), so I don't think it will move around much while driving, other than when taking hard turns or flying over speed bumps, and then you would hear clunks. If not circle-track racing your car, it "should work' until you have time to refurb the front end.

Are you saying you will soon replace your lower control arm bushing? If yes, than don't do any alignment until it is done.

No, not possible to have a quality alignment when there are failing/failed bushings up front. Just as 'Stretch' pointed out. Any quality shop would look at it and say they cannot align it due to the failed bits.

If you need LCA bushings, may as well do the rest of the front end while it is apart. The W126 ones seem to last about 200k before succumbing to cracks and droop... at least on my W126s.

Do not forget new springs with spring shims, they sag with age quite a bit. This makes it difficult to align a vehicle too as the LF typically is lower than the RF when worn, skewing the rear of the vehicle up causing alignment issues. Also verify the rear suspension stuff is solid... with rear sag it seems to lift the front a bit in my experience.

When my Lower Control Arm Bushings went bad within 3 days the edge of the front Tires were eaten up to the extent that the Tires were shot. So you could get your alignment and later have the bushings get worse and eat up the Tires and lose even more money.

Some have had the alignment done with what seemed to be good but old LCA Bushings and had the Bushings go out a year or so later.

So I said with those who say to replace the LCA Bushings first then get the alignment and get a bunch of years of good serveice out of it.