I agree with this.

The rest of the front end is going to be clapped out almost always on these cars. BTDT doing part now and part later, waste of time.

Removing the ball joints I just use an old 3/4" drive socket (26mm?) and a 5lb sledge. Let them soak where they press in with good penetrating oil for a while first, helps quite a bit.



Do not forget to replace the idler arm bushing.

i can recommend a shop in berkeley that i trust 500% but i dont know if he could beat the previously quoted prices.. let me know

I have decided to do the work myself but I decided to do the entire front end and buy lemfoerder parts. Does anyone know where I can find lemfoerder lower control arm bushings???Is the w126 lower control arm bushing more difficult to install than the w123 bushings???

Thanks

You can purchase the lower Control Arm Lemforder inner bushing for a W126 here on this site.
Part# 126-330-00-75 $31.75 I have seen them for $25 on my searches.
These are a beefier bushing than the one for the W123, which is
Part# 123-330-13-75 but didn`t see them in Lemforder.

I have a set of these for the 240, but have not installed them yet.
You can make a home made bushing press or just buy the after market tool.

https://shop.ktcautotools.com/products/mercedes-w124-w126-lower-control-arm-bushing-press-tool

Here is a good thread Bodyart27 did several years ago.

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

The outer Lower Control Arm bushing is Part# 123-330-13-75.
If you find this one in a Lemforder, you are lucky. seems to be NLA.
I did find a guy on E-bay that had 10 of them, I ordered 2, then thought about buying the rest.
Some inconsiderate %&$@# bought the rest. :mad:

You can get it from MB as listed on this site for $54.00, or buy the Chicom one`s listed everywhere.


Charlie

I had no luck trying to install the w126 bushings, ended up going back to w123 ones. I could not get them to go in evenly, even with a homemade press. I think I ended up drilling one out because the metal piece was wedged in so tight.
YMMV though

I have a tool built specifically to install the 126 bushings... works great!:D

Pics, vstech, please? :)
I think i used some threaded rod. Or it might have been the old idler arm bolt. Ended up gouging the center piece...or something. I have repressed most of the suspension rebuild work.

So are the w126 bushings even worth trying to install? I would hate to spend $64 on bushings that are almost impossible to install due to damaging them. Would getting the w123 bushings be a better option then???

Can you press in w126 bushings on a bench vise with the control arm???

Thanks!

ffgb,
Don't use a vise as a press. That is how many vises are broken. If you don't have a hydraulic "shop press", buy a nut-bolt-washer set at a hardware store, preferably fine-pitch, grade 8. Once you have a shop press (<$100 at HF), you will find many "nails" to use it on. My young daughter loves using it to crush things.

I've installed numerous bushings, on the front and rear suspension, using all-thread, nuts, washers and a cheap HF 3/4" drive socket set. Sometimes the use of silicone grease or KY was used to keep from damaging the rubber.

And you have a good chance of being able to use it on other vehicles.

What has not been mentioned is that if the steering Knucle is removed and you leave the Upper Control Arm attached you are going to need another smaller ball joint seperator to un-hook the upper control arm from the top of the Steering Knuckle. That is if the double hammer idea does not work.

So I started to disassemble the front end on my 300d. I am having trouble using the Klann style spring compressor. How far down/up do you install the 2 plates??? Also, how do you get the 2 plates in between the springs??? It seems, the only way to install the plates in-between the spring coils is to use a soft mallet, but once you do that, when you re-install the spring, how do you remove the 2 plates???

Thanks!!!

With the spring fully extended and the upper control arm on its stop, the plates slip right in. You need to get the top one up as high, and the bottom one down as low as possible.

I had the same issue recently when i did my front end refresh. i was not able to remove the springs in the end, mostly because I ran out of time, but you should follow the direction off the forum members to see if it helps you.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/378460-trouble-getting-front-springs-off.html

Two years ago Ray at Peninsula auto repair pressed a set out and pressed new ones in at his shop in Mountain View.

It was not smooth. He knows his way around Mercedes so I called him up to see if he had the tools. He said yes, bring the arms down (300sd). I brought them in and they pull out this international sized suitcase of C frame presses, collars and Mandrills by OTC. It looked like the mega assortment off the snapon truck. They start pressing and air wrenching with a 3/4" impact gun. No go.

They try putting it into a hydraulic press but the angles are all wrong. But we all know that here. No go.

Then Ray tells his guy to hold the arm vertically like in the redneck balljoint thread in this forum. Ray takes the biggest ball peen hammer I've ever seen and he starts whacking the bottom of the joint. His guy is freaking out begging him not to miss. After three good whacks I see the joint move 1mm. He finishes it off with an impact socket as a punch.

The second one is easier because he has the technique down. They use the c frame to drive the new ones in with the air impact driver. All done in half an hour while I'm sitting there staring at them. Ray says, how much do you want to pay me? I said two guys, half an hour, how about a C note? He nods and takes the money and I leave with my joints.

I bet he will remember the trick if you show up with the arms and tell him to get his ball peen hammer. It was worth the C note to let him do it.

Good luck. The shop is down near Google HQ.