Are you only going to do ball joints or will you include LCA bushings and guide rod mount and the other stuff that is shot after 33 years?

Parts cost on the whole thing is ~$600 + the cost of a spring compressor. Labor - ouch!!

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

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.

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

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.

Write up - Ball Joints & Lower Control Arm Bushings & Tool Review (PICS!)

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.

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


Charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

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!

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

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!

So I fubared the w126 bushings, actually the end caps. It is almost impossible to seat the outermost metal ring with finding a cup tool to fit perfectly without distorting everything. I bought another pair of w126 bushing and bought the specific bushing press tool for it too. Best to do it right since it will probably won't be done again for the next 20 years.

Is this the tool you bought and used?

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

Here it is for you visualities that don`t click on links.



Comes in a nice blow molded case


Showed this to my Indy when I was in Santa Cruz last Tues, and said this is the tool he uses and Works Great.

I picked up mine for $110, new, never used. Sure is a heavy dang thing.
Need tool when ya live miles out in the Boonies.


Charlie

__________________
there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works