84 300TD SLS question - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

turbozeke418 · #16 10-16-2016, 03:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogviler

They're just where I said in the post above.
A pic if you're a visual person (circled in red):
Just excavate and you'll find the top of the shock plus that access panel in the pic you found. -Rog

Thanks Rog....I excavated all of the areas except that small panel area. I never thought it would be in that area lol.
Thanks again!!

Alec300SD · #17 10-16-2016, 03:24 AM

Photos: Post # 5 on this thread: W123 300TD rear shock upper mount access

Photos: Post # 6 on this thread: 300TD rear shock mount

How to access upper mounts: Post # 8 on this thread: 300TD REAR suspension rebuild

turbozeke418 · #18 10-20-2016, 04:35 AM

I began investigating the rear shocks by sitting in the back and having a friend drive me around. The noise is coming from the shocks. They move up and down slightly and move around the entire time the car is in motion. I'm thinking I just need to replace the bushings and tighten them back down. How to I remove the top. Is it just that Alan/hex head? Of course I tried already and began to round out the top part of the shock.

vollpreuss · #19 10-22-2016, 10:00 AM

Yes, from what I recall the Allen/Hex screw holds the retainers for the top shock mount.

I am also wondering if there was a grand conclusion on this one. I'm in the same boat. Accumulators replaced and SLS valve rebuilt (both badly needed) but a continuing bang on harsh bumps from the driver side hydraulic shock.

Insights appreciated.

turbozeke418 · #20 12-15-2016, 01:39 AM

I'm finally going to dive into this. I'm going to purchase the rebuild kit 123 320 0344. Given that the shocks/ram work fine with the SLS I don't see a need to pay the money to replace them. I'm thinking there has to be something within the shock/ram itself (rubber piece) that has gone bad after 293k. Now I just need to find a thread on the removal of the shock/ram. Hopefully it's just disconnect the bottom and the top and out she goes?

vonsmog · #21 12-15-2016, 08:45 AM

You have to remove the hydraulic line going to the shock first, as well as the fitting going into the shock. (see first photo in post 14) The fitting has to be removed so the shock can fit thru the trailing arm. Find something to plug the hole in the shock where the fitting screws into, as it is filled with oil!

turbozeke418 · #22 12-15-2016, 10:06 AM

Thank you!

turbozeke418 · #23 01-06-2017, 03:56 AM

I started playing around with the rear shock mounts. My passenger side is stripped but was able to remove the drivers side since it was basically hardly tightened down. How far down should these be tightened? Since they aren't and the rubber piece isn't even compressed you can physically see the shock mount move when driving. Shouldn't these be tightened down a bit, because that would certainly explain a banging sound on bumps. I also just stripped out the drivers side alan head trying to tighten it down. I was thinking of replacing these with actual bolts with a head on them so I can get an impact on it and tighten them down (there's plenty of room to screw all the way down when you try it without the rubber piece and top). Or is this not a good idea?

gunz84 300d · #24 01-06-2017, 08:43 AM

I went through this chase recently replacing the top bushings (after confirming no other rear suspension was banging) thinking this had to be it. The top bushings shouldn't have to be torqued down all that hard (I'm sure this is a spec out there). I approached it like I would the front shock mounts as well (again, there is a spec). But some compression of the rubber donut occurs but you're not cranking it home or anything.

That being said, if you find this doesn't solve the problem then as stated earlier in this thread it could be the ball joint at the bottom of the strut/ram that has failed. It took me about a year to come to that realization myself and the solution was .... new struts ($$$). I did read a guy that figured a way to replace them but no details and I wasn't about to tinker endlessly with old struts.

In retrospec you may be able to test this by unbolting the bottom of the strut/ram where it secures to the control arm under the spring perch. If you can get enough space once the two lower strut mount bolts are removed you may find these ball joints just jiggling around. That caused me a low pitch kinda harsh banging sound.

turbozeke418 · #25 01-12-2017, 03:19 AM

Well I solved the issue... $550 later. It in fact was the rear strut (ram). I removed them (piece of cake) and installed the new ones and no more banging sound on the bumps. I had a buddy weld a bolt to the top of the strut mount since both 5mm Alan heads were stripped.