My first post after hanging around for many year mining the great info on this site. I'm hoping that someone can point in the right direction. So here goes...I'm the original owner of a 1998 E300TD with 126K on the clock. I do any work needs on it if at all possible. So no void in service history. Today while checking the front end I noticed that I have play in the wheel when you shape them front to back and a clunking sound. Thought maybe a wheel bearing but no luck they are tight. The outer tie rod ends look good but do see some movement at the inner tie rod. My hearing isn't the greatest so getting to the exact source of the clunk it tough for me and that is why I checked the bearing because to me it sounded like it was coming from that area. So now after thinking about this I need help because I have more question than answers as they say. Do sloppy inner tie rods clunk? Or is it the rack clunking and causing the play? Has the rack in the W210 been a problem? Is there a way to tell which is loose or do you just throw parts at it and see what happens? I hate that remedy and would like to avoid that if possible. Additional info the play in the wheels is roughly the same on the right and left. There is no unusual tire wear and very little play in the steering wheel. It drives OK....not like new mind you but no hunting. Hope someone can help. Thanks

Remove inner boot, wiggle wheel with front end off the ground. You should be able to see if it's the inner rod end moving or the whole rack is bad. If you end up replacing the rack, the correct w210 ps fluid is ATF.

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1998 E300 turbodiesel

America's Rights and Freedoms Are Not The Enemy!

Thank you. Is there a ball on the end of the inner? If it is the rack I may have to pay for the rack labor.....looks tight in there laying under it. But thanks. I did note some play in the past but not clunk. Maybe it is time. I'll cut the boot to see what is going on?? No complaints. The only other hands on it were to replace the evap......remove the dash. Jerek in Knoxville Tenn. Hope he is OK retired to Hi. Son has the business. Thanks again.

One more question with a steering box you can tighten the the fix with the screw/ Allen is there any adjustment on the rack? I did see a what looks like a nylon round screw for lack of better work on the rack. Can they be adjusted....ok maybe?

No rack "adjustment" that I'm aware of. No you don't want to cut the boot, that will allow contaminants in, and if the rack isn't bad, it will become so rapidly. Simply undo the inner boot clamp and slide the boot outward. Secure it back into place once inspection is complete.

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1998 E300 turbodiesel

America's Rights and Freedoms Are Not The Enemy!

Thanks I will not cut the boot. Can't get to the job until tomorrow. If it comes down to the tie rods ends being replaced should I use MB parts or is there a satisfactory brand on the after market?

I haven't had an issue with aftermarket tie rods. I did run into a situation where one of the assemblies can be installed in either of 2 ways. This results in the inner tie rod being installed where the outer is supposed to be. The only effect is to have you ordering the wrong part. You'll be fine if changing all at once.

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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.

Forum host sells four different brands for this part. Of the four, only Lemforder and Genuine MB have a strong reputation for being high quality. The other two are sub-standard IMO and priced accordingly.

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1998 E300 turbodiesel

America's Rights and Freedoms Are Not The Enemy!

URO = Oh NO!

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Thanks to everyone for the parts info. Quite a spread when doing a price comparison. Tomorrow I will slide the boots back and see what kind of wear exists on the inners. Probably replace all 4 pieces considering 20 years of wear. Now finding a good shop to do the alignment in the Phoenix area will be the hard part. Being new to the area and all. It has only been aligned twice. Once by the dealer in Dayton, Fl which was a disaster and once by an indy in Chattanooga, Tn. which turned out great. How a Dealer could mess up an alignment is beyond me.

With a hearing impairment. You might get some one to wiggle the wheel. Putting your hand on a joint. I think you would feel it if slack is present. To actually hear the clunk in your case it should be quite findable by vision as well.

In a lot of cases you can even just visually spot the movement of loose parts in relation to others. Remember to check the ball joints as well. The method of doing this will usually require a jack under them. Or ask an alignment shop if they would quickly check and determine what is needed before they do an alignment. Telling them you will change any parts out before bringing it in. Some shops will look on this request as okay. Some otherwise perhaps today. It only takes a guy that knows what he is doing a few minutes.

you can definitely feel a clunk in the inner tie rod once you remove the boot or squeeze it enough to feel the ball end.

Most probably the inner tie rod ball is shot - the rack is pretty heavy duty, if you are also considering in wallowing around the road, then do address the front lower control arm bushings and also the rack mounting conical bushings. They allow for a incredible amount of slop in the steering.

If you do choose to replace the inner tie rod only then please always counter hold the rack itself when loosening or tightening the inners. If you dont you apply stress to the pinion gear against the rack teeth.

if replacing the rack, the correct fluid is surely ATF - use a good very low foaming type like mobil1 or buy a liter of the febi branded yellow fluid from NAPA, its about 12 dollars. And do replace the power steering fluid container as it has a built in filter. - to refill/flush/bleed the system, undo the return line from the little container, plug the nipple - fill with fluid, cycle steering left to right with wheels off the ground. once the whole 1 liter is in, connect the return line back and cycle the steering some more. It should have settled down.

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

A big thank to everyone for your help. Yesterday I slid the boot forward on the drivers side and by feeling the ball on the inner detected some movement. So I will order up inner and outer tie rods plus boots. I did not sense any movement in the rack but working alone and shaking the rotor one handed didn't give the best leverage. Bushing are something that I had not considered but maybe should be replaced considering the age of the vehicle. Oh when looking at what teeth that I could see on the rack they look like maybe they could use a little grease. Is it OK to add some and if so what kind? Thanks