The frontend in my 300D was pretty tight yet I still had the "123 wander" ie: some play in the steering. After a really close inspection I found significant play in the idler arm bushings. The looseness only was visible when I pulled the passenger wheel from side to side while lying under the car (on jackstands of course). I installed an idler arm rebuild kit, the slack in the steering is almost gone now and the car tracks better. Hope this helps someone out... RT

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When all else fails, vote from the rooftops!
84' Mercedes Benz 300D Anthracite/black, 171K
03' Volkswagen Jetta TDI blue/black, 93K
93' Chevrolet C2500HD ExCab 6.5TD, Two-tone blue, 252K

When my idler arm bushings were worn out it felt like my tire was out of round by about an inch! The swaying motion at slower speeds was just unreal, unfortunately it didn't help my wheel play at all but it sure made it a lot better to drive!

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Jeff M.
Mercedes W123 DIY pages are now located here.
1983 / 1984 300D Sold
2000 CLK430 Cabriolet ~58k Sold
2005 Avalanche 4x4 ~66k

EXACTLY, how did you get the darn bushings out? My uncle and I tried different things and couldn't get them out. All we managed to do was to break off the think washer like part on the bottom. We were doing this on a lift so access wasn't a problem. Please let me know because I am about to call a local indie to have him do it. He also says 2 hours for an alignment if everything goes right. How does an alignment take at least 2 hours? Granted I don't really know how they do it, but I don't want to have to pay $120 for a front end alignment. he charges $58 an hour, so I assume it would run about $120.
Thanks
David

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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Is waht I mean is, what do you use to get between the upper and lower bushing on the inside of the tube?
Thanks
David

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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Oh yeah, I am speaking of the 1979 300SD if that made a difference. (Mine has the same idler setup though).
Thanks Again
David

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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The alignment shouldn't be anything different than really any other car, it is just a two wheel alignment. If your shop does fancy work they'll lock the steering column with the wheel straight. I pounded the top one out with a flat head screwdriver from underneath and the bottom one out from above with a long 1/2" drive extension with the perfect size socket for the OD of the socket to fit great into the ID of the fitting. Using a 2lb hammer with plenty of strikes it came right out.

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Jeff M.
Mercedes W123 DIY pages are now located here.
1983 / 1984 300D Sold
2000 CLK430 Cabriolet ~58k Sold
2005 Avalanche 4x4 ~66k

How large was the screwdriver?
Thanks
David

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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It was the largest one that I could find. Luckily it caught the edge of one of the bushings so I could pound it out!

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Jeff M.
Mercedes W123 DIY pages are now located here.
1983 / 1984 300D Sold
2000 CLK430 Cabriolet ~58k Sold
2005 Avalanche 4x4 ~66k

If you have play in the steering, checking the idler arm is, of course, a good idea, but why stop there? You already have the car in the air so it's time to exercise the four P's. Push, Pull, Pry and Prod on every joint under there. Don't forget the steering box.

Be thorough.

Good luck,

A punch or chisel will also work to beat the top idler arm bushing out. I used vice grips to pull the bottom bushing out.

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Brian Toscano

Larry, I've done all that. Since the 3 r's, I have replaced the upper control arms, lower ball joints, and the bushings that go one noth sides of the upper control arms. I think those go to the sway bar? My lower control arm bushings didn't look or feel bad so I am good to go. The lady i bought it from had the rear sway bar links replaced in the rear right before she sold it. She didn't know what they replaced but I know the mechanic and talked to him. I just need to get the idler bushings done and then adjust the steering box.
Thanks
David

P.S.
I couldn't get the idler bushings out at my last attempt a couple months ago so I just replaced the bolt. Can I reuse the bolt that I put in there? It is the one that came with the kit.

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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I've had to use air hammers with variuos attachments on ocasion to remove bushings, never done a MB yet though. I've also burned rubber one's out with a torch...

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One more Radar Lover gone...
1982 VW Caddy diesel 406K 1.9L AAZ
1994 E320 195K

Not that I'd say it is a good thing but reusing a bolt of that size in grade 8 like it is, is more than likely alright being it doesn't have an insane load of torque on it.

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Jeff M.
Mercedes W123 DIY pages are now located here.
1983 / 1984 300D Sold
2000 CLK430 Cabriolet ~58k Sold
2005 Avalanche 4x4 ~66k

4 wheel alignment.
That is I have witnessed them being done done.
Cheers

Sorry I didn't get back to this post sooner... I was able to grab the bottom bushing with a very large pair of Channellock pliers and twist, rock, pull it out. Then I used the old bolt as a punch to drive the upper bushing up and out. Wasn't too bad but obviously yours is way more stubborn. RT

__________________
When all else fails, vote from the rooftops!
84' Mercedes Benz 300D Anthracite/black, 171K
03' Volkswagen Jetta TDI blue/black, 93K
93' Chevrolet C2500HD ExCab 6.5TD, Two-tone blue, 252K