I am in the process of planning a bit of a front end suspension re-build for my 92 400E. Therefore, I want to scope out trade-offs in selecting replacement part
vendors? Ignoring the obvious choice of MB parts from the dealer.

Specifically, looking for opionions on cost vs. quality for the following particular categories:

1. Control Arms(Left & Right Lower Front): Lemforder or Ocap or other suggestions? I am thinking of a loaded control arm i.e. with ball joint &
bushings included.

2. Tie Rods(Left, Right and center link with all ends): Lemforder? Others?


Any thoughts? Recommendations?

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Matt
____________________________
92 400E 128K
99 GMC YUKON 88K

The only brand close to factory is Lemforder. Febi-Bilstein and TRW are pretty good stuff, but Lemforder will only be a little more.

Anything heavily endowed with rubber I would get from MB.

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Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

Steve,


What please clarify "Anything heavily endowed with rubber I would get from MB">

Would you recommend him to purchase the new control arms from MB instead?

I thought the febi rubber bushing were quite good. I'm not finding a huge difference between aftermarket vs Dealer wholesale prices, hence when I rebush the 86' all the parts except struts and shocks will be OE.


Michael

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Michael McGuire
83 300d
01 vw A4 TDI
66 Chevy Corsa
68 GMC V6 w/oD
86 300E

I ended up purchasing a Febi-Bilstein control arm and am delaying the tie rods

__________________
Matt
____________________________
92 400E 128K
99 GMC YUKON 88K

Update on this thread:

-Finished replacing both front control arms (with new ball joints and a-arm bushings) with Febi-Bilsteins.... with some big help from a friend!

-HUGE difference in ride quality....the old ball joints were a little "loose"
but the bushings did not visually look that bad. Finally, rides like a mb should...it had always seemed very "discombobulated" over small bumps and imperfections in the road.

-Need to get a camber/caster alignment but I am holding off until I can get a new set of strut mounts in there.... and possibly tie-rods...that should get the front end into near original condition except for the struts.

__________________
Matt
____________________________
92 400E 128K
99 GMC YUKON 88K