Shock question - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

mpolli · #1 09-22-2004, 01:32 PM

First question:

What exactly is the little shock absorber on the steering linkage for on my C230? It appears to be leaking fluid. If I replace it will I notice any difference?

Second question:

Is there a good way to test my shocks to see if they need replacement? The car has 134,000 miles now which is quite a lot, but I suppose it is possible they are still OK. The only problem I notice is when I go over a speed bump (not that fast) I hear a little "chirp" sound. Not sure where it is coming from though.

Thanks,

Mike

manny · #2 09-22-2004, 06:03 PM

First answer:
It's a steering damper. Takes the " wiggle " out of the steering when you go over bumps. Very cheap ( $ 30.00 ) to replace.
http://catalog.eautopartscatalog.com/mercedesshop/sophio/wizard.jsp?partner=mercedesshop&clientid=mercedesshop&baseurl=http://catalog.peachparts.com/&cookieid=1AM13H66E&year=1997&make=MB&model=C-230-001&category=M&part=Steering+Damper
Second answer:
At 134 k miles, I would replace the shocks.

The only " real way " to test a shock, is to remove it from the vehicle.

mpolli · #3 09-22-2004, 06:42 PM

Manny,

Thanks for the fast answer. So once I have them out of the car then what do I look for? Also, when replacing, can anyone recommend a particular brand? I have heard some say KYB is good, and then the opposite. I have been dealing with Germanstar but I don't know what brand they have. Theirs are 89.95 I think.

Thanks,
Mike

Hatterasguy · #4 09-22-2004, 06:50 PM

Bilsteins are the only way to go, and I beg to differ. Mercedes shocks are very high quality, they might be fine at 130k are they leaking?

mpolli · #5 09-22-2004, 07:06 PM

No. I really have no reason to complain other than the little squeak that I mentioned. I really hate little squeaks, but if I spend 400.00 and still have the squeak I will be a bit unhappy. Not sure if shocks can make this noise. I have never had any cars that did this before.

nglitz · #6 09-22-2004, 08:13 PM

It's highly unlikely that the squeak is coming from a shock absorber. More likely a rubber part or a shield flapping around.

In my humble opinion, shock absorbers are one of the more oversold items around. People that advocate replacing them regularly are the ones making money off them. Rarely, if ever, does one "wear out". They may leak due to nicks from rocks hitting the shaft or dirt wearing through the seal. This is why there is typically a boot over that part.

True, the "real" way to test a shock absorber is on a shock dyno. These beasties are rare!! I've only ever seen one and that was in the Koni trailer at a Can-Am race at Lime Rock.

Twenty some years ago.

The vast majority of us settle for the old jump on the fender routine. Pulling it off the car and running in in & out by hand is a waste of time. Hulk Hogan isn't strong enough to move that piston fast enough.

My opinion: if it hasn't leaked, it doesn't need replacing. OTOH I've seen some that all the juice leaked out of so long ago, that the shock was dry again. Turn it upside down & the piston would fall to the other end. Its mate on the opposite side of the same car, was fully functional. They both got replaced.

psfred · #7 09-22-2004, 08:31 PM

Bilstein or Sachs shocks (the OEM ones on Benz) are always high pressure nitrogen compensated, meaning that there is a separate piston in the bottom (or top in the case of older F&S shocks) that keeps the oil under pressure and prevents air getting in as the fluid slowly creeps out of the piston seal. The result is very long life as you never get air in the operating part.

What happens instead is that the rod piston eventually starts to hit the compensating piston as it rises from fluid loss. This causes the car to ride VERY hard and the shocks to knock badly. This is when you know they need to be replaced.

KYB are similar, but they don't last as long and are somewhat harder than Bilstein HD shocks, so you may not be happy with them.

Both my W124 chassis cars have the original shocks and struts, both have more than 200,000 miles. Ditto on my brother's W126. I put a pair of used Bilsteins from a 1967 230S on the 280 SE, rides like new.

Don't bother to replace them unless you have typical "bad shock" ride, tire wear attributable to bad shocks, or they knock too much.

Peter

manny · #8 09-22-2004, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpolli

but if I spend 400.00 and still have the squeak I will be a bit unhappy.

You should investigate the squeak a little more.
I was not implying that new shocks would cure your squeak, just simply saying I've never gone 134 k miles on shocks......except Bilstein's that I've installed myself.
Heck, the Bilstein's on my truck have 200 + k miles on them and are still like new.

mpolli · #9 09-23-2004, 12:31 PM

I really appreciate all the good advice. I will change the steering shock just because I can't stand to see that little drop of fluid hanging on there. Gives me the willies. I will give it the old bumper squash and see what I think. I think I have a date with the suspension shop in my future so this will get addressed then. Now if anyone could help me with my d*** wiper then I would really be happy...

manny · #10 09-23-2004, 03:17 PM

What about your wiper.
Is it sticking, not working ?

mpolli · #11 09-23-2004, 03:42 PM

I had another thread going called "one arm wonder wiper misses a spot". It misses a little pie shaped area to the drivers left. I have put in a new insert from the dealer and that reduced the are of the missed spot about 50%. I looked up the specs on the arm and there was a spec for clearance from the "gearhead" to the windshield of 5 to 8mm. Mine is around 9 so I tried to adjust it using the vague instructions from AllData "slacken bolt #2" and I could not improve it. I had a suggestion to put on a new blade, and I have no opposition to spending the 30.00 or whatever, but don't really see how that will help. I have a theory about the plastic "spine" of the insert binding slightly with the "claws" of the blade but not sure how I could really lube these areas. The windshield has been replaced but I don't think they have to mess with the wiper mechanism to do that. If you want to bump the old thread that would be fine with me. I think it was last active about a week ago.

Mike

manny · #12 09-23-2004, 07:04 PM

Not sure if this will be of any help to you, but it's interesting just the same.
http://members.lycos.nl/mbenz/windshield_wiper.htm

mpolli · #13 09-23-2004, 07:58 PM

Thanks very much!! That is a huge help to me. I was wondering how to get all those covers off in case I wanted to try adjusting the wiper assembly further. (I don't know why anyone would want to park the wiper vertically though, guess it is a "subwoofer" kind of a thing - I'm so cool my wiper stands straight up...) So now I know how to take it apart and tweak to my hearts content. I am wondering if possibly the replacement windshield could have had a slightly different shape to it which could affect this? My biggest clue is that it only skips on the drivers side, even though it should be perfectly symmetrical. The wiper "gear head" does appear to be tilted ever so slightly toward the passenger side. I tried to make some fine measurements of this last weekend and came up with something like 1 degree (can't remember exactly). So I was thinking I might try to shim it a bit to even it out.

Thanks,

Mike

manny · #14 09-23-2004, 08:56 PM

Why have a vertical wiper?
I don't know, maybe he is a salesman for Viagra.

mpolli · #15 10-20-2004, 11:46 AM

I should have originally titled this "Squeak from front end of C230". Any way, I have tracked down the squeak and it was the front sway bar bushings. This seemed logical since the only time it would squeak is when I would go over a speed bump where both sides experienced the same amount of "bump" at the same time. If I hit a bump just on the left or right side then no squeak. So I changed the bushings and now... NO SQUEAK. As far as the steering damper, I changed it because it was leaking and I find no difference in handling other than the steering feels a little "heavier", more like I am driving a bigger car. I wonder if they put that in there for the same reason they used to put the big piece of metal in the plastic telephones, to make them feel more substantial.

Mike