Need Leaking Steering Box Help needed
 

Does anyone have any experience with repair of leaking steering gear box? My options are to install a seal kit @60.00 plus labor or install a repair kit @129.00 plus labor or spring for a rebuilt unit for @500.00 plus labor. Is seal worth time and effort? Also, fluid leak has soften front lower control arm bushing. How hard is it for a DIY to replace bushing? Car is a 1991 500sl. It has auto suspension and ASR. Thanks for any info, feedback or suggestions.

A trick I learned from an old timer was to add a very small amout of brake fluid to the Power steering fluid. If you are lucky it will recondition the old seals. It takes a little while to work its way around the system, so be patient. It fixed my steering box leak - that was 2 years ago. You might consider trying that before going for the big bucks.
Replacing the lower control arm bushing is a DIY under certain conditions.
In the process you need to compress the front spring and that is to be approached with extreme caution. Read about it in the archives! If you decide to do it-then please do so with the correct tools .
good luck

Leak
 

I just used some additive (4 dollars) that has a guarantee to stop seal leaks...I will get you the name...It worked for me...Jim

I would reccomend this,
If you are going to do it yourself and have another car to drive, buy the seal kit and do it yourself, if you don't have another car to drive, buy the rebuilt unit for $500. If you are going to have someone else do it then look at the labor and cost of each scenario and determine your best price. In the future always remember to replace your power steering fluid and filter every year. The steering box bolts to the side of the sub-frame on a 129, there is the arm that connects to the tie-rods, you have to get a forked puller to remove that, when you do you may have to replace the center link if you tear the seal. (It is almost impossible not to with the puller) When you reinstall you have to use an allen with a wrench to tighten the center link back in. Also disconnect the fluid lines and the connector for the steering wheel. Also replacing your control arm bushings is not fun. Follow prior reccomendations, using the right tools and etc.. If you are in the MB club, find a member that has done it before in your area and buy him a beer, or three. Keep an eye on that stuff, be sure to check all the rubber underneath, depending on how bad the leak was, it could have damaged more rubber. I would repair the leak, then clean everything with a nice environmentally friendly degreaser, then after a few days crawl under there and check out all your bushings, depending on how long it has been leaking they may be ok. Are you expereiencing any problems at speed? Shaking? vibrations? Do one thing at a time.