!988 190E Strut mount replacement........
I did a search only to get confused... do I need to elevate the car and rest the lower control arms on a jack stand to be able to just replace the fromt strut mounts?
I am help a freind and they want $375 to change just the top strut mounts( not strut) on this vehicle... this was a independant MB shop.
The reason I asked is that I read where someone did it in under 20 minutes for both top strut mounts??
I am not concerned about time as much as doing it righ and safe.

thanks

great forum btw

Jack the front of the car up. Place jack stands underneath the front subframe (not on the suspension). Remove the front wheel(s). Place a floor jack under the balljoint to support the control arm. Remove the nut on top of the strut shaft (goes through the strut mount). Lower the floor jack to allow the strut shaft to come out of the strut mount. The floor jack is needed to keep the spring from fully extending.

Replace the strut mount, raise the floor jack, replace the nut on top of the strut, and put the car back on the ground.

It's a straightforward job, but might take a bit longer than 10 mins. (max 1/2 hour per side).

Steve.

__________________
'93 190E/D 2.5 Turbodiesel 5-speed (daily driver)
'87 190D 2.5 Turbo rustbucket - parts car
'84 Dodge Rampage diesel - Land Speed Record Holder
'13 Ram 2500 Diesel
'05 Toyota 4Runner

I pulled my struts three years ago to replace the dust gators. Also pulled the top mounts and jounce bumpers for cleaning and inspection - they were all okay.

Jack the front end up using a wood block between the jack cup and cross member and place the jackstands under the control arms as far outboard as possible, and make sure they have good contact with the control arm and are centered in the longitudinal direction after you lower the car onto the jackstands.

The weight of the car will keep the springs compressed. Removing the strut is a fairly simple job with the right tools. You need a metric hex or torx to keep the strut shaft from turning while you loosen the top nut with an offset box wrench.

IIRC the bottom of the strut has only two bolts (and a locating pin) that tie it to the knuckle. Be careful when removing the ABS sensor wire from the plastic holder. They get brittle with age and break easily.

Duke

Always be conscious of safety when working around the springs. I personally don't like putting jack stands on the control arms themselves. Jack stands should be used on a solid, unsprung part of the car. Additionally, you may want to let the control arm down somewhat to allow better access to the strut. That's why I recommended putting the jack stands on the crossmember, and a floor jack under the ball joint area of the control arm.

Steve.

__________________
'93 190E/D 2.5 Turbodiesel 5-speed (daily driver)
'87 190D 2.5 Turbo rustbucket - parts car
'84 Dodge Rampage diesel - Land Speed Record Holder
'13 Ram 2500 Diesel
'05 Toyota 4Runner

Have you ever pulled a strut? Placing the chassis on jackstands and using a floor jack to support the control arm is about as dumb as crawling under the a car that is only supported by a floor jack, not jackstands. Sheez!!!

If you place the jackstands under the control arms, the weight of the car will keep the springs compressed, and it is safe to pull the struts. If the jackstands are properly placed the only thing that's going to knock the car off the stands and pop the springs is a magnitude 8.0+ earthquake if you're within a few miles of the epicenter.

If you really are safety conscious, you need to think about the advice you give real hard. It is VERY ill-advised!

If the control arm needs to be dropped to remove a spring, then then you place jackstands under the chassis and use the jack to lower the control arm and it should be safety chained to limit its vertical movement if the jack slips or slids out. Jack have rollers because they need to move due to the arc of the lifting arm, but for this reason they can also slide out from under the control arm due to the lateral force as it drops down.

Duke

I just replaced both struts and both shocks on my 190D a couple of weeks ago. I did run a safety chain through the springs to prevent the springs from accidentally "getting away". I am a professional engineer, and understand the forces at work in automobile suspensions quite well. However, I disagree that placing jackstands under the control arms is somehow safer than placing jackstands under the subframe, and using a floor jack to control movement of the lower control arm. I think that it is easier to remove and re-install the struts if there is a way to move the control arm up/down as needed. Your method doesn't allow for this movement. Both of the methods we have described will probably work, but we could have just as easily told the original poster to follow the factory service manual instructions to the letter.

SteveM.

__________________
'93 190E/D 2.5 Turbodiesel 5-speed (daily driver)
'87 190D 2.5 Turbo rustbucket - parts car
'84 Dodge Rampage diesel - Land Speed Record Holder
'13 Ram 2500 Diesel
'05 Toyota 4Runner