Hi, everyone, thanks for letting me join this forum. I have a 95 E420, and I hit a bump yesterday with it and I started to hear a weird noise coming from the trunk. I pulled into a Food Lion, looked down and I saw that the top of the rear shock had came through the Trunk Carpet and was stuck. In 20 years worth or owning and repairing MB products,(I own a small garage), I have never seen anything like this.
Please Help
Thanks, Dave

What's the situation around the upper shock mount? Was it corrosion/rust, or did it actually just push through the mount?

No, it appears to be in good shape, but it did go through the mount into the trunk. ?
Thanks, Dave

I would like to see that. Any chance you can post a pic ? Possibly the shock locked up in it's extended position, but I would think you would have heard a lot of pounding before it let go. Another possibility would be that the car had been in a rather severe accident previously, and was not properly repaired.

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95 SL500 Smoke Silver, Parchment 64K
07 E350 4matic Station Wagon White 34K
02 E320 4Matic Silver/grey 80K
05 F150 Silver 44K

I'll try to get a pic up tomorrow, but I bought the car in 1999 from Valley Mercedes here in NC, with 30,000 miles on it. I have had the car since then, and I rarely drive it. The car has not been in an accident since I bought it.
Thanks, Dave

I had the exact same thing happen in my 1995 E420. Hit a major pothole on the side of the road passing a car, and hear a loud thunk. Didn't think anything of it, but the car was very bouncy. When pulling into my garage, the rear made a loud thunk, so I inspected the right rear. I don't know what made me look in the trunk, but when I did, the top of the shock (chrome rod) was sticking up through the carpet. Not sure why it happened, but my mechanic replaced the mount and the shock and all has been well for over a year now. Glad to know I'm not the only one.

BTW - the affected area had no rust.

Troy
1995 E420 92k

Can someone post a photo. I have a slight clinging noise from the rear when I hit a bump but I can not find anything out of place. It sound like tools/wrenches or some type of light metal clinging together. The noise seems to come from the rear driver side shock. It does not happen all the time. Very light cling whenever I hit a bump with the driver side rear tire. I open my trunk and bounce the rear end up and down and there is no noise. Drive the car over a bump then all of a sudden cling cling. The noise only last for the split second until the car level itself out. Any ideas....

I had this happen after replacing front shocks. Evidently, on one of the shocks ,the bottom bushing was not seated correctly and it slipped allowing the shock rod with the top bushing and nuts to come up. Removed and re installed shock with no future problems.

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95 E420 ( 76K) SOLD
85 380SE(125k)
95 SL500(72k)

I had this happen with BOTH of my Bilstien Sport Shocks, its just a failure of the shock and has nothing to do with the Chassis/body. The rod seperates from the washer that the lower bushing rides on allowing the rod to come straight up. Bilstein said they had a number of "defective" ones, well I bought two!! LOL thank God they have lifetime warrantee. Unfortunatly I didnt have a second car to drive and since each one failed at different times I would drive with just one rear shock...now talk about SCARY handling!!
Chris

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94 E320 with:
18" ///AMG Monoblock II's,AMG Gen II front bumper, H&R spings,500E sway bar, Bilstein sports, Eisemann Exhst, K&N,E500 Headlamps, Crystal Clear Corners, Avantgard Grill ...and more stuff to come! oh yeah 241k miles!!


My Car WOO HOO...... Now SOLD
New car.... 2001 Jaguar XJR!!!!

Exact same thing happened to me about two months ago. Same car even.

At first I thought the worst, that the upper shock mount hole in the car's fender had given way. Turned out to just be the shock itself broke. The washer that held the upper rubber bushings had been knocked down the shock shaft. Only took about 30 minutes to replace the two rear shocks, and I was back on my way. Wierdest failure I've ever seen...


Gary
1995 E320

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Gary Thompson
Georgetown, TX
1995 E320
1984 300D

Okay, once again I open the trunk and removed the rear driver side panel in order to see the shock mount. There was alot of rust or brake dust on top of the shock mount. I notice that the washer on top of the shock was loose. This washer is the clinging noise I was hearing. I remove the top nuts on the shock and tighten the bottom nut onto the washer. After tighting the bottom nut downward I notice that the washer still had a little play. The washer had enough play that you can spine the washer between the bushing and bottom nut. I inspect the other rear shock mount and also notice rust/brake dust on top of the shock mount and the washer was allowed to spine. Is this normal for the washer that rest against the bushing and under the lower nut to be allowed to spine. The washer does not snug itself firmly between the bushing and nut and I can not tighten the nut anymore then its limit.

The shock appear to be in good shape and the noise is no longer there. Do I still need to consider replacing the shock and if so what is the recommended. Thanks for any help.

The top of the shock is mounted to the body by a threaded shaft that has a thick rubber bushing between the shock and the car body underneath, and then on the inside of the trunk, another thick rubber bushing, a flat washer and either one nylock 17mm nut or two regular 17mm nuts.

It sound to me as if the rubber bushing that should be between the shock and the body got destroyed. You may have to remove the shocks (not too hard) and check to see if the bushing needs to be replaced.

Additionally, if the threads on the threaded shaft have been damanged and prevent the 17mm nut(s) from tightening properly, the shock will have to be replaced.

The "dust" you see is most likely the car body getting worn by the loose shocks and rust. Be sure to check the hole and ensure it has not become enlarged (very unusual).

It appears that somewhere in the car's life someone never tightened the top of the shocks. It is very unusual for this to happen at the factory since each critical tightener is paint-marked indicating that the part has been properly cinched. Probably a result of a repair somewhere along the car's service life.

Keep us posted,

Haasman

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'03 E320 Wagon-Sold
'95 E320 Wagon-Went to Ex
'93 190E 2.6-Wrecked
'91 300E-Went to Ex
'65 911 Coupe (#302580)

Look what happen on Florida Turnpike this weekend in a construction zone. Hit a bump and notice a loud noise clinging from the rear of the car. Got out of car looked in trunk and this is what I seen.

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What a bummer.

Yeah, now THAT is a good reason for noise from the rear suspension.

Depending on the extent of the damage to the body, it could be not too bad to repair. Find out whether it is the shock mounts (body) or the shocks themselves.

Also, check the front spring perches (upper) for corrosion.

Sorry about this.

Keep us posted,

Haasman

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'03 E320 Wagon-Sold
'95 E320 Wagon-Went to Ex
'93 190E 2.6-Wrecked
'91 300E-Went to Ex
'65 911 Coupe (#302580)

That's just great.... Now I have another thing to look forward to.

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D