Regarding the strut mounts (which sounds like with your car, doesn't apply) I should of added that the strut mounts can be deceptive in that even though the top surface shows maybe just a little cracking, underneath they can be trashed.

The real way is to view them from underneath where the shock top connects. In the long-gone 87 190e 2.3 this was the case. Tops looked generally fine, but one day I started to get an awful clunking on low speed turns. I changed them (they were trashed) and the result was wonderful. More solid feeling front end and the front end ride compliance was greatly improved.

I beleive you model you can replace the ball joints without having to replace the whole lower A-arm. If you haven't done something like this before, read up on it or have someone who knows how to do it, do it.

Often when replacing the ball joint, it is easy to remove the A-arm (after carefully compressing/securing the front coil spring). If you go this route, consider buying the complete A-arm and you get the A-arm bushings with it.

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)