Let me vent. My 91 300te 4matic is making the most irritating squeak from the passenger side wheel, turning the steering wheel in either direction creates a terrible squeak, if I hit bumps in the road I get a very minor squeak.
My idler arm bushings are brand new, my sway bar bushings are brand new, all boots on the steering linkages are newish and intact with no tears or oily spots. The shocks and tower bushings are newish (3yrs).
The control arm bushings are old but since the sound is 95% associated with turning I suspect the lower ball joint - but it is newish (3yrs), shows no signs of boot damage...
When I am under the car, the noise from turning the steering appears to be coming from the lower ball joint, I suppose I should replace the lower ball joint but I am not positive that is it...
I have tried pulling back the boot and injecting oil to see if the sound will temporarily go away but no positive results yet.
Ayayayayay!

Just change the lower ball joint. This is nothing new.

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600SEL '91
300E 4Matic '88
240D '83
280SE '77
350SE '73
The most complex systems can fail in the simplest way.
Contra verbosus noli contendere verbis, sermo datur cunctis, animi sapientia paucis.

i don't believe in the lord! He's never bought me a Mercedes Benz.

Lower ball joint replaced on my 91 300te 4matic and sound is gone but...
I stripped the bolt running through the pinch clamp accidentally (of course), and have temporarily fitted a grade 5 nut and bolt in its place until I can get the proper nut and bolt from the dealer. How much danger would I be putting myself in by driving with this incorrect bolt and nut?

I don't think a grade 5 bolt is up to the job. Lots of stress there. I'd want to get the correct bolt from MB.

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1988 California version 260E (W124)
Anthracite Grey/Palomino
Owned since new and still going strong and smooth
MBCA member

Past Mercedes-Benz:
1986 190E Baby Benz
1967 230 Inherited from mom when she downsized
1959 220S Introduced me to the joys of keepin' 'em goin'

There are only 10 kinds of people in the world--those who understand binary and those who don't