Are all w124 rear control arms the same? I've seen kits that basically say they are for all w124's ??? So a 260e and a 500e rear control arms are the same?

Can't be 100% sure for 500E, but I pretty sure they are all identical, including wagons.

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2008 Black Mercedes E350 4Matic Sport - 131k
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Thanks

Have fun with the bolts closest to the chassis I know I did!

Make sure you have a great assortment of different length extensions including wobble ones... Main issue is not enough space to get a big enough ratchet to tighten them to the 100 or so nm they require for torque. Its not impossible, but you may have to fiddle around until you find the right angle.





Ignore that my camber arm upside down for future readers!!...I soon found out after a clunking noise on bumps and turned it around

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2016 Monsoon Gray Audi Allroad - 21k
2008 Black Mercedes E350 4Matic Sport - 131k
2014 Jeep Wranger Unlimited Sahara - 62k
2003 Gray Mercedes ML350 - 122k

Ps, were you able to change all of them without dropping the subframe? Good on you, I could only figure out how to change one of the links without major surgery, which I didn't want to perform.

Rgds,
Chris W.
'95 E300D, 357K

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Objects in closer are mirror than they appear.

Did not touch subframe...Like I said, its just a little fiddly. A few of them are easy to reach though, its more of the ones closest to the body that are the issue.

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2016 Monsoon Gray Audi Allroad - 21k
2008 Black Mercedes E350 4Matic Sport - 131k
2014 Jeep Wranger Unlimited Sahara - 62k
2003 Gray Mercedes ML350 - 122k

After changing them did you notice a difference?

One of the 4 is different on the wagon. Dave has a picture on his site that shows what the difference is. I'll see if I can find it.

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1987 300TD 309, xxx 2.8.2014 10,000 mile OCI


Be careful of the toes you step on today, as they may be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow. anonymous

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter won’t mind.” Dr. Seuss

The main/lower control arm (LCA) is different on the wagons... but the other links are the same on all 124's. I don't have a photo showing the two LCA's next to each other since I don't own any wagons (yet).

FYI... when installing the control arms, it is CRITICAL to not tighten the mounting bolts with the suspension fully extended, i.e. with the car jacked up. The bolts must only be tightened in the "ready to drive" position, with the axle shaft approximately level, and preferably at the level it would be with the full weight of the car on the wheels. The easiest way to do this is to measure your normal ride height from wheel center to fender lip, then remove the rear spring, jack the control arm up to the correct distance (wheel center to fender lip), remove the wheel, tighten all the bolts, then re-install the spring. If you don't do this, you will (a) drastically shorten the life span of your new bushings and (b) end up with abnormally tall ride height as the bushings will all be under tension and preventing the car from settling down normally.

The bushings are bonded and are designed to return the suspension to the normal/center position, as shown in this video.


The subframe arms are shown below, the LCA is the standard (non-wagon) LCA. You can use the fancy alunimum torque arm on sedans/coupes, I put it on my 300D when I did the subframe rebuild. Naturally, it costs twice as much as the steel version:

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Dave
Boise, ID
Check out my website photos, documents, and movies!

If I change the arms other than the lower control arm will I feel a difference the the ride or handling or both, cuz one of them is creaking on the R/R pretty bad?

Depends if any of the arms you replace are actually bad or not. Creaking noises are often from the support joint in the bottom of the rear wheel carrier, an item that is often overlooked. Photos are here:

http://www.w124performance.com/images/W124_subframe/wheel_carrier_joint/

Thanks,
I'll check it out!

That's on top of the list for the TE when the weather warms up, along with the LCA bushings

Thanks for a reminder of your extensive DIY photos.