easiest way to check front struts...
 

Hey everyone! My 92 300E is in need of new rear shocks, and I was wondering what the easiest method was to check the front struts. I checked the cd manual, and all methods require removing the strut from the car. The rear was checked using A.)visual identifcation of leaking fluid and B.)the old fashioned push on the back and watch how many times the car bounces before stopping. Is there a similar method to evaluate the front struts? The reason I am concerned is that the car makes funny hissing noises when it passes over speedbumps (when the front end passes over the bump), and it has been riding like a caddy recently....

Did I stump the crew? Come now... somebody has gotta know....

I just replaced the rear shocks on my 1992 300D 83k, because they were leaking. I never gave it any thought to replace the front struts (they seemed fine) However as soon I installed the rears it became obvious that the fronts needed replacing too.


Wayne
1992 300D

Waynes test method is the one I use. When it no longer drives right it's time to change them.

Have a great day,

Evaluating the front is the same as the back, if the car bounces, it is time for new ones.

ok, so ill have to give it the bounce test. I really don't know how the car is supposed to drive... since ive had it the shocks have been leaking, the tires have been almost bald, and this alignment problem that wears down just the outside lip of the tires (not both lips as would be the case with low pressure, just 1 edge on both right side tires) has been there, so I guess I can't just "feel" things out... oh well...

seems like you have an assortment of problems to your
front end. obviously you need an alignment, you may
however consider doing the other parts while you are
in there, i.e., tire rods, shocks & springs, rubber bushings, etc.

yep, it is just like opening a can of worms.

I took the car to my mech the other day, and he checked over the bushings and tie rods, and said they were in good shape. He did spot the leak on the back struts however. The front struts, like I said, looked fine. I am getting some lowering springs for the car, and I wanted to go to sports all around. I can't, however, put sports in the back and leave the fronts intact, I also don't want to unnecesarily replace the front struts if they are good. Hopefully I can find some type of solution to my car quandry!!! (It seems that nothing works like it should these days, the AC is not cooling, the vacuum pump for the locks died, the shocks and tires, the annoying rattling in the doors, a pathetic output in hp (im running 10 second 0-60s)) Im not quite sure what is the root of all of this, my dad said he took the car in for its scheduled maintenance on time, but I seriosly doubt he would notice anything going wrong with the car untill its almost broke (The state I got the car in) and I don't have the money to fix it up to new... so I just have to pick and choose what gets fixed!!!

Badinfo,
I just changed my shocks with bilsteins after long consideration. I have over 200K mi on my 260E but the shocks pass the bounce test as described by repair manuals and in this forum. (When I push down on one corner of the car, it comes up and stops as advertised). When I had the shocks out, I pushed on the shocks (like an old bicycle pump) to see what kind of response I could get:

- The old shocks still had resistance when compressed but slow to rise up.

- The new ones (bilstein comforts) were a lot harder to compress and bounced really fast (quick acting?)

Based on my experience, after changing shocks on my other cars, most low end shocks only last 3-5 years (30K-50K mi) while the high end ones last about 100K mi regardless of bounce test. They can last longer but with a slower response rate. It's only a matter of taste at this point and what you are willing to put up with.

That's my two cents. Happy motoring. :D

Dennis