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  #1  
Old 11-14-2003, 01:26 AM
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Thumbs up Thanks Steve Brotherton!

For those of you that actually read through the many posts "C280's going off a cliff" thread (by me).... I just wanted to say thanks to Steve B. at Continental Imports in Gainesville, FL for finally showing me what was wrong with my car, and fixing it!! I drove from one end of Florida to the other to give the old gal one last chance in Steve and his crew's hands. The car rides fantastic now! In a nutshell, the past 3 sets of lower front control arm bushings weren't installed properly (every time at a MB dealership). Steve basically said the bushings weren't installed with a load on the wheels and instead were tightened with the car up on a lift. He showed me how my bushings warp, load on and off the tires. This all now makes sense - the MB dealerships have lifts that don't pick the car up via the wheels, but by the frame.

Aside from a few other items that need attention, I will be making the trek to Gainesville to have them work on my car - it's worth the mileage!

Steve & Walter, thanks again.

Mark E.

Miami, FL
767Flyer

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  #2  
Old 11-14-2003, 09:28 AM
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Be sure to let your dealer know what they are doing wrong. You might save a fellow MercedesShop member a lot of grief.
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  #3  
Old 11-14-2003, 07:58 PM
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That's really weird they would do that wrong.
The car has to have the caster and camber set on the alignment rack after the arms are installed, which requires loosening the control arm bolts, with the car on it's wheels (on the alignment rack), so, did they not do an alignment or what?

Gilly
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  #4  
Old 11-14-2003, 08:39 PM
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Of course the 202 chassis has no Caster/camber adjustment. There were bolt kits on three of the four positions. I presume they put them as they were due to previous condition or experience. They were set to maximize caster on the right and minimize on the left. The camber was set on the right to the lower setting. This left the car with an appropriate bias to the left.

The bushings were all with a twisted set to them, all four. The rear ones that cause the problem were already cracked. I showed Mark before we actually did the job, but once removed the damage was more apparent. I meant to give Mark one of those bushings. I think its still there.
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  #5  
Old 11-14-2003, 09:19 PM
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OHHHHH! That's right, bolt kits, sorry. Big slip-up on their part.

Gilly
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  #6  
Old 11-15-2003, 05:59 PM
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About those bushings

Steve - I'll be up after Thanksgiving to have you guys work on the rear diff and tranny.

I'm just curious... with these 3 sets of bushings, I went to three different dealerships in S. Florida; Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale and Miami. I'm perplexed that something as routine (I'm guessing) as replacing these things would be done incorrectly at three dealerships (the problem returned after about a week in all three cases). Is there something missing in their manuals or whatever that would cause this? My complaining days are obviously over, but I'm wondering if it's the car lift thing or just a simple oversight. And as far as the bolt kits, was my case something out of the ordinary?


Thanks Steve,

Mark E.
767Flyer

PS - I did take the car back to the dealers only to be told that other "things" were causing the problem. All told - ball joints, drag link, steering damper (cheap), numerous alignments, and numerous high-speed balances and two new sets of tires (ultimately ruined). So, lesson here is that the original problem wasn't fixed and I spent $$$ chasing down the problem.
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Last edited by 767Flyer; 11-15-2003 at 10:44 PM.
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  #7  
Old 11-15-2003, 08:34 PM
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I agree- Kudos to Steve!

I used to live in Delray Beach, and I was never able to find a competent MB mechanic (independent or dealer) anywhere nearby. I ended up calling Steve with my last problem & he was able to diagnose & I had mechanic repair per his instructions.
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  #8  
Old 11-15-2003, 09:38 PM
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Steve, while on the subject of replacement bushing.
Does the same technique applies to the rear suspension bushings/arms?
I had all the rear suspensions arms/bushing replaced on my '89, 260E, along with 4 shock absorbers.
Replacing those bushings/shock raised the back of the car by 2 to 3 inches. There is a gap of about 5inches between the top of the tire and the fender lip.
I went back to the dealer, he said he checked everthing and found nothing abnormal. But it is still way too high.
Thanks
Jackd
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Old 11-16-2003, 08:04 PM
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Anyone?
JAckd
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  #10  
Old 11-16-2003, 08:40 PM
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Yes, they should tighten these up on the alignment rack also.
I'm curious if this is the actual problem or not though. Did they also replace the springs?

Gilly
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  #11  
Old 11-17-2003, 06:19 PM
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Gilly; The coil springs have not been replaced. Only the rear suspension arms and bushings along with the 4 (front and rear)shock absorbers (Boge all around). The front end is at the righ height.
I talked to the dealer again today and he told me that most of the rear suspension arms can not be tighten with the wheels on the car(bolts/nut nearest the wheels) . This would not be the first lie I got from this MB dealer. Any idea?? Thanks
JackD
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  #12  
Old 11-17-2003, 09:42 PM
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Biggest problem is talking to "the dealer" instead of a tech.

Gilly
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  #13  
Old 11-17-2003, 09:56 PM
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Thanks Gilly. I was talking with the shop foreman (in the shop)at the dealer. Is it true that the outside nuts/bolts can not be tighten with the wheels on the car.
What is you opinion on the cause of my problem?
Jackd
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  #14  
Old 01-05-2004, 01:12 AM
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Jackd,

I had the same situation as you did. My ride height rose after a mechanic replaced suspension parts. He tightened everything with the wheels hanging. ABout 9 months later I replaced all the suspension parts myself and tightened the parts with the axle horiztonal/weight resting on the wheels and ride height is now perfect!
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  #15  
Old 01-05-2004, 01:16 PM
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Question- Ever since the front shocks (Bilstein HDs) were replaced on the '91 300E, the front end is too high. Any suggestions as to why?

Haasman

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