87 190e: Upper shock mount repair- Bumpa lumpa bumpa

[haasman]

Bumpa lumpa bumpa ... the sound kept getting worse.

I figured replacing the original shocks (219k miles) would cure it .... it did not.

Every time taking a left turn (unweighting the left suspension) I heard it. Then the sound could be heard on rippled roads. Driving me crazy!

Not a heavy loose metal on metal component sound. Hard to at first determine exactly where it was coming from, front or rear.

Now I knew the upper shock mount had a small crack in its rubber but when I replaced the shocks (in a hurry) I didn't turn the mount over to check.

I finally bought a new mount, un bolted the three 13mm mount bolts, took off the 17mm center nut, raised the car with a floor jack to keep the left front wheel on the ground but just enough to remove the rubber mount. Easy to do, no more than fifteen minutes in and out.

If your upper rubber shock mount has even a little crack in it, beware you are headed for the bumpa lumpa bumpa .....

Inspection underneath revealed that half the mount was simply pulled away from the inner metal piece. Thus the surrounding rubber was softening the pounding from the upper shock piece.

FastLane sells the Strut Mount for $34.20 (Retail $43.00)

Installed the new one and now quiet. No more bumpa lumpa bumpa sound AND the front end feels much more compliant going over bumps and the like.

Ahhh ....

Love these cars,

Haasman