'90 SE. 261k

Have replaced track rod mounts, ball joints, tie rods and steering shock. Front end has been checked out professionally and everything is TIGHT.

Front end still clunks/pops when turning and stopping. It sounds (to me at least) like the noise is coming from the center of the front end. If i swerve back forth on the road, the noise goes 'cl-clunk, cl-clunk.'

I borrowed a chassis ear system and have not been able to pick up any noises.

The front end of this car has been clunky since I bought it about 7 years now. Have spent over $1,000 and taken the car to 3 different shops. No one can find the problem.

I want to keep the car but I can't take it any longer. Any ideas before I dump what is otherwise a very sorted car?

Thanks, Mike

__________________
'90 300SE 298k
-300K and it gets put into retirement.
'80 300D 255k Purchased new by family in 1980.

Had a:
1973 220 (gas)
1980 300SD
1992 400E

Didn't someone say they had a problem like this and it was the tranny mount. I could have sworn I read it somewhere

Replaced tranny mount 7k ago.

__________________
'90 300SE 298k
-300K and it gets put into retirement.
'80 300D 255k Purchased new by family in 1980.

Had a:
1973 220 (gas)
1980 300SD
1992 400E

I always look to the caster ball joints and the upper control arms (ball joint) for clunks on 126 cars.

One thing I might add. Years ago I replaced some torn up caster joints because they clunked. I did a beautiful job and took a wire brush to the corroded aluminum casting they press into. Bad idea!!! the car still clunked. It took me a while before I realized that by cleaning the inside of the aluminum subframe the bushing part of the caster joint wasn't as tightly grabbed and the whole bushing was moving in the housing rather than the ball just moving in the socket. I can't remember how I roughed it back up, but I have added packing behind the joint in many cases to add stiffness. Especially to cars with big tire/wheel combos.

__________________
Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

Thanks for your advice Steve. I will be toying with the chassis ear this weekend and maybe I can pin-point the noise. I will listen extra close to the parts you mentioned.

Thanks again, Mike

__________________
'90 300SE 298k
-300K and it gets put into retirement.
'80 300D 255k Purchased new by family in 1980.

Had a:
1973 220 (gas)
1980 300SD
1992 400E

Well I still haven't been able to pick up on any clunk noises with the chassis ear.

I did notice that one of my motor mounts is bad (mark on the exhaust pipe underneath). Since it sounds like (to me) the noise is coming from the center of the car, I was looking at the steering coupler(correct name?), located behind the steering box. Is it possible this part could be worn out?

Mike

__________________
'90 300SE 298k
-300K and it gets put into retirement.
'80 300D 255k Purchased new by family in 1980.

Had a:
1973 220 (gas)
1980 300SD
1992 400E

with a MBZ anything can and will wear out. They are not like theJapanese luxury cars. Subframe mounts will often fail and will not appear loose when just visually inspected. You gotta load them to see if they are good.

A loose steering coupler will be felt in the steering (but of course the MBZ steering gearbox is not recognized for being a no-play box.) Bad engine mounts will allow things to shift around and should be changed ASAP.

Thanks for the fast response kebowers.

I agree that the motor mounts should be changed out and they will be...for the third time in 70k miles.

I wonder if it would be possible to hook up one of the chassis ear cables near the steering shaft?

Mike

__________________
'90 300SE 298k
-300K and it gets put into retirement.
'80 300D 255k Purchased new by family in 1980.

Had a:
1973 220 (gas)
1980 300SD
1992 400E

How about the pitman arm?
I think its the arm that comes down from the steering box. Could that be the clunk?

I've had this problem before on a couple of 114 cars. If you have replaced them allready I wouldn't do it again without some further investigation. maybe the marks are old or something else is amiss. Either way I can tell you that I had clunks that seemed to be in the front end that ended up being engine/exhaust related and if you have replaced the mounts allready then don't waste money replacing them again until you figure out what is really happening.