DIY front end work - W108? I need your knowledge and experience
 

Hello friends,

I recently purchased a 1973 280SEL 4.5 with 59,000 miles. When I saw the car I got a chubby immediately and the sage advice of getting a PPI went out the window. The car started right up and drove beautifully for a test drive. After 1200 miles, one of my buddies told me he smelled gas and suggested it might be running rich, so I took the car to a shop that is familiar with the M117 engine/W108 Chassis. I asked for a 60,000 mile service and a thorough Post Purchase Inspection (PPI). The repair quote was $4,000.00.

Sticker shock:

My daily driver is a Porsche Carrera, so I am familiar with the cost of parts for a German car. I also know that expert mechanical labor is a bargain at $67.50 an hour. However, I was not prepared for a $4,000 expense with this car after owning it for two weeks.

"I get by with a little help from my friends":musicband

My list of stuff to repair breaks down into 3 categories: (1) Worn front end parts to replace, (2) Leaking seals to replace, (3) Rear brake caliper and brakeline leaking.

This thread will focus on the Front End work, and I will post two more for the other stuff. I did a search and checked the DIY articles first to see if someone else might have already posted the knowledge and expertise needed to safely do this job. I plan to take photos and label them as I work my way through this job so future DIYers can benefit when they find this post.

I am absolutely fearless when it comes to car repair. I starting working on cars when I was sixteen and own most mechanical tools including an engine hoist and wheel alignment kit. What I don't have yet is the Mercedes Benz service manual for the W108, which is an obvious must have to work on the car. But, I worked on my 911 Carrera without the Porshce service manual, instead relying on the information available on Pelican Parts and the Haynes manual.

This is what the PPI says I need for the front end:

Replace tie rods left and right

Replace idler arm bushings

Replace steering damper

repack front wheel bearings

This is the list of parts:

Lemforder ~ OEM tie rod end - 000 338 52 10 and 000 338 50 10
Febi ~ Idler Arm Repair kit - 126 460 08 19
Sachs ~ OEM Steering Damper 000 463 51 32
Laso ~ Wheel Seal 003 997 93 46

The parts quote was $200.00 and the labor quote for this was $500.00, not all that much, but I want to do the work myself.

Where can I find the information I need to do the job? Is there a particular manual that has step-by-step instructions? Is there a page on the web with pictures? Is there a secret handshake or a German password? How do I avoid getting decappitated by the spring in the front end (reference to Bain8250)?

Thank you in advance!

Thought you might like to see a picture...

Break down your restoration into three parts.

First and foremost is the brake repair! The utmost responsibility ANY driver has is control of their vehicle. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you say," But isn't being able to steer your car more important"? No it is not! If you can't stop that 4000lb piece of steel then being able to guide it's path of destruction ain't a whole hell of a lot of good.

The front end repairs you mention are extremely simple and do not involve any beheading chances as opposed to the control arm repair as mentioned in the previous thread.

You'll find lots of people willing to give you the tips and tricks you need to do the simple repairs. We tend to clam up when there is a chance of major body injury or possible death due to a newbie's attempt to try something which is beyond their experience level. "But how do I learn"?, you learn by helping someone who has the experience for a couple of times NOT by jumping in and trying it because you read the instructions.

Think about this analogy. There are lots of books on how to swim but would you jump into a fast flowing river for your first time just because you read the book?

Thank you Mike! I plan on doing all of the jobs before returning the car to the road. The front end work just happened to be the one with the most parts, and more mysterious to me than the brakes.

Whenever you are ready, we are willing to help.

I like to do the job mentally, before I even jack up the car. Where will I find a step-by-step plan? Do I need the Mercedes Service manual?

I have done all of these jibs in the past year to my 108. Having the Mercedes service manual is necessary but you can get the CD from your local dealership. The CD has everything on it for your current jobs. If you have any questions let me know. I would be more than happy to walk you through them. Some of your jobs very easy. The steering damper is very straightforward. All you do is remove the connecting bolts and change out the damper.
I am about to upload my repair job for the steering and suspension on my 108. There will be part in it about the wheel bearings. I just can not get the photos onto the post.
I'm like you in wanting to the repair myself to reduce the cost. Check ebay for the manuel. Even if cost $150 it is worth ever cent. It makes the haynes maunel look like a comic book and the CD does not cover everything.
Good Luck

Prices are astronomical all over the map for Vintage MB parts and labor, generally yer paying for ignorance on the part of mechanics, twice resale price for parts plus the sucker factor of being "wealthy" mercedes owner. I do not believe you need the shop manual at all. Brake calipres and hoses are common sense.

Steering dampener is $39 part and easy 2-bolt DIY work. Figure about the same for each tie-rod. Any decent wheel allignment shop will handle tie-rod installation along with half assed allignment. And repacking/replacing wheel bearings aint any different from Chevy of the same era.

You can knock out old tie-rods using fork ball joint separating tool, but will need the car professionally alligned anyhow. If it was me I'd throw plenty of parts into it myself, then get it professionally alligned at the *dealership* for caster, camber since most shops just handle toe-in. Plus the dealership will grease all the fittings and provide tech prognosis on kingpins. Lesser known fact is dealerships offer expert wheel alignment at/near $120. Just got my 116 dealership aligned and made all the difference in the world.

$700 you've sited for suspension work sounds high to me unless you live in Hollywood. And $4000 60k service probly covers everything like ignition wires, fluid changes etc that everybody can easily do for themselves.

Hi,apart from the wheel alignment you may not need to visit the shop...
For the brake caliper rebuild,the procedure is just the same as on Porshe fixed brake calipers:
http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/911_caliper_rebuild/911_caliper_rebuild.htm
get the caliper repair kit from the dealer (35$$),or any on-line store (19$$),but of course first you need to verify the manufacturer of the brake system(ATE-TEVES probably,or Bendix).
http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.asp?TP=1&F=108019&M=130%2E980&CT=F&cat=232&SID=42&SGR=001&SGN=01
As you see from the pelicanparts link,it`s a pretty straightforward job(done it twice).If the pistons are stuck,get the calipers soaked for couple of days in a cheap dot3 brake fluid,don`t use pertoleum fluids as you may damage the 2 small o-rings that seal the two halves of the caliper.Don`t separate the calipers either!This gentlemen,however,did:
http://www.dembski-minssen.de/ricklef/mercedes/Restauration/Anbauteilen/slides/2002_0223_164524AA.html
http://www.dembski-minssen.de/ricklef/mercedes/Restauration/Anbauteilen/index.html

If the situation is hopeless,new calipers(1/2 the dealer price) or remanufactured are sold...
For the wheel bearings,you can use the w116 manual,if you still have no w108 one:
http://handbook.w116.org/matrix6.htm
http://handbook.w116.org/Chassis%5C33-310.pdf
http://handbook.w116.org/Chassis%5C33-320.pdf
things are similar,and I suppose the 2 roller bearings are just the same(the seal may not be)...
Same thing with the idler arm bushings:
http://207.210.95.34/~boostd/FrontSuspension/idlerarm/
http://handbook.w116.org/Chassis%5C46-520.pdf
...install the bolt the way you found it,as the self-locking nut points up or down on different models, AFAIK.
The steering shock is used on w108/109/110/115/w116/w123/126 models,get a quality brand like Stabilus/Sachs-Boge/Bilstein,stay away from febi or Vaico...
Renew all brake hoses,the metal brake lines are very cheap at the dealer(10-15$$),with a nice green anticorrosion coating..
Check also the DIY section of the forum:
http://www.peachparts.com/Wikka/DoItYourSelf

Another useful link-type in your VIN here:
http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb.asp
To order tech literature or CD(now very cheap)
http://www.mbusa.com/heritage/index.do
...go to Classic centre/Technical lit.
Good luck!