Replacement of guide rod mount

[JDmills]

Has any one replaced the guide rod mount on your car? My 84 300 TD was a southern car and most of the rubber is junk. I am looking at replacing the upper and lower control arm bushings, sway bar bushings (all, front and rear) and I am woundering if the guide rod mount could be replaced as well... I have made the assumption that there is some rubber in the mount that has dried and cracked/shrunk in the last 20 years of abuse. Also it seems as if it would be best to have the car aligned soon after, what does the adjustment on the guide rod do to the alignment? (Caster adjustments?)

Jason

[jcd]

That's the approach that I took 1 year ago. However, I had a tech do it as replacing the mount bushing, on the lower control arm, required removal of the spring. i was not gutsy enough to remove the spring, not did I have the tool.

What a difference it made, as the at the end of the day I had a full front end rebuild.

Alignment is key as well, and you will find that your tires wear much more evenly, if you get it aligned after doing the work.

[JDmills]

I am about to order all kinds of front end stuff, the whole shootin match.
Hope the car drives like new...

[dannym]

Hey,
You better do a search on spring compressors before you kill yourself.
A friend of mine is lending me his heavy duty Snap-on spring compressor this weekend. I'll let you know how it works.
The tool your supposed to use is the Klann spring compressor.

Danny

[Cateaux]

Here is a slightly used Klann compressor on Ebay. The bidding is at $199 with less than two days to go. If I had the discretionary income at the moment...

[boneheaddoctor]

I never had another Benz apart yet but my W116 springs were under 4" of compression when the fron suspension is fully unloaded with the tires in the air.....so those springs are under a LOT of compression....

[Cateaux]

Originally Posted by boneheaddoctor

I never had another Benz apart yet but my W116 springs were under 4" of compression when the fron suspension is fully unloaded with the tires in the air.....so those springs are under a LOT of compression....

Yep. I've yet to remove MB springs but I need to do the rear on the saggybutt 300D. When the time comes, I don't plan on risking my life using the wrong tool.

[boneheaddoctor]

Originally Posted by Cateaux

Yep. I've yet to remove MB springs but I need to do the rear on the saggybutt 300D. When the time comes, I don't plan on risking my life using the wrong tool.

Exactly....these are not like your average McPhearson strut assembly that may have 1/2" to 1" of preload on the springs....for those who have not done it before do not know just how much they are compressed.

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by Cateaux

Yep. I've yet to remove MB springs but I need to do the rear on the saggybutt 300D. When the time comes, I don't plan on risking my life using the wrong tool.

I changed rear springs on the SDL last night. Took 2.5 hours. I have the Klann clone which works just fine.

The need for a "Klann" is overrated, IMHO. It's no effort, whatsover, for a 15 mm thread to put 2000 lb. of force onto the coils. You do need a compressor of similar design to reach up between the coils. The room in the rear is pretty tight.

I'm going to rent this one out at a very attractive cost in a few weeks. It works very well with virtually no risk for anyone with any aptitude whatsoever.

[Cateaux]

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

I'm going to rent this one out at a very attractive cost in a few weeks. It works very well with virtually no risk for anyone with any aptitude whatsoever.

Well, just let me know where the line starts

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by Cateaux

Well, just let me know where the line starts

Get all your parts together for the job and send me an e-mail. We'll take care of you.

[JDmills]

So am I to understand that removing the front or rear shocks, while the spring is compressed, (with a floor jack) is NOT the way to do such a removal? No problem, will have a local indy do the work.

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by JDmills

So am I to understand that removing the front or rear shocks, while the spring is compressed, (with a floor jack) is NOT the way to do such a removal? No problem, will have a local indy do the work.

You must release the top nuts that hold the top of the shock to the body while the vehicle is on its tires. Then, when you lift it, the trailing arm (rear) or lower control arm (front) will continue further on down and stop on the subframe (rear) or on the body (front). The shock is now free to be removed. The spring has no force on the shock. Normally, when you lift the vehicle, the wheel continues downward until the shock stops it's travel. It would be dangerous to attempt to remove the shock in this condition.

In the front, you can change quite a few things without a spring compressor. Lower control arm bushings are one of the few items that require it.

In the back, it's the same deal. Nothing requires you to remove the spring, unless you are going to do trailing arm bushings. I will say, however, that it is far more pleasurable to do subframe bushings with the springs removed.

[JDmills]

I am considering replacing the rear springs... as well as rebuilding most of the front suspension. Sounds like it can be done safely, with out a spring compressor.
Brian, If I was to take the front springs out, then replacing the lower control arm bushing should be easily done.. Right?

Jason

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by JDmills

Brian, If I was to take the front springs out, then replacing the lower control arm bushing should be easily done.. Right?

Well, you must remove the springs to do the lower control arms because the spring sits between the body and the arm.

As for changing the LCA bushings, I have not done it personally, but, it might cause you a little bit of grief to get the bushings out and the new one's installed.

Check the archives on Lower Control Arm bushings. I'm sure that there is more than enough info on it.