... I'd noticed a sort of creaking sound when turning the wheel to the right at slow speeds, coming from the left wheel, so I thought I'd check it out. Now, my checking out involves me wedged under the car with a low-powered flashlight, feeling around for problems I wouldn't recognize if they hit me in the face (which they do, since the car is on the ground). Anyhow, I couldn't really see anything obvious, so I went to look at the other side to compare ... well, my spring is completely cracked at the bottom on that side, like a displaced fracture, and it looks like it's been that way for a while. I haven't noticed any change in the way the car rides, but that can't be good! I also noticed that the tie rod ends on the left and right look different ... the bushing seems "flatter" on the left side (but looks/feels intact), while the one on the right sort of looks stretched out. Right tie rod end seems to be rotated so the top faces the back of the car instead of the sky. Is that abnormal? I'm not familiar with what these things are supposed to look like. I am pretty certain there is not supposed to be a huge, grotesque split in my freaking spring coil ... heh.

I'm taking this to the indy next week anyway, and will ask him all this then, but just curious what you all think. What else can I look for on the left side?

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1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

If not the spring making the noise, I'd suspect a ball joint going bad. As for everything else, if you're planning on coming next saturday, I can save you diagnosis $ at your indy and check it over for you while you're here.

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

I was thinking about coming down ... haven't ruled it out. I do have to work that evening, but don't have to be in until 6 p.m. so it would be doable. Just a question of how much driving I want to do. Do you think it's a good idea to put on a lot of miles with the steering/susp noises, plus the broken spring? I can tell the spring has been cracked for a while, so I doubt it's going anywhere, but I'm still learly of driving it around like that when I have the Jeep sitting here (the FINALLY repaired Jeep ... what a saga for something really simple). I'm taking it in the the Indy anyway early next week to talk to him about lifters, so I might have him just look at it then ... my dad and I have known him for a long time (my dad knew him long before I was born), and he's very fair about helping with that sort of thing. If I just have something simple that I'm concerned about, he'll usually just glance at it without charging, unless it requires some sort of disassembly, cleaning, etc. So depending on what I decide to do about the lifters, I may or may not show up with the Benz ... if I do, I'd be delighted to have you knowledgable folks inspect the suspension bits.

Hey, if the Benz is out of commission, would anyone be offended if I showed up in the diesel Jeep?

__________________
1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)