as we were finishing the tank strainer cleaning and replacing fuel filters etc. my mechanic said, shall we replace rear sway bar links? I said yes, as I had been intending to get that done for awhile to quiet the rattling in the back end. Just a couple minutes to complete the job... UNTIL removing the lower bolt on the left side link I hear a quick SNAP and my mechanic emit an ominous OH! F----K!

Yep, the bolt snapped off with the stud remaining in the lower control arm.

So five hours later the job was finished. I can't hardly bear to type all the grief he went through to complete the job. Not to mention how many broken wrenches.

Oh well... if you want to hear more of the details maybe I'll get around to describing it in more detail. Let's just say, perserverance finished the job.

__________________
R Martin
Dallas, TX (Addison)

86 560SEL, 128K

It took your mechanic 5 hours to remove 1 broken bolt?

It should have taken him 15 minutes. Drill out the bolt's core and insert bolt extractor.

Ahh...... Trust me Forced, it's not always that easy.... In fact, rarely that easy...... I know; I'm from a farming background....... Broken bolts ALWAYS break somewhere so that one of two things is true:

1: You can't get the drill to it to drill out the bolt.
2: It broke on a slope so you have to grind it flat to drill it out, but you cant get to it with the grinder.......

See my point?

__________________
-Matt

EPA Section 609 Certified MVAC Technician
-----------------
Oil Burner Kartel Member #10

Ahh the smell of Diesel Fuel, it's like coffee in the morning!

My Car:

1982 300SD Turbo Diesel (231,500 miles!) RIP

1984 300SD Turbo Diesel Custom (235,500 mi on driveline.) - On Road!!

www.icsrepair.com

Exactly Matt!!

Forced, have you seen where that bolt screws into the trailing arm!!?? Imagine having to try and drill that out, which is what he had to do eventually, after breaking his EZout. First he tried welding a nut onto the stud. but it just kept breaking a little piece of the stud off each time.

finally had to practically dismantle the entire wheel assembly. managed to get it done without having to remove the bearing assembly which is a HUGE deal to replace I believe. probably would have had to go to dealer to have the bearing play adjusted.

__________________
R Martin
Dallas, TX (Addison)

86 560SEL, 128K

Wow, I think I'll just leave mine alone.

__________________
1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

(\__/)
(='.'=) This is Bunny. Copy and paste bunny into your
(")_(") signature to help him gain world domination

leave them alone if they are not rattling, otherwise i'd try to change them. it's normally an easy fix and gets rid of a very annoying rattle. same mechanic changed them on my 84 300SD without a hitch.

it was just bad luck. thought everyone would enjoy the story

__________________
R Martin
Dallas, TX (Addison)

86 560SEL, 128K

30 minute job

A little Panther P!!s, on the nut and mine was a piece of cake. Longest time was taking the wheel off. sorry to hear about that!
Ron

Took me 20 mins per car to replace. So I did 4 in 40ish mins, they all came out no problem at all....

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Yep... that's how it's supposed to go. He did my '84 300SD without a hitch and the one side of the 85 in about 5 mins. Just dumb luck on the other side bolt.

I know it's SUPPOSED to be easy. Sometimes you just get thrown a curve.

__________________
R Martin
Dallas, TX (Addison)

86 560SEL, 128K

bet those curves are alot better now with new sway bar links

I've seen this very same thing happen on a 126 and we discovered that whoever worked on it last used Loc-tite on the bolt. It took the better part of an afternoon to get that damn bolt drilled out, and that was with the benefit of having the car on a lift and a garage full of tools.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

I have found over the years that heat will soften the loctite and allow otherwise tight bolts to be removed. Care must be exercised as to how you apply the heat. Sometimes a little heat from a soldering iron is enough, other times a propane torch. Acetylene is not necessary to loosen loctite. HTH

__________________
Retired
ASE Master Car / Light Truck
ASE Master Medium Heavy Truck
EVT Master Technician Ambulance
EVT Master Technician Fire Apparatus

"Without Fleet The Pride Doesn't Ride"

1983 300SD 609K + still going strong!
1970 Monte Carlo
1994 Ford F150

this will be my last response.

i have a very good mercedes mechanic. he tried everything mentioned above. like i said before, just dumb luck.

as for drilling out the hole, which is what he did eventually but the bolt would not come out! he BROKE his hardened steel extractor trying to get it out. had to eventually retap the hole. he also broke his tap along with four box wrenches along the way!

obviously those who say drill it out in 15 minutes have not actually seen where that bolt is and the absolute difficulty of even getting a drill to it without taking the whole wheel and axle assembly apart.

so that's all i have to say on this. sometimes s--t happens. he does so much work for me on my cars we just absorb something like this in the mess

__________________
R Martin
Dallas, TX (Addison)

86 560SEL, 128K