The front suspension on my 300cd is driving me nuts, everything is new, all bushings, tierods, ball joints, shocks etc are new.

My suspension problem currently: I hear a popping/clunking noise near the passenger's footwell, at 0-40 mph, going over small bumps and changes in elevation in the road. The suspension also wanders on the highway. The gearbox has about an inch and a half of play.

The noise started after I took the car to the Mercedes dealer for a proper alignment, my mechanic took it to Midas to do the alignment. (The suspension was tight and clunk-free when I got it back from my mechanic, later tire wear indicated something was still wrong, so I had the alignment redone)

I have searched "clunk" "pop" and others, and it seems to me that the cause of the clunks similar to mine is the Guide rod mount or bushings. I know the mount has been replaced on my car, but I'm not sure where the bushings are or if they were done right. Any way to check the mount or bushings for clunks or play? I have a jack and stands, and I have done the shocks and right UCA myself. Is there anything I can do to find this clunk myself, or should I just plan on taking the car to a Mercedes indie to throw more money at it? Unfortunately I don't think the MB dealer techs knew how to work on my car correctly.

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1980 240d
1999 SL500

You could jack up that corner. Take a pry bar several feet long and apply a little pressure and see if anything moves or makes the noise. Start by applying pressure under the front tire and find positions that allow you to put a little stress on various components. Just block the car up well prior to prying. You are not going to bend anything by doing it.

1984 300d Turbo 146k
My Clunking Was The Front Shocks Not Center, The Top Of The Shock Hits The Sides Of The Hole And Clunks, Take Top Nut Off And Center The Shock In The Hole, No More Clunks At Small Bumps

Maybe the even surface of the garage matters? I tightened the top bolts down in my garage where the floor isn't completely even, it's angled to lead water to a drain. The right top shock tower went up lower than the left into the body. I also re-used the old bushings on the top, the new ones didn't allow enough room for the shock top. I'll re-do the top bolts tomorrow and see if it helps.

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1980 240d
1999 SL500

Then they are installed incorrectly. One bushing on each side of the sheet metal.

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

I just lifted the car and removed the wheel, took off the top shock bolts, the nut popped off the stud and flew in the engine compartment. When I did the UCA on the right, the UCA ball joint shaft would not be completely attached to the (control arm part), there is 1mm of difference between the rubber boot and the metal arm. There is nothing inbetween the ball joint and the arm on the other side where there is no noise. This was as tight as it went, I was supporting the lower control arm with a jack, I did not want to raise it too much because I was lifting the car by the LCA.

Could the ball joint hitting the arm be what I am hearing? The car made the same clunking noise before and after the right UCA repacement though. Also the same noise before I put in new shocks.

I centered the shock better and tightened and put the nuts back on the top of the shock, went for a drive, same clunking noise I'm hearing from that area.

This is a picture of the upper control arm and the 1mm of gap.

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1980 240d
1999 SL500