1987 300D SPLASHY rear end? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Dieselkraut23 · #1 07-04-2008, 10:28 PM

Hey guys got me one O them there 87 300ds! No seriously though i have a 87 300D with a #22 head and just over 190k on it...the car is great, but when it shifts on the freeway it feels like someone is out side pushing the back of the car from side to side....its like this wierd shift wabble. Thing is it will only do it when it shifts....i work on w123s and w126 and have worked on some new E and S class cars from 97-2000 and this thing has me stumped.

I looked under the car thinking it was some bushings in the LCAs but only one out of 4 looks like it might be on its way out and doesnt seem to be the culprit.

Anyt houghts? BTW the flex discs are fine too.

Johnhef · #2 07-04-2008, 11:34 PM

check the bushings in the links in the rear suspension, typically when looking at the hub with the wheel off, the one that usually causes that feeling goes at an angle toward the front of the vehicle connecting the top of the hub to the top of the subframe.

Dieselkraut23 · #3 07-04-2008, 11:47 PM

can you circle the part in this pic for me and do you need a spring compressor for the repair?

Johnhef · #4 07-05-2008, 12:17 AM

here ya go

No spring compressor necessary. if you can easily turn it side to side with your hand, the bushings are shot. Check all the other ones in the area as well, one of them is bound to be causing that feeling if not that one.

Dieselkraut23 · #5 07-05-2008, 12:46 AM

Son Of a *****! NONE! of them are bad they are all nice and firm.....what else could it be it only does it when the car shifts or has a heavy load and hits a bump while turning.

sixto · #6 07-05-2008, 04:42 AM

Define firm. Even when the bushings are shot there's enough tension in the system that the struts feel firm to hand pressure. It might take the weight of the car to reveal looseness. Take a good look at the inboard and outboard bushings of that and the other struts. Is the bolt centered in the eye of the strut?

Another item that goes bad is the bushing between the control arm and the knuckle. I can't find a picture of the fitting but the part is available from Phil.

A quick though inconclusive test is to tighten the lugnuts with the car on the ground (is there another way?). If the wheel shifts relative to the car, that bushing is probably bad. Of course an upper diagonal strut (described above) with worn bushings can have the same effect.

There's also the control arm inboard bushings and the 4 subframe bushings. I'll bet the swaybar end links are a little worn too.

Sixto
87 300D

Johnhef · #7 07-05-2008, 09:18 AM

don't forget diff mount bushings.

gsxr · #8 07-05-2008, 11:14 AM

Congrats on the new ride... especially with a #22 head!

You may want to read this article about the 1987 300D/TD if you have not yet seen it.

Anyway, it sure sounds like the typical rear torque strut problem (see first photo below). If those links don't look like they've even been changed, they're probably shot. Note that the new link is redesigned and a lot beefier than the original.

The wheel carrier bushings are also suspect... these are pretty hard to see, most people don't even know they're there (see second photo). The subframe mounts are another possibility (see next photos). I pulled my entire subframe out of the car, replaced all 5 links on each side, both carrier bushings, all four subframe bushings, and all four differential mounts. At 200kmi, all these parts are usually due for replacement. The photos below are all from this directory on my website with pics of my subframe project.

Old forward subframe bushing:

New forward subframe bushing:

Old rear subframe bushing:

New rear subframe bushing:

New rear diff mounts:

Subframe removed: