two parter. front drives side grinding and front end rebuild - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

dmooney · #1 08-19-2008, 01:57 PM

drove about 1500 miles two weeks ago through quebec. it was wet and raining most of the time car starts grinding from front drives side over small bumps, when applying brakes, and when accelerating after stop. i figure there is grit somewhere and spray down everything around the drivers side suspension/brake/etc and grease some of the area. grinding stops but then returns the other day. researching here it sounds like it might be the guide rod bushings. any advice would be appreciated.

further research has me wanting to do a front end rebuild but i don't have the spring compressor and some of the other tools. i'm at the stage in life where i would rather learn by doing and do things myself but if the job is a huge pain in the ass and the learning curve too great i'd pay for it. that said the rebuild would probably be 2000 bucks from my understanding and for that amount i'd suffer the aggravation of the learning curve.

any advice or recommendations welcome.

winmutt · #2 08-19-2008, 03:33 PM

The only thing you need the compressor for on the front end is the strut rod LCA bushing. Everything else you can do without.

Shorebilly · #3 08-19-2008, 04:20 PM

I did my 300D back in April, it cost me around $500.00 - $600.00 for parts (I don't wanna look it up at the moment)......that was a total overhaul.....LCA Bushing, Lower Ball Joint, UCA, Tie Rods, Drag Link, Damper, Idler Bushings, Guide Rod Bushings....etc.....I ordered everything from Phil......did shocks the following month.....

All of the rubber covers on the tie rods and ball joints were rotted......

The biggest hassle was with the "spring compressor".......the one that I have from Advance has a slightly larger diameter.......and is a total PITA to get to work.....but it does......!!!

I used a pickle fork to separate all of the joints as I was replacing everything....

AND, the W123 lower ball joint is not easy to install because the location is kind of sunken / recessed into the spindle forging......I got lucky and found a shop with a home made rig that fit into their press......

Initially I had intended to 'Rent" the proper tool for the Ball Joints from Performance Products, but they kinda F***ed up the shipping date, and revised it a couple of times......so I canceled that order.....

I can relate to the "age of reason and learning".......but I could not have gotten the job done for less than about $1500.00+++......the MB dealership wanted over $600.00 in parts, and that was just Ball Joints, and Tie Rods........NOT included were the UCA's and the Guide Rod Bushings.....as well as the steering dampener, and Idler rebuild kit.......

SB

winmutt · #4 08-19-2008, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shorebilly

The biggest hassle was with the "spring compressor".......the one that I have from Advance has a slightly larger diameter.......and is a total PITA to get to work.....but it does......!!!

Please please please do not advocate using anything but a Klann or Klann clone for the front springs. You are quite literally playing with your life.
I helped a guy that bought some vogtlands and tried to use the advanced compressor. It let go under pressure and he had to *dig* it out of his friends cement covered garage.

I was able to do the lower ball join with the autozone press kit and the old ones were WELDED in.

[edit]

Make sure you have some dry ice on hand before you start the rebuild. It did wonders for popping the ball joint and a few others.

dmooney · #5 08-19-2008, 04:38 PM

thanks for the advice. who's phil?

i now have the fear of decapitation, severed limbs etc, because of the spring compressor. it's probably the reason i'd bring it somewhere. lol.

saw mercedes source has a front end kit but i'm skeptical. i thought i read something here whie searching for info that they are **** parts.

https://**************.com/taxonomy/term/22,53

winmutt · #6 08-19-2008, 05:14 PM

Stay away from them.

Phil runs this site and you can buy parts from him using the handy links/buttons at the top. You can always find parts cheaper elsewhere but Fastlane give great service on quality parts. Again, there is only one thing that *cant* be done with the compressor and it is a pretty trivial issue, I doubt that it would even need replacing.

mobetta · #7 08-20-2008, 12:24 AM

grinding could be the ball joint. spray down only 1 item at a time, then u know what it is.

balls are easy enough, no compressor needed. if you get a used spindle from a 123 or 126 w/ a good joint, you can swap them out.

speaking of good joints................

winmutt · #8 08-20-2008, 03:58 PM

If you do the whole spindle you could find a 126 with ABS