Guide rod mounts, how hard to complete??
 

I need new guide rod mounts but if there isn't any danger of total failure i'll just wait on it for a few years.

How hard is it to replace them? Is there a write-up of how to do it?

On the resources tab at top of screen, then DIY articles there is a pictorial on the 126 chassis. I don't know how different the guide rod install is on the 123. It's not a complicated DIY just can be a PIA DIY.

a W123 looks totally different I think.

Not sure on the DIY. But one important thing is that your lower control arm bushing/bearing is in good pliable condition because your going to have to jack the control arm forward to get the mount off. I can post some pics of the work I did on this later if you like.

my lower control arm bushing aren't in very good shape. I think i'll just hold off on the rod mounts until I re-do the whole front end.

I covererd it in here: http://www.peachparts.com/Wikka/W123FrontSuspension

thanks i'll need that in the future.

This is a great write up. I thought I had invented the truck lug nut and long bolt with nuts and washers to flare the LCA sleeve trick but it looks like you did it first.

Maybe you did, I just wrote that up a few months ago.

Just in case you still want to try it. Here are some pics of the guide rod mount removed without taking the lower control arm off. Again, this should only be done if the Lower Control Arm (LCA) bushing is pliable because it puts a tremendous angle/stress on it.


Pic 1. marked the guide rod position and loosen the bolts in the rear. I think they are 13mm. Also loosen your shock from the top so it can angle forward easily as you jack it out.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1225310539


Pic 2 and 3. Put a portable hydraulic jack (an example from Harbor Freight) into position. I used the weight of the vehicle on the jack stand as a base and pushed against the lower control arm with a block on it. I have the floor jack underneath for extra support just in case the jack stand slips.

Jack it out until the guide rod mount clears it's resting spot and you are able to unscrew it from the rod. The suspension will be pushed way forward and will look fierce and scary. But this is OK if your LCA bushing/bearing is good and you have the top of the shock loosen enough.


http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1225310547
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1225310558


Pic 4. Install the new mount to the right location and release the pressure.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1225310710

Pic 5. Tighten everything to spec.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1225310738


.

thanks. I don't think I should be playing around to much with my LCA bushings, they look pretty bad. Did it damage your LCA bushings any?

No not at all. LCA bushings are pretty durable and can take a lot of smooshing if they are not rotted out.

related question
 

Great write ups and advice on front suspension work...maybe you can help me. I have done a complete front end rebuild on my 84 300tdt:
New Bilstein comfort shocks
New wheel bearings
New ball joints
New guide rod mounts (at footwells) and mount kit (at LCA
New upper control arms
New LCA inner bushings
New tie rods
New drag link
(also new rotors, pads, rebuilt calipers)

My problem is that I still have bumping noise at the front end. It only happens (or is most noticable) at low to moderate speeds (15 to 30 mph or so) only when going over "washboard" surface (dirt road, section of patch paved road, railroad tracks)...the type of surface that will cause the front end to rapidly go up and down...almost a vibrating motion. What I hear is a very noticable bump, bump, bump....far down at the wheel....it sounds like a bad ball joint, except that I never hear the true symptoms of a bad ball joint..a pronounced bump at a big dip in the road. This sound sounds like something is loose. I looked at everything...tightened all bolts, made sure rotors were tightly attached to the hub, and so forth.

What I am trying now as we speak is coating the backs of the brake pads with that sticky stuff that is supposed to quiet disc brake squeal..I am thinking that maybe the pads are banging around in the calipers...I usually put this stuff on the pads, but i didn't do this the last time I did pads, when i did ball joints (I will really be surprised if this fixes the noise).

I am pretty much as wit's end...I even rotated the tires to see if the rims/wheels were causing the noise (cracked rim?). The noise is definitely at the wheel/hub/LCA area, Not at the foot wells, not up high near UCA.

After I do the sticky coating on brake pads, there is absolutely nothing else I can think of. I also checked to see if there is any other loose item....AC related, bad motor mounts (but these are recent), engine shocks, etc. But I can't find anything that is loose.

Any suggestions? Am I missing something obvious?

Thanks in advance,

Mark

mark, im almost certain the part making the noise is not in your suspension.


I have the same exact thing going on in my 126 on the driverside. The last three days i replaced everything except the drag link and tie rods (boots still good and no play). I still have the damn knock! I then remembered how I once left a screw driver in the engine bay (driverside, underheadlight assembly) and it made a knocking noise exactly like a ball joint every time i hit a decent bump at low speed! I found the tool, removed it and no noise. Then a few months ago i got the damn noise again! I figuered it was a ball joint, but my test drive just now tells me its not (because I just replaced them all). The car now rides like an s class and sounds like one except for the knocking still. Frustrated i opened the hood and started looking around for loose things (especialy near the wheel wells) and found my ac reciever dryer was completely loose. Im going to go drive it now and see if it fixed it.


tl;dr check for loose parts in engine bay before freaking about ball joints

Didnt fix it. But I did find a bump on my street that made the knock so i tried hitting the bump with the brakes applied and NO NOISE. Must be pad knock. Ill put some disk break quiet on the back and report back in