I've noticed that when driving at interstate speeds if apply much pressure to the brakes on my 300TD, she'll kind 'shift' to the right...but if i let off the brakes she'll straighten out. Doesn't seem to have the same effect when approaching stop signs or traveling at relatively low speeds.

Has anybody ever experienced this sort of thing from having BAD LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS? the lower bushing on my right side is trashed...the rubber is peeling out, and it's not sitting 'square' anymore because of the bushing collapse.

Or is this symptomatic of BAD STRUT ROD BUSHINGS? I've heard that usually the symptom of those going bad is a 'knocking' sound when making hard turns...which i have none of.

Or, finally, would you suspect a braking issue? I've got relatively new rotors/pads/hoses/rotors front and back.

I could really use some help...

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-lee
'83 300CDT (286k)

former proud owner of:
'85 mercedes euro 300TD
'80 mercedes 300TD
'77 mercedes 280e
'80 mercedes euro 250
'82 mercedes euro 250

I'd suspect brakes. I'd pull the front wheels and look at the pads, rotors, and calipers on both sides. I'd guess that the pads on one side are trashed, or that the caliper on one side is siezed and not braking like it should.

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The first likely culprit is one of the brake calipers...........the one opposite the side of the pull.

The second likely culprit is one of the guide rod bushings...........the one on the side of the pull.

The SD has plagued me for years with a very slight pull to the right at high speeds.......heavy braking. Finally did both the calipers and the guide rod bushings on BOTH sides. We'll see............

Also, the W126 can pull if the bushing or the bracket that supports the stabilizer bar is not functional...........due to battery acid decomposing the bracket on the right side. The bushing and bracket are directly below the battery.

x3

If it affects the braking only during/after highway speeds, it is probably heat related, caused by a dragging brake. Lift the car and spin the wheels by hand to see which one(s) are not releasing properly.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

+ another for frozen caliper.

I fixed a frozen caliper on my '85 and that cured the diving while braking.

FWIW it stops straight now even though my guide rod mounts are trashed (tomorrow's project)

dd

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'85 300D, 'Lance',250k, ... winter beater (100k on franken-Frybrid 3 Valve Kit)
'82 300D, 'Tex', 228k body / 170k engine ... summer car
'83 300TD Cali Wagon 210k, wife's car

i actually checked the front brakes last week, (even though both front calipers were replaced only 5k ago) and the RIGHT side wheel wouldn't turn without a LOT of effort, so i replaced that caliper and expected the problem to go away.
of course, i still have the "pulling" problem...

i just went out in the driveway and lifted the car...with a "normal" amount of pressure to whirl the tires, the RIGHT side now spins freely 3 times around, but with the same amount of force, the LEFT side will only make it around ONCE.
last week i would've thought that once around was normal, b/c the right side wouldn't budge...now i'm not so sure.

does it make sense at all that the symptom would be the same even after i replaced that right side caliper?

if i can reproduce the "pulling" problem after only driving for 30 seconds, could i assume a seizing caliper isn't the problem because maybe there hasn't been enough time for heat to build up?

__________________
-lee
'83 300CDT (286k)

former proud owner of:
'85 mercedes euro 300TD
'80 mercedes 300TD
'77 mercedes 280e
'80 mercedes euro 250
'82 mercedes euro 250

If it was a caliper problem, I explained to you in post #3 that the caliper opposite the pull is the culprit...........and you changed the caliper on the side of the pull...........therefore, no soup for you.

well, the RIGHT side caliper definitely needed replacing. That wheel wouldn't budge.
so now there's a disconnect...if the right side caliper was much worse off than the left, and it's now been replaced, why would the symptom continue to be the exact same?
know what i'm sayin'?

__________________
-lee
'83 300CDT (286k)

former proud owner of:
'85 mercedes euro 300TD
'80 mercedes 300TD
'77 mercedes 280e
'80 mercedes euro 250
'82 mercedes euro 250

You're using the evidence of a rotating wheel as the sole parameter of a caliper problem. In reality, unless the disc was heating up, there was no issue with the right side caliper. It's the left side caliper that probably has partially stuck pistons............if the caliper is the issue. No assurance of that.

You can remove the pads from the left caliper and see if you can easily force the pistons back into their bores. If you can.........you rule out the caliper as the problem. If you can't, then you've got to change the caliper and hope that the caliper was the issue.

This is what I would try. It will be pretty obvious if the caliper is seized, you won't be able to squeeze the pad in to remove them. Or you won't be able to squeeze the piston in all the way.

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left side caliper replaced.
problem solved.

i'll did not understand why in the world the car would pull to the RIGHT when the LEFT side caliper was dragging, (seemed inverted, to me), but i guess the caliper was frozen up a bit such that even though it receives the same amount of pressure from the master cylinder, it simply can't apply as much pressure to the disc (by virtue of being 'stuck')...

thanks, y'all.

__________________
-lee
'83 300CDT (286k)

former proud owner of:
'85 mercedes euro 300TD
'80 mercedes 300TD
'77 mercedes 280e
'80 mercedes euro 250
'82 mercedes euro 250