Help me pass my safety inspection! - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

cirrusman · #1 10-08-2010, 01:10 AM

So here I am, my car's tags expired in June and I haven't been able to pinpoint what's failing it. Sent it to do emissions and safety. passed emmisions with flying colors but they failed my rear boots (which I had rigged with duct tape for the time being... I know I know, some of you want to slap me in the face...) so I replaced the boots. Went again and now they failed me for a leak in the fuel system. Fine, fixed that too. Went back and then it was the tie rod ends, with an advisory on my ball joints... Mph! okay, replaced them. Got the upper ball joints just in case, but didn't put them in as they look like they can hold for another year or two. Now I go today and they failed me for my lower ball joints (ah, LOWER ball joints) and strut bushings. AGH!

So anyway (and excuse me for venting here...) Here are my questions. Are the upper and lower ball joints interchangeable or do I have to get the lower ones now?
Second, what's the strut bushing? (noob! I know...) I've googled, binged and yahooed the term and they all agree on "control arm bushing", which I can get easy for $5 apiece. Is that the same thing?
Third, I haven't found a thread or DIY on lower ball joints on a w126... anyone can point me in the right direction?
Thank you kindly in advance for your understanding and your advice!

whunter · #2 10-08-2010, 02:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cirrusman

So here I am, my car's tags expired in June and I haven't been able to pinpoint what's failing it.
Sent it to do emissions and safety.
passed emissions with flying colors but they failed my rear boots (which I had rigged with duct tape for the time being...
I know I know, some of you want to slap me in the face...) so I replaced the boots.
Went again and now they failed me for a leak in the fuel system.
Fine, fixed that too.
Went back and then it was the tie rod ends, with an advisory on my ball joints... Mph! OK, replaced them.
Got the upper ball joints just in case, but didn't put them in as they look like they can hold for another year or two.
Now I go today and they failed me for my lower ball joints (ah, LOWER ball joints) and strut bushings. AGH!

So anyway (and excuse me for venting here...)
Here are my questions. Are the upper and lower ball joints interchangeable or do I have to get the lower ones now?
Second, what's the strut bushing? (noob! I know...) I've googled, binged and yahooed the term and they all agree on "control arm bushing", which I can get easy for $5 apiece. Is that the same thing?
Third, I haven't found a thread or DIY on lower ball joints on a w126...
Can anyone point me in the right direction?
Thank you kindly in advance for your understanding and your advice!

Possible bushings are, sway bar end, upper control arm, lower control arm, guide rod, or guide rod mount.

Go back and make them show you what a strut bushing is, as there is no such on your front steering/suspension..

The upper control arm is the ball joint.
The lower ball joint is pressed in/out of the steering knuckle.

The W123 and W126 lower ball joints are done with the same tools/procedure.

Suspension:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=142397

layback40 · #3 10-08-2010, 03:29 AM

Sounds like they are taking you on a wild goose chase !!
I would of thought that when they give you a list, thats it.
You get those items fixed & they pass it.
Whats with this thing that they continue going over & over finding new things they are not happy with?
Are they saying that they didnt do the previous inspections properly?
Sorry if I am ranting a bit, I am not in your location & have no knowledge of what the rules are, just common sense & that appears to be lacking on the inspectors part.
Are they Sh#tty because you are not getting them to do any of the work?

cirrusman · #4 10-08-2010, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

Possible bushings are, sway bar end, upper control arm, lower control arm, guide rod, or guide rod mount.

Go back and make them show you what a strut bushing is, as there is no such on your front steering/suspension..

The upper control arm is the ball joint.
The lower ball joint is pressed in/out of the steering knuckle.

The W123 and W126 lower ball joints are done with the same tools/procedure.

Suspension:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=142397

Thanks a Mil Whunter, I didn't think that strut bushing existed. And that's a nice wealth of articles I couldn't find before... I spent about an hour or so going through them and I think i know how to do it now. Thanks so much!

cirrusman · #5 10-08-2010, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by layback40

Sounds like they are taking you on a wild goose chase !!
I would of thought that when they give you a list, thats it.
You get those items fixed & they pass it.
Whats with this thing that they continue going over & over finding new things they are not happy with?
Are they saying that they didnt do the previous inspections properly?
Sorry if I am ranting a bit, I am not in your location & have no knowledge of what the rules are, just common sense & that appears to be lacking on the inspectors part.
Are they Sh#tty because you are not getting them to do any of the work?

I really think so, Layback40... I've taken the car to 3 different shops to try and avoid that but they still do it... I always get a quote of how much would I have to pay to have this or that thing fixed. The boots were going to be $300 *each axle* "Because it's a Mercedes"; did that myself and paid $60 for the boots. The fuel leak, $125 or more, depending on what parts did they need to get, "because it's a Mercedes". I tightened the main filter's bolt with a wrench, fixed that for free. The tie rod ends, $150 each (labor included, bless their hearts), got the tie rod ends for $30 both and put them in myself, thank you very much. Now they quoted me $210 for the ball joints. This ones are going to be a bit of a pain to get in and out as I understand from reading all those articles, but it is doable. I can only assume that they were either trying to sell me "Halogen light fluid" wth those strut bushings or that there's something there they don't know what to call and called it that name (because it's a Mercedes, I'm sure. That little Mercedes song is getting a bit old now), I'll go back there and have them show me what is it that they're failing me for...

whunter · #6 10-08-2010, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cirrusman

I really think so, Layback40... I've taken the car to 3 different shops to try and avoid that but they still do it... I always get a quote of how much would I have to pay to have this or that thing fixed. The boots were going to be $300 *each axle* "Because it's a Mercedes"; did that myself and paid $60 for the boots. The fuel leak, $125 or more, depending on what parts did they need to get, "because it's a Mercedes". I tightened the main filter's bolt with a wrench, fixed that for free. The tie rod ends, $150 each (labor included, bless their hearts), got the tie rod ends for $30 both and put them in myself, thank you very much. Now they quoted me $210 for the ball joints. This ones are going to be a bit of a pain to get in and out as I understand from reading all those articles, but it is doable. I can only assume that they were either trying to sell me "Halogen light fluid" wth those strut bushings or that there's something there they don't know what to call and called it that name (because it's a Mercedes, I'm sure. That little Mercedes song is getting a bit old now), I'll go back there and have them show me what is it that they're failing me for...