Floaty feeling - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

psaboic · #1 10-14-2010, 10:16 AM

Folks, I've been trying to help my cousin for the last two months with his 84 300D. It is really floaty around curves and dips. Not bad on bumps, but on curves you have to watch your speed. On smooth straight roads it is great, doesn't wander or vibrate and feels solid as a rock. On curves and dips though his wife says it feels like driving a boat in choppy water, and she is right.

So far we have changed/replaced all four tires, all four shocks, all front end bushings, tie rods, fresh alignment, tightened the steering box, but it still floats and feels kind of squirmy on dips and curves.

Any ideas on how to solve the issue

Thanks in advance

Stretch · #2 10-14-2010, 10:21 AM

Well - it could be the back end - but that's probably not want you want to hear...

When you say replaced all front end bushings did you also do all of the bushings on the anti-sway bar? 2 on the bulkhead under the master brake cylinder and the battery tray and 4 bits of rubber that connect to the UCAs

Who did the alignment? If you paid someone to do it, did you get any "evidence" in the form of measured before and after caster angles etc?

vstech · #3 10-14-2010, 10:23 AM

... sounds like the anti-sway bar may be broken... inspect carefully.

barry123400 · #4 10-14-2010, 12:04 PM

Since you own a simular car yourself it qualifies or eliminates any normal condition in the other car. You have a direct comparison. As you come off and go back on the fuel pedal do you have to correct the steering as well? If so it could be the rear end bushings etc.

Another thought is to get a good sized pry bar and apply a load to different front and rear end components. You have your own car to compare to if anything is suspicious.

The last thought is a tough one. What brand of shocks were used for replacement? I have seen some new shocks that were almost useless. These cars want something like blisteins. I hope he did not cheap out on shocks.

pawoSD · #5 10-14-2010, 03:10 PM

Floaty might be rear subframe bushings, front sway bar could be broken, or rear sway bar links might be bad or broken. Inspect these items. How is the tightness of the steeringbox? Steering shock? etc...

vstech · #6 10-14-2010, 06:30 PM

I've thought on it further, and I seem to recall that when my swaybar was broken, it really did not affect the ride floatyness... I'm leaning toward shocks now. how much junk is in the trunk (of the car) with it empty how's the ride height?

psaboic · #7 10-14-2010, 09:43 PM

To add more....The shocks were brand new Bilsteins. According to my cousin, he had the Seattle Mercedes dealer replace ALL the front bushings.

I went over and looked at the car and all the front end bushings look new. Rear sway bar looks absolutely fine.....new bushings, no cracks, etc.

Promise not to laugh while I tell you this......I could NOT find the front sway bar on this car! Granted I was laying on the ground trying to wriggle under it in the fast approaching darkness, but I could see no evidence of a sway bar!. Bear with me.....I cannot check on my car as my son has it for the next few days, so tell me, where is the front sway bar located on an 84?

Hell, if this car doesn't have a sway bar (PO removed it???) Then that would explain the problem.

pawoSD · #8 10-14-2010, 10:11 PM

You'd have some major issues if that car had no sway bar. It is on top. It connects into the upper control arm with a bushing. Look in the wheel well above the tire, that is where it is.

vstech · #9 10-14-2010, 10:11 PM

car could not drive without the sway bar. it locates the steering.
the ends of the sway bar pass through the center of the upper control arm. then they pass through the vehicle. common failures are the center connections under the battery tray failing due to rust from the battery. pull the battery and inspect under the tray.

t walgamuth · #10 10-14-2010, 10:29 PM

rear sway bar links.....my guess.

pawoSD · #11 10-14-2010, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

rear sway bar links.....my guess.

I just replaced the upper control arms, sway bar bushings, all shocks (with Sachs touring) rear sway links, and all steering components on my brother's 300D, and it is like a new car in how it drives. You can have a blast in it now and its very refined. It used to be all over the place. The condition of the rear sway links and shocks was horrifying.

New makes the difference!

DeliveryValve · #12 10-14-2010, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by psaboic

......I could NOT find the front sway bar on this car! Granted I was laying on the ground trying to wriggle under it in the fast approaching darkness, but I could see no evidence of a sway bar!. ....

While laying on the ground, you probably won't see the sway bar. As vstech noted, the front sway bar will come off the upper control arm then get buried in front of the firewall in between the engine.

Another thing to check is make sure the car tracks correctly. If it doesn't, then the geometry could get wacked and cause a floaty feeling.

.

t walgamuth · #13 10-15-2010, 05:05 AM

The biggest improvement in an old car which has knackered shocks and tires is new shocks and tires. If you do this on a benz and it still does not feel rock solid the next thiing to look at in a 115, 123 or 126 is the rear sway links. It is just a small bar but if the links are gone the handling is very noticably affected. A person who is not very aware might not notice it but I would in short order and most here would too.

psaboic · #14 10-15-2010, 09:17 AM

Sounds like a check of the rear sway bar links is in order..........next time I get to take a look at it Thanks all, I will keep you posted on how it goes.

Skid Row Joe · #15 10-15-2010, 02:14 PM

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=281741