Lower Ball joint W115 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Kpmurphy · #1 05-17-2011, 01:44 PM

I took the control arm and new ball joint LEMFOERDER I was told to get, to a local repair shop to have the old ball joint removed and new pressed back in. I get it back and the ball joint is not fully pressed in I am not taking it back to the same person, if he could not do it right the first time why would I think he could get it right a second time. As I dropped everything off I said if you do not have the correct tool please do not do the job.
My computer at home took a crap I am not able to post pictures.

Should I just install the control arm and hope the ball joints do not work them selves loose? It’s close but not perfect.

I have searched and searched I cannot find the correct tool to properly press in the ball joint.

Should the dealer be able to take care of this? I called this morning nothing back yet. I am sure they do not want to deal with this.
I am hoping to complete the front end rebuiled this weekend i have everything including new coil springs.

Diesel911 · #2 05-17-2011, 02:42 PM

Was any part of the Ball Joint Lip Bent; or did it just not go in to the lower control arm far enough?

Does the Ball Joint go in from the top or is it pressed in from the bottom of the Lower Control Arm?

Kpmurphy · #3 05-17-2011, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel911

Was any part of the Ball Joint Lip Bent; or did it just not go in to the lower control arm far enough? Nothing looks bent, its just not in far enough 1 looks better than the other. I will take pictures tonight and sneek my camera into work.

Does the Ball Joint go in from the top or is it pressed in from the bottom of the Lower Control Arm?

Presed in from the bottom.

I was thinking about geting some large sockets and try to press in with my vice.

TheDon · #4 05-17-2011, 03:51 PM

might require a proper press. But a vice could not hurt.

Diesel911 · #5 05-17-2011, 10:23 PM

If you press or beat on the bottom of the Joint with nothing to support the other side it may bend the Lower Arm.
You will need some sort of Tube that is slightly larger inside and 1/2 Inch longer than the end of the Ball Joint that has the Boot on it.
I did some searching on the internet and I could not find a Tool that said it would work on a W115.
Places like Autozone have a Free Rental C-press for installing Ball Joints and they come with several Tubes. However, the Tubes are not very long.
There is also a more extensive set of Tubes for use with the C-press that has more sizes and diameters. But, I do not know if Auto Zone has them for rent.
In the Pic I am using a C-press to install a Ball Joint on a W123. I used a Pipe union for the tube for different reason incase a bit of the Ball Joint stuck out of the bottom it could go inside of the Tube.
I did find the C-press to be not easy to keep aligned. They are not precision tools (both of my C-presses are made in China). If you can have someone else there so you have an extra Hands available.
The last pic has shows a box with a set of different sized tubes.

Kpmurphy · #6 05-18-2011, 07:35 AM

I went to AutoZone rented a press pressed out the ball joint to see if everything looked ok. Everything looked ok the press would not work to put it back in, I used a 12 point 46mm socket and a sledge and got it back in, it took several hard swings to get it all the way in. I will do the job myself next time.
Thank you everyone for the input.

I took the rubber boot off and noticed very little grease under it, should I pack it with grease?

Diesel911 · #7 05-18-2011, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kpmurphy

I went to AutoZone rented a press pressed out the ball joint to see if everything looked ok. Everything looked ok the press would not work to put it back in, I used a 12 point 46mm socket and a sledge and got it back in, it took several hard swings to get it all the way in. I will do the job myself next time.
Thank you everyone for the input.

I took the rubber boot off and noticed very little grease under it, should I pack it with grease?

Perfect!

Can't hurt to add more Grease.
When I insalled my Ball Joint in order to use the C-press the Boot had to come off and I re-greased it before I installe the Boot.

Some People keep saying Mercedes are easier to work on. But, I have found myself often haveing doubts about that.

Kpmurphy · #8 06-01-2011, 10:44 AM

When I took off the front coil springs the flat side of the coil was on the bottom control arm. I installed back the same way 1 coil spring looks great and 1 bows out to far if you ask me. Should the flat side of the coil go up with the spring pad on top? This is not the way it came apart. I was reading on the net that the flat side goes up but this was not on a Mercedes.

I may even try swapping coils from 1 side to the other and see if I can get the coil to not bow out so much.

I have the correct coil spring compressor. I am borrowing it from Pierre.

TheDon · #9 06-01-2011, 10:54 AM

What car is this on? From what I see it looks incredibly clean!

If you put it back in the way it came out It's probably fine. It might be bowing out since the suspension hasn't had a load put on it yet and hasn't seated all the way. Don't forget to check torque on all fasteners when the suspension is loaded.

Kpmurphy · #10 06-01-2011, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDon

What car is this on? From what I see it looks incredibly clean!
The sub frame is off of the rusty 240D, I painted the sub frame with Rust Bullet and the springs are new, I know it will take a couple weeks for things to settel down.

If you put it back in the way it came out It's probably fine. It might be bowing out since the suspension hasn't had a load put on it yet and hasn't seated all the way. Don't forget to check torque on all fasteners when the suspension is loaded.

Thanks I will check everything after the suspension is loaded and a short test drive. Then a front end alignment will be next.

I am still concerned about the 1 spring bowing out more than the other, I am sure it is hard to see in the pictures. should the flat side of the spring be up or down? All oner the internet it says flat side up this is not how it came apart when i get home from work i will put flat side up and see how everything works out.
I have no working computer at home i will post with results as soon as I can. Thanks Kevin

Kpmurphy · #11 06-06-2011, 08:22 AM

The car rides great now, here shortly I will install new rear springs and get a front end alignment. I love the way the car does not shake at start up and no need to turn the idle up when at a stop to keep the hole car from shaking.

Kpmurphy · #12 06-06-2011, 09:50 AM

1 picture shows how I supported the engine while the sub frame was out.
The other is a picture the sub frame mount that was totally gone, when I took out the bolt about a ¼ cup of brake fluid came out it was in the sub frame mount.
Now I need to talk to Phil and get rear springs.

I used the tallest spring pads on the front I am wondering if I should use the tallest spring pad on the back to make sure the car rides level?
Does anybody know?