'85 190D 158,000 miles

A squeak developed in the passenger's front when turning or going over bumps which I thought was the strut but after some research and spray lube discovered it to be the ball joint. I've read in several places to replace both sides instead of a single ball joint. Is that the consensus or is it one of those "since I was doing one I'll do the other" type of things?

I've felt a slight bit of wandering so before I ordered one or more ball joints, I crawled under and looked at all the steering components. One tie rod end and one center drag link end were loose. What's the thought on those? Replace the 2 bad ends or replace all 6 ends? How about the control arm bushing? It didn't appear loose but where do you stop?

What are the thoughts on buying entire tie rod assembly's instead of just the ends?

Also appears to be a variety of different manufacturers and prices from which to choose. What's the best bang for the buck?

thanks!

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You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometime you just might find you get what you need.

Keep in mind that almost all steering system work requires an alignment after the fact. How many alignments do you want to buy? (How does the price of a ball joint compare to the cost of an alignment?)

Last time I bought tie rods, the entire assembly was cheaper than the components purchased individually. And no rusted up parts to deal with.


Lemfoerder would be my first choice. Febi and Moog also high on the list.

I would definitely have both replaced (mine are being done today)....I wouldn't take chances with ball joints.

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14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

I replace by need. If joints are tight they stay. With the exception of say a complete tie rod end assembly if the price is comparable to a single needed joint.

A ball joint requireing just lubrication and is not rusted to death internally or worn. Just stays with new lubrication worked into the joint. Matter of judgement rather than absolutes. Once the lubrication hass worked it's way into the joint with a little driving I would recheck the joint for tighness. Just in case there indeed was rust oxide in there that has undetected. Giving a feeling of a tight joint.

Replacing some parts up front you have described is a safety issue more than anything. May reduce the wandering to some extent and perhaps not or somewhere in between.

Quality of the replacement parts is important. Too much aftermarket junk in circulation for many brands of cars. Part only lasts a year or so sometimes. I learnt this the hard way years ago.

My thoughts are these: if one ball joint is bad, replace both and consider the LCA bushings at the same time. Aside from safety, you save on not wearing out front tires prematurely.

If some steering joints are worn, replace all tie rods and centre drag link as complete assemblies, in one visit. Don't nickel and dime this job, the parts are reasonably priced and plentiful. Don't buy no-name, china brand, or Uro parts for this (ask me how I know 12 months later). Buy Lemfoerder.

If you're doing ball joints, pay for an alignment when all is done.

But assuming your alignment was reasonable at the start, if all you want to tackle is steering parts, YOU can re-align for zero toe at the front easily using a piece of string, and a flat level parking space. No mystery there.

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Cheers!
Scott McPhee

1987 300D

Why is this necessary? Just curious as I'm currently having BJ done.

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14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

I'm wondering the same as I'm not aware of any adjustment capability associated with the ball joint.

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You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometime you just might find you get what you need.

The ball joint itself is not adjustable, but prior alignments will typically have compensated for worn components. Replacing worn components with new components changes things.

How 'bout if my ball joints were not loose at all but nonetheless were binding....would I still need an alignment?

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14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

300 SDL 87 350 ks ,,,, Front ends are like fixing plumbing,, start with one thing and it leads to an other,, ended up doing everything except ball joints,, and yes an alignment is required in the end,, you can scrub off a new tire in 3 weeks if caster camber and toe are out .

my steering is rounding very hard and what i have to do i don't know. some body please tell me about this guys

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Audi Custom Parts

How difficult is it to replace the whole front tie rod assembly?

Not difficult. Tie rods are removed with brute strength either with a fork or puller. Once out, install the new and tighten the nuts.

Re suspension, I'd do tie rods and leave ball joints unless I thought the ball joints were bad or had many miles on them.

Once I decide to do ball joints, everything gets done. I'd rather buy parts early that disassemble twice.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

Just jack up the front on the frame, put a jack stand under the cross bar, and then put a pry bar under the front wheel and pull up on it and see how much the ball joint moves up and down. The wheels are light so you don't need much force to see the movement, also push pull from the side to see the lateral play. If it's more than 2mm it should probably be replaced.

This says there should be no play. http://handbook.w116.org/Chassis/33-425.pdf
But some play is usually considered normal if you ask me. Hell my Suburban had 1/8 inch and it ran fine, but I did replace them anyway which was a brutal 16 hour long job involving driling out 8 hardened 1/2" diameter steel rivits from the control arms. My GM shop manual stated 2mm (0.08 inches) vertical play was the maximum for the Suburban.

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1987 300E

As for the tie rod ends, the alignment needs to be about 1.3mm total toe in between the front wheels, so if you have slack, then that can't be adjusted very accurately.

I'd just replace the whole tie rod assembly with a Lemfoerder unit. Moog and AC Delco make good ball joints as well. Febi is sort of crap in my opinion.

You can probably get a needle attachment for your grease gun and inject some grease into that squeeky ball joint.

http://www.dansmc.com/wheel_bearing_grease_needle.jpg

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1987 300E