So MB has discontinued the 1233200713 SLS strut for my TD. One of mine just has a loose ball joint 0003200228 (by the sound of it). These are still available. Does anyone out there know where to source a whole (new) strut from outside MB channels, or have experience changing just the ball joint?
I've read 32-612 in the FSM, and I'm pretty handy, just want to know if anyone has actually changed one and what their experience was.

This might help - https://www.benzworld.org/forums/w123-e-ce-d-cd-td/2026937-wits-end.html?amp=1

https://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/ksearch/pel_search_2016.cgi?description=0003200228

At that price I’d look for the occasional TD at the pick-n-pull and get good used struts for about $50. Maybe the ball joint from a more common 126 will work.

Sixto
98 E320s sedan and wagon
02 C320 wagon

If they aren't too far gone, a hydraulics shop (place that services backhoes and such) can rebuild them. The struts can be disassembled, honed out, the seals and scrapers replaced. That makes them workable, if not good as new. I think they rebuilt the hose as well. I had this done on my old '87 300TDT. The only problem was finding a replacement for the dust boot. If you're interested in doing this, I'll try to dig up a receipt and see what I used.

They don't leak. The 126 struts don't list the ball joint separately, so probably not the same.

Well, even though MB still lists the ball joint, I tried ordering one and the dealer said they couldn't source it.

I've done this on my TD about 10 years ago. Used a good ball joint of a spare leaky strut.

The task was more difficult than just R&R the joint, I had to clamp the shaft in my huge vice, slowly heat the shaft/joint area to soften up the threadlocker securing the parts together. Then I made a two handled wrench out of two, two foot log 2" X 1/2" steel bars. Overlap about 3" and a couple of bolts on each side of the lap joint. When in place the edge of the steel bars fit into the flats on the joint and a similar arraignment clamps the shaft in the vice.

Heat the connection slowly until it's too hot to hold your finger on it, then you can grab both of the far ends of the steel bar T-wrench you've made and unscrew the joint from the shaft.

You'll need to get the bad joint off your strut and the good joint off the failed strut, then you can install that good joint on your strut.

The joint is on there good so it's a wrestle but it's a pretty cheap fix as an alternative.

If you decide to replace the entire strut, there is a competing Mercedes info/parts learning site that a couple years ago sold new OE struts for about $300 a pair if you search around.