Improving Suspension
 

I'm thinking about working on the suspension on my '81 240D. What are the things that I should replace to stop squeaking and improve performance?

Check ball joints, replace sway bar bushings. Squeaks can be sway bar bushings or ball joints.

Also check track rod to body bushings and control arm bushings -- both fairly easy to replace and cheap. Track rod bearings (in the control arms) are more difficult and more expensive. The track rod to body bushings can caues squeaks and thumps/rumbles or rough pavement or dips and speed bumps.

Figure that most of the rubber parts are getting tired by now!

Peter

I've had the sway bar bushings replaced at the shop but nothing else. I've inspected under the car a few times and have noticed that most if not all of the bushings for the various suspension parts are dried out and worn. I just don't know what to get. When ever I shift from park to drive or from drive to park, there's a loud squeak as the rear of the car moves up and down due to the shifting. I wish I knew what was going on.

Also, I’d like to mention that I just got the w123 service manual CD. I think it's a useful tool but one thing it doesn't really help with is diagnosing or troubleshooting problems to repair them. Overall I think the CD is a useful aid for the DIYer