To get back to the ball joint!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have the Harbor Freight tool and it is not like your tool. The opening in the "top" of the unit is not large enough to go over the ball joint completely. I had to modify my tool so it would work.
When you slip the HF tool over the ball joint the tool rests on the upper part of the ball joint( that is under the rubber boot) and this part looks like a seal. I did not want to damage this part.
To get the unit to work without damaging the ball joint I used the small sleeve that was included in the kit, yes I removed the rubber boot. THIS unit fits over the ball joint and seats against the flange of the ball joint that is designed to take the force of installation. I am going to have the small tube cut in half (actually a 1.25 inch section and the 1/2 inch section) and then the tool will work perfectly. Better yet I want to find a tube that has a 1 15/16" inner diameter, actually 2" will work also, just a little loose . I will need one that is 1.25- inches long and another that is 1/2 inch long. The longer one will fit over the ball joint and press the unit down into the steering knuckle. The lower one will press against the bottom of the knuckle to hold it as the ball joint is pressed in. The 1/2 inch unit allows the ball joint to fully seat. The ball joint does protrude a bit when fully installed.
I did install one of my ball joints this way. I wound up cutting a 45 degree angle on the top of the C shaped unit so it would clear the steering knuckle while I used the small tube over the top of the ball joint.
I did have to use my 500 FT Lb impact wrench to get it to install.

Having the Mercedes tool would be great, I have the Sir Tool coil spring compressor and it is great to have the correct tool. But I did not feel it was required to have the Mercedes tool for this job.

Just my .02 cents

Dave

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1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

I've got a question about the whole spring / shock safety thing.

When you jack a typical MB of this vintage up from the side, isn't the shock the only thing holding the wheel hub assembly (along with control arms and spring) together?

Ken300D

Well now I can just go piss up a rope. I was going to tackle the ball joint / tie rod installation on the 79 SD. But the head wound reference has me rethinking the DIY approach on this one. I have never done any work on any steering parts, and I believe that you gentleman have just educated me as to level of my incompetence in this arena. I think I'll stick to adjusting valves and rebuilding monvalves and the like. I'll be heading to the local professional for the ball joint installation. The contents of my cranium, while not a perfect example of fully functioning gray matter, undoubtedly is of more use where it is than it would be decorating my shirt.

Geez, guys, springs don't just fly out of there as soon as the spindle is removed. RELAX. Nothing was lost in the translation from German in the factory service manual. A support jack with shock in place is perfectly safe. If you have the shock out as well, then I'd add a safety chain to the spring to keep it from going airborne in the event of a freak failure.

I just did a full front-end rebuild on my 123. The free rental tool from AutoZone works great and did I mention it's free? Here's a photo of the press in use on the 123 spindle:

http://www.meimann.com/images/mercedes/W123_suspension/ball_joint_press1.jpg

For the record, I bought a Klann spring compresor (that the OE Mercedes tool) and it works great. I had to pull the springs because I was also replacing the lower control arm bushings - there's no way to do it with the spring installed. Oh, and "mpnye" seems to have a habit of posting inflammatory remarks on other threads as well, so just take his comments with a wee grain of salt and you'll all sleep better.


Regards,

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Check out my website photos, documents, and movies!

Tahnks for the soothing words. My problem on the SD is that it is pulling severely to the right and is obviously needing some major attention. I am just so unfamiliar with this part of the car that I am intimidated. Not even sure where to start. I guess I'll learn more about diagnosing this and go from there.

One thing I will warn you about is removal of the old joint (on the 123 anyway - never done a 126.) You'll need a BIG vise to clamp the knuckle into, and then a sledgehammer with suitable drift (I used a 30mm socket) to beat it out. It takes massive pounding though, and if the knuckle isn't secure, the impact just moves the whole knuckle instead of pressing out the joint. An actual hydraulic press is preferred but most folks don't have one floating around their garages...


Good luck,

__________________
Check out my website photos, documents, and movies!

This is a 116 SD. I'll have to see what I can find out. The archive has given me a good bit of info. on how to start to figure out which way is up.

Here are pictures of the modified tool from HF

Dave

Attached Thumbnails

     

__________________
1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

Mr. Morrison, thank you so much for posting the picture in this thread, I really appreciate it!!!

__________________
'85 300D Turbo - CA Version

After I got mine apart I had a local MB shop press in the new lower ball joints for $30 a side and they used the MB tool. I figure that was about the same as a Harbor Freight tool that I would have had to modify.

__________________
1983 300SD
200000miles

This has been gone through before many times:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=142212&highlight=ball

You can safely do this job with an autozone ball joint press free rental.

Danny

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1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

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(='.'=) This is Bunny. Copy and paste bunny into your
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yeah- but you dont have any new tools now. only a lighter wallet.

__________________
1984 123.193 372,xxx miles, room for Seven.

1999 Dodge Durango Cummins 4BTAA 47RE 5k lb 4x4 getting 25+mpgs, room for Seven.

Just thought I'd pass on a tip that worked well.

I just did this job on ball joints that had spent 30 years in midwestern brine.

Prior to removal, I "cored" a hole from the bottom in the ball joint receiver with my gas axe {oxy/acet torch}, which made it easy to knock the male portion of the old joint out from the bottom. One might also try drilling a fairly large hole, perhaps 1/2". BJ material is VERY hard, so plan on a lot of time to drill a hole big enough to put a substantial punch through.

Once the hole was cored, the stiffness of the ball joint female "ring" casting is MUCH less, and can be knocked out with a regular hammer and a few swift taps.

On the first one I tried, without heating, I hammered for AN HOUR with a 10 pound mallet and 1" rod; while I succeeded in mushrooming the head on the hardened steel punch, and peening the female casting so badly that the male portion would no longer rotate, that sucker NEVER moved out of its bore in the steering knuckle ... which forced me to look for a "better" option.

BEWARE: REMOVE THE GREASE BEFORE HEATING AS IT WILL EXPLODE! DON'T ASK ME HOW I KNOW. This is easily accomplished by cutting the retaining ring on the joint with a cutoff tool, which breaks the grease seal and allows room for heat expansion.

You can never have enough new tools
I have to say that in antisipation of doing this job I was expecting it to be a lot harder so I did buy some new tools. (guy toys )

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1983 300SD
200000miles

same here..

we did one side with a homemade tool that was just like the MBZ tool, but it was not hardened steel or iron?

the other side I took in a spare spindle and had them press it in. The SA was like "how did you get here if your spindle is in your trunk"

my response," skillz sir... skillz"