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#1
11-02-2003, 06:33 PM
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Intermittent front end vibration
On occasion (at speeds of 40mph and up) the front end of my 1987 300D will vibrate. I can feel the vibration in the steering wheel. Sometimes if I brake or change lines, the vibration goes away. Other times it goes away by itself. It's only for 10-15 seconds at a time, but is getting quite annoying. A couple weeks ago there was NONE of this, last week it was rare, and now I'm getting it almost every time I drive the car.
The steering damper is new, the ball joints and tie rods look good, (no rubber is torn). 
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#2
11-02-2003, 06:55 PM
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If you ever get even the slightest feeling that the car is wobbling from side to side, as if the right front wheel is loose, that would be the steering idler arm bushing. Seems to be a common wear item.
My 1987 300D did this for some time mildly, and then got so bad one day I thought I would not make it home without the wheel falling off. At slow speed you would get the feeling that the right front wheel was out of round or bent sideways. Easy to test. Jack up the right front side. Grip the tire at 3:00 and 9:00 and shake back and forth. Should be solid - if not you need an idler arm repair kit, available at FastLane. Otherwise I'd suggest balancing the front wheels again. Ken300D
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-------------------------- 1982 300D at 351K miles 1984 300SD at 217K miles 1987 300D at 370K miles
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#3
11-21-2003, 02:15 PM
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OK. I replaced the idler arm and the car still vibrates rather violently at 40mph and up.
 When I turn the steering wheel, the vibration stops. This is what the old idler arm looks like, versus the new. I don't think it was the problem. The steering damper is relatively new. Ball joints seem good. Could it be the drag link? It DOES have some up and down play, but I'm not sure if it's supposed to be that way.
Last edited by speedy300Dturbo; 11-21-2003 at 02:32 PM.
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#4
11-21-2003, 11:45 PM
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What you describe sounds like ball joints or control arm bushings. The up and down play you felt may be the problem. A ball joint would feel a bit like a loose wheel bearing. Jack up a wheel at the lower control arm then use a tire iron or some sort of pry bar to lift the wheel-shouldn't feel any play. Check the tie rod ends by pushing them up and down-shouldn't have any motion. Tires should wear smooth and even, look for some low spots.
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51 willys M38 62 willys M38A1 79 chevy 92 300D 95 300D 96 vision recumbent 2004 Wrangler
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