The bolt that holds the upper control arm to the inner fender well is missing its washer. You can see the mark on the sheet metal where the washer used to be. PO's mechanic must have replaced the upper control arm and/or control arm bushings and forgot (?) to put the washer back on. The bolt head is bearing against the sheet metal over a much smaller area without the washer. This is the same on both right and left side of car.

I hate to perform unnecessary work on my car but wonder if I should bite the bullet and "fix" this. Any opinions? BTW, the other side of the bolt (nut side) does not have a washer either; could someone tell me if there should be one there as well. I doubt it as i see no washer imprint on the sheet metal and the bolt is probably not long enough for a second washer.

If you recommend putting in a washer will it be difficult to drive out the bolt without damaging the bushings? I'm also concerned about realigning the arm when I'm ready to drive the bolt back in. Maybe i could loosen the bolt without removing it and slip in a 3/4 washer (a washer that I cut 90 degrees out of). This way i could slip the washer over the bolt shaft without having to remove the bolt. i don't want to mess up the upper arm bushings which are in good shape.

1982 300D Turbo

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1972 450SL
1982 300D Turbo

I just looked at my '80 and there are no washers on those bolts, those marks are probably from a socket.

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Democracy dies in darkness, you have to kick at the darkness till it bleeds daylight

A few virgin ALDA left?

Kyle,

Thanks so much for checking your car and reporting back. If no one else tells me otherwise i'll forget about putting in a washer that may never have been there in the first place.

84W123DT,
My ALDA does not hold a vacuum (just hooked up a Mityvac). It leaks almost as fast as i pump it. I guess that's not good? Any recommendations? Surprisingly (?) car performance is good. The car has 180k miles and doesn't smoke. Pickup is real slow at low RPMs when cold particularly up a hill but when warmed up it's good.

Thanks,
Elliot

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1972 450SL
1982 300D Turbo