rear trailing arm bushings in w124?
 

I've posted before regarding my dad's 300E and its rear camber problem. When looking from the back of the car, you can visibly see the wheels tilt in at the top. I've replaced all the rear control links minus the tie-rod looking one and the sway bar link, but they were in good condition. The wheel camber has changed just a little if any. I spoke with a mechanic at a local indie and he said to look at the rear arm. I can't remember what he called it, but he was talking about the largest arm on the bottom. Is that the trailing arm? It holds the spring, I know of that. Anyways, he thinks that bushing might be bad. If that bushing were bad, wouldn't it cause the wheels to tilt out at the top? It has worn through two used tires within a rather rapid time and it makes the car dangerous to drive in rain or even dry sometimes! So, has anyone replaced this bushing and do you think it will fix it? What tools are needed except the Klann Spring Compressor, (if anyone here has a compressor, I'll rent it from you, you name the terms of course). PM me if you'd like to rent yours out.
Thanks
David

I just got on fastlane and looked at suspension pieces. Would the lower arm I'm speaking of be the torsion bar? They say the "torsion bar kit" has to be special ordered on the phone.
Thanks
David

He is talking about the outer. lower control arm bushings.. they wear out and cause neg camber...

I cannot comment on the W124, however the SDL is doing the exact same thing. I believe that the cause on the SDL is the fact that the springs are too old and too soft and the body is sitting about 1 1/2 inches lower than it should. When new springs raise the body, hopefully the wheels will stand more perpindicular to the pavement. We'll see.

So, let me get this straight. Negative camber will cause the inside of the tire to wear? What part from fastlane would I order then for the rear control arm?
Thanks
David

http://catalog.eautopartscatalog.com/mercedesshop/sophio/wizard.jsp?partner=mercedesshop&clientid=mercedesshop&baseurl=http://catalog.peachparts.com/&cookieid=1D00YU6RY1DH1APLXV&year=1987&make=MB&model=300-E-002&category=L&part=Control+Arm+Bushing


When these bushings go , they do not make the top of the tire go in, they make the bottom of the wheel go out, so the results is still neg camber..] along with improper rear toe]
However, check them first because this is just one of many possibles for inside tire wear on 5 point link Benz suspension...

Two bushings, inner and outer, replace both. I'll have to look in the manual to see what the procedure for removing the spring is, you MAY be able to just lower it, but don't unless you know definitively. If they are really beaten up, the bottom of the tire may be half and inch or more further out than it should be, you will get quite a bit of wear.

You should be able to check by jacking the wheel clear of the ground and pushing/pulling on the bottom of the tire -- bad bushing will allow it to move.

The bushings are cheap.

Check the tie rod for looseness on the bushing (eccentric bolt) end and the ball joint. If the ball joint is bad, you need to replace the link, otherwise you can replace the inner end bushing.

Peter

Peter,
Are you talking about the front? becasue I'm talking about the rear. Is there a ball joint on the lower rear control arm? I've tried pushing and pulling on the wheel and can see not move it. You can notice the alignment with the naked eyes and it's worn through 3 used tires. Like I said, every other arm back there that could affect rear camber has been replaced.
I assume those bushings will have to be pressed in and out? Any other parts I'll have to order except the inner and outer bushings? I need to do both sides, the right isn't AS bad, but it's definitely bad.
Thanks
David

Does the rear lower arm I'm talking about have a ball joint on it? If so, does it take the same ball joints up front it did in the back?
Thanks
David

The ball joint is on the tie rod link in the rear suspension -- ball joint on one end, eccentric bolt on the other, used to set the rear toe.

The spring link has a bushing on both ends, and the outer one is missing the rubber by now, allowing the bottom of th wheel to kick out. Will also change the toe, but I'm not sure which way.

You will have to remove the spring to get the link off, will look that up when I get a chance.

Bushing is in the catalog at FastLane, costs about $31. Look under control arm bushings.

Peter

So, I need two inner bushins and 2 outer bushings? Also, is a Klann Spring Compressor the only special tool needed?
Thanks
David

Is the inner bushing the one pressed into the carrier??


Yep- you'll need a Klann or Klann-klone to take the spring out. Might want to check if that's one or 2 bushings for $31. I think I paid $8 for the inner bushing at the dealer.


Michael

Does anyone know how long this might take using a lift? Since the bushings need to be pressed in, I'll just take them to a local shop. Is there anything else I need to know about before tackling this job?
Thanks
David

I just replaced all 4 arms on each rear wheel. MB does not seel just the bushings. They sell them with the arm. Price is not all that much diff from getting just the bushings. One was $22, one was $34, one $47 and the tie rod was $63. If you do replace the tie rod you need to have a tool to pus out the tie rod from the wheel carrier side. I tried using C clamps, pry bars ... ended up buying the tool from MB for $90. If you want to buy it from me, let me know. Maybe we can make a deal. The Tie rod comes with the eccentric bolt if you get it from MB.

It's not a hard job as long as you can free the nuts. I got 7 out of 8 done my self. Had to bring it in to have one of them cut loose. I could not break it for all the tea in China.

You will probably want to have it alligned since the configuration will be different with the new bushings.

<<I just replaced all 4 arms on each rear wheel. MB does not seel just the bushings.>>

We is not talking about the links . We are talking about the lower control arm bushings, inner and outer.. the outer is pressed into the rear bearing carrier and they are a common 5 link rear suspension wear item.
And, just the bushings are replaced , not the arm....

The outer bushing on the lower control arm is in effect a ball joint. I replaced both (L & R) on my vehicle since they were squeaking. I was replacing all the links on the rear end and the rear wheel bearings. So, I removed the rear carriers, took them to a machine shop and had them remove the old bushings and press in the new bushings.

Also, Brian Carlton may have the answer you are looking for. Check if the ride height of the car is per specifications. Most vehicles suspensions are set up to have camber gain with wheel travel, i.e. increase in negative camber as the suspension is compressed. So, if your springs are weak, then the car will be sitting lower than it is supposed to, there by increasing negative camber at ride height.

As a reminder, but sure and only tighten the link bolts when the car is sitting on its wheels at its normal ride height. Otherwise the suspension will have a preload which will affect the height.

Haasman

I used a motor jack to jack up the suspension about to where it would be under load so as to not get a preset suspension. Thanks for the tip though, it will coem in handy for others looking to do the job.
Thanks
David

So, the bearings that I'm replacing aren't the ones that connect the control arm to the subframe, but the ones that connect to the bearing holdrer?
Thanks
David

Let's see-

The innner bushing is pressed in the LC. I'd probably have new spring pads if I'm removing the coil spring on an old car. Have any of the dog bones been replaced before- some of those wear pretty big. Check the subframe mounts and diff bushings.
The outer joint is pressed into the wheel brg carrier, so you'll have to remove it and take it to be R&R'd. I'm only a few days behind you... Hoping my homemade bushing press will work with the autozone ball joint press again!


Michael

Isn't there some sort of special procedure for replacing the diff. bushings? Regarding the subframe bushings, do the springs have to come out for those? As of now, I don't plan on removing the springs since the bushings is in the bearing carrier. Since I'm doing this on a lift, I'll just put the cork screw engine jack under the control arm to keep some of the tension off the shock.
Thanks
David

Good questions....


So you are not doing the inboard bushing - just the outboard "joint". Diff mounts take some care. The orentation and depth are key. I think you must disconnect the driveshaft for it.

For the subrframe bushings, it doesn't look hard. Very similar to W123/126 but there are 4 mounts. Do a search on the list, someone has a nice pdf file on a Canadian car.
Big thing on them is the cost $. Might want to get a small quantity of the slide paste (sunroof stuff) for installation.

Michael

Matt did a great job in showing us DIYers how to do the rear sub frame mounts on a 190e. Check out his posting.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=76569

Haasman

I'm doing the inner and outer bushings on the control arm. Since I'm doing it on a lift, I'll just use a big cork-screw jack to let the spring out. I'll out it under the arm, then remove the bearing carrier and shock then let it down till the tension is off the spring.
Thanks
David

I'd be really careful-

I haven't looked at how curved the arch of the spring is -but that sounds possibly very dangerous. If you do go that route, please at least secure the spring somehow with a chain so it doesn't get away...


Michael

Does anyone here have a compressor they'd rent me? I want to do thius the safe way of course...
Thanks
David

I have heard that chain auto parts stores rent spring compressors.

Haasman

Almost has to be a Klann or clone -- no room to use any other type.

Peter