Steering/Suspenshion wear parts on the w126
 

I'm just about to place an order at fastlane.

The problems sofar:
- Horrable vibration during speeds >55mph
- Wandering steering
- Loose feeling steering wheel (no, steering box adjustment didnt help)
- Rear end wants to "drive itself"
- Cam oiler's (esp. right side) broke
- Bad plug wires
- Plat. plugs (eek)
- Horrable idle, and running increadbly rich (leak somewhere in Idle air hose)
-Vibrations in steering wheel (and gaspedal)
- bad shifter bushing (shifting from park to reverse/drive) makes a nice CLUNK sound.
- Cabin filter is missing it's hose, and I dont know here it go's
- Vac. line off of the (right side) valve cover leads to knowwhere...

List:
- Bushings (x3)
- Subframe Mounts
- Flex Disk (front)
- Bosch plugs
- OEM Spark Wires
- Cam Oiler repair kit (those plastic peices)



What am I missing?

You should take your car to an reputable independent shop and pay $100-150 for a pre-purchase inspection. That will give you a list of what needs attention in your car.

Given its age, I expect it needs quite a bit of front end suspension work. It's $1200-1500 well spent because working on the front suspension is not fun.

What cabin filter?

Sixto
... stay tuned

It is not uncommon to need tie rod ends (and possibly a drag link) by the time you reach you mileage. My 1981 300SD had all this replaced at 125k. Fortunately, the steering linkage parts are not expensive on a W126 chassis. Also check your steering damper (shock absorber attached to steering linkage), which may well be shot at this point.

No money for that, unfortanally.


The cabin filter that resides in the air filter housing. It's just sitting there with no hoses connected, and looks toasted.

I just had front end work done on my 420 SEL for about 2000.00. cleared up the steering problems real quick.

With the list of issues that you pose, the items that may need replacement are considerably more than you have listed.

For the front, the wandering steering can include:

LCA bushings
UCA bushing (included in new UCA)
Track rod bushing
Tie rods
Idler arm bushing
Steering damper.

For the rear, the drifting back end can include:

Trailing arm bushings
Rear shocks

Unless you replace everything, you'll need a competant shop to separate the issues in terms of hardware. Naturally, if the vehicle is 20 years old, you are only going to get "The front end is shot........replace everything". This may be correct........or it may be a way to generate more revenue. Only a competant technician knows for sure.

You might want to chech the flex disc on the drive shaft. It not only will klunk but will give a bad vibration.

I hope to repair most everything myself, and take it to a (trusted) shop for the alignment.

I'll give the shop a call and see what'd they charge. Thanks for the advice everyone.

That's a new one on me. AFAIK a 380SEL air cleaner is that oval thing that sits on the K-Jet air inlet. Nothing of the air cleaner is connected to the cabin. Is this some special option?

I didn't think MB offered cabin filters in the US earlier than the R129 or W140.

Sixto
... stay tuned

That vibration "> 55mph" might be your driveshaft center bearing. Had a similar sensation and that was definitely my problem. Check it out....

the clunk also might be clutch pack in tranny.

i wonder if you would like us to comment on the price you will be paying. you dont say year model etc either.

tom w

It's in my sig.


Man, thats a lotta work...


I'm gonna start with the common problems (flex disk, shifter bushings, cam oilers) as I know they're going bad. I have a buddy with a timing gun, I'm going to see how bad chain stretch is before I order.

http://catalog.eautopartscatalog.com/mercedesshop/sophio/quote.jsp?clientid=catalog.mercedesshop&cookieid=1V70ZTQIO1VL0XAMVC&baseurl=http://catalog.peachparts.com/&partner=mercedesshop&year=1983&product=B1000-44447&application=000044126

It's that part. Looks like it connect to the AC pump - which is disconnected anyways.

I think that's a filter for the crankcase gases vented to the air cleaner.

Sixto
93 300SD