1989 300e gas engine

i like to do some 115-120ish driving friday nights,

i am now noticing a 'sounds like having sex on a creaky bed' sound from the right rear. on low speed turns and parking.

put car on ramps didnt see anything visibly broken, likely coil spring broke in the spring cup or control arm and i just cant see it?

does this seem reasonable ? I live in northeast (rust) and the springs have mild visible surface rust, the hi speed driving felt OK but could have stressed springs to breaking point since they are old?

also ( i searched but no definitive answer) if i replace i want lowering springs all around

3 choices i can find


http://vogtlandsuspension.com/p184/Mercedes-E-typ-W124|-6|-8-cyl|-Sedan|-Coupe.--Note:-%23-|-86---95/product_info.html

vogtland, 1.6 inch drop


http://www.**************/products/mercedes-300e/lowering-kit/6195/


b&g 1.5 inch drop (conflicting website says 2.0 inch)

eibach 1.2 inch drop

wheel to tire clearance is ~3.5 inches w stock springs

im young the more slammed the better! (will r/r bushings on control arms w new springs) within reason, dont want to mess up alignment-ability, just got new general altimiax tires


pictures of w124 with different spring drops?
is it necessary to replace spring pad as well with new springs?
can i press the control arm bushings out with a wilton 9,000 lb test c clamp? (so i dont have to disconnect control arm the whole way)

thanks!

Frnt left



rear left ( side sounds broken if you push car up and down)



front right



rear right



it sounds like left is broken, but if it broken, why is it higher than right? also can anyone confirm stock clearance with 15"-195s on rear, the vogtland 1.6 inch drop in back looks like a super tight fit (if the right side is correct)

thx!

update

ordered but didnt yet get 1.6 inch drop vogtlands. , it also appears front pass spring is broken (but wasnt noticable until itook bumper off)


check yo springs

Could be a shock, rubber bushing, or the rear lower control arm outer "ball joint" bushing.

__________________


1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

shocks are new bilsteins <3 months old. could be control arm either end, but im pretty sure 99% its a busted spring, the rear end 'winds up weird' on curves... will find out once i have new springs and rip it all apart, stay tuned for pix

got new springs today! install this wknd hopefully







cd all in german? thx vogtland thats handy



im psyched! ive been keeping it under 60 due to likely broken spring, driving slow sucks

Hello,

The problem I had with squeaks at the back was the suspension links became loose. Check all the link joints for tightness.
There is also an upgrade for these links which I installed, the new upgraded ones are blue.

Brian

hows it going? fu$*!@*#!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

day one battle begins (this is probably a 13 day project ez)



wheel stuck on as always, crappy rims need chromed. rear first? why not



took off plastic cover thing, but internal spring compressor from autozone is too large to fit tiny diameter rear springs! grrr




too tiny hole



lets try front!




i think this tab is for brake wear sensor which i cut off when i put ebc pads in

i nd a new dust cap




this wheel bearing retainer thing takes 5 mm hex fyi, last inspection (1 m ago) they said left front wheel 'some play' since wheel bearing thing was pretty tight i said hey! slap on some new wheel bearings while im at it



front spring is messed up and curved, it actually hits strut (other side is broken)

wheel bearing r/r

i def advise gloves for this



u will get greasy



note, buy a new seal! i beat the snot out of old one getting it out , back to store tmrw...





bearings just pull out, races r in pretty tight, i used a drift at an angle to push the races out like so







cleaned the thing up fairly well




to install races i used wooden dowel around the race tapping in slowlyyyyy to get it seated, a press would be 50x faster



spring compressor works great on vogtlands! if i can just get the crappy old mb springs out~!!!!!!!!!!!!!



took off, sway bar, strut mount, brake caliper carrier, but the control arm wont go low enough, possibly bc the tie rods still on,

how to solve?




CUT THE SPRING W ANGLE GRINDER! ya suck it spring, if it werent super late id b grinding it to bits right now.... updates tmrw

day 2!

got rears done! yes

got front old springs out/ halfway there

autozone compressor just wont work, the threads hit the spring tower and wont let it seat properly, had to drop control arms


dont cut coil springs in place, its shady...





both fronts broken



spring pad tabs, everyone talks about em, no one posts pix



extra safety w chain, i lowered rear control arm w jack, worked ez






cant tell the height difference yet, as the fronts all jacked up , but the new springs are def shorter

http://s137.photobucket.com/albums/q219/peppgum/?action=view&current=DSCN1803.flv

does that rear 'ball joint' look like too much play?

it didnt move up/down but side to side quite a bit with the subframe bolt out of the control arm....

finished!

got springs installed today, after a shaky start up test drive where the dust shield was hitting the wheel in front, bent that back , much better!






pix

I would state the vogtlands drop the car MUCH more than 1.6 ", my front wheel clearance is 1.5 and was 3.5!!!!!!!! before, same spring pads.


HOWEVER, dont celebrate too soon , see my "wheel aint strait" thread!

very very happy with handling ride/ much less (like 0) body roll under 80 in some sharp curves that would be 'squirelly' before.

much more slammed look (but not so slammed that you look like your driving a crappy civic)

makes stock 15s" fill the wheel well much better

speed bumps suck more , go slow.

15 gals of gas in trunk + full tank = bottoming out springs on some countryish roads, but overall awesome upgrade!

gotta swap in new tie rods get alignment and see if i can hit 140 hellz ya!\


PS the rear end noise also quit? maybe just lucky maybe the sprigns were bad in some way (werent broken)