Replacing bushings = DIY jobs?

[carman850]

My 92 400E clunks over continuous bumpy road, it doesn't clunk when it rains(maybe water lubricates the bushings), it has 200K km on it, I think I'd better replace all the rubbers, since I don't know what previous owner did to it.

From what I read from the previous posts, I can replace:
1. Front Lower control arm bushings.
2. Front sway bar bushings.
3. Rear control arm bushings (inner).
4. Rear control arm bushings (outer).
5. Rear sway bar bushings.

Are these all DIY items? I have been doing all services and repairs by myself for quite a long time, like to have everything done by myself.

Thanks

[yosshimura]

I have no clue on the MB, but on American cars, you need to take the control arm to the machine shop, so they press out the old bushing and press in the new.

In the MB world, if you are going this far, don't you change the coil spring and shock, etc too?

[stevebfl]

It would be very unusual to have sway bar bushings or front control arm bushings bad. Typical wear areas at 124k mi would include lower ball joints , shocks, and the thrust links in the rear suspension. The sway bar mounting bracket also fails quite frequently on 124 chassis and the bearing at the spindle attachment in the rear end also is tough to isolate.

Another clunk can come from the differential rear mounts.

There is no need for wholesale replacement. It might be smart to replace both ball joints if one is bad but other than shocks I would only replace whats bad.

[jcyuhn]

My '87 124 needed front sway bar bushings @ 92K miles, when I acquired it about two years ago. Symptom was a clunk from the front end when driving over uneven bumps, such as driving across a speed bump at an angle. No clunk when heading straight across. This is a very easy and inexpensive repair. Parts were ~$20 and installation required perhaps an hour.

The rear sway bar bushings had also dried out. Symptom was a groaning noise from the rear end when both wheels went over a bump, such as driving straight across a speed bump. Again, this was a very easy and inexpensive repair. The bushing kit was ~$5 and installation was perhaps an hour.

Cannot comment on your other noises other than to agree with Steve - 10 years/120K miles is very early to require control arm bushings.

- Jim

[yosshimura]

I am kinda jumping in here, with a similar question....

So at what mileage would you typically rebuild the front end or install new suspension components. I just did a complete front end rebuild, shocks / springs, control arm bushings and ball joints, tie rods, etc..... on my 79 Chevy...at 21 years and 80K miles it needed it badly ( I know not same car ) , but my point is at what mileage/ age would you start feeling the deterioration of these components?

[carman850]

Thank you for your suggestions.

I will jack up my car and give the suspension a thorough check this weekend, hopefully I can find out what is bad. It's not likely the shocks are bad, the car is still tight, shocks look new, maybe previous owner had replaced them before.

[carman850]

Jim,

I am experiencing the exact problem as you used to, front clunks only on bumpy road, and rear groans when both wheels going over bump.

I will have sway bar bushings checked.