I think this is what i will end up getting once i decide to do this....i will look under the car and see if i could see one or two which are really bad, and maybe just change those as a temporary measure....

http://www.europartsdirect.com/item-image.asp?imageUrl=http://12.153.160.115/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/imc/images/full/2103509999MY.jpg

does it look like it comes with all the hardware?

thanks

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1993 300E, 2.8 M104 .....

Is there a particular reason that you are replacing ALL of them? Unless it is the adjustable tie rod that's bad, replacing ONLY the bad one will in all likelihood prevent the need for another alignment job.

BTW, that will be more than enough hardware for the job. It's not as if there's not currently any hardware on the car.

No, on the contrary. i am interested in replacing only the bad ones. I just was wondering if the cause will be an obvious bad one vs. age deterioration on all of them. I will probably inspect it tomorrow to see.

through your extensive experience with this, do you which are the ones that are likely to go first?

Edit: what is the deal with diameter change on the bolts i've been reading about?

thanks,

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1993 300E, 2.8 M104 .....

I don't think there is any one of them that is more prone to failure than any other. It is usually obivous when one is loose because the rubber of the joint is sort of pooshing out.

I don't know what the diameter issue is that you've been reading about.

What everyone is saying about replacing the rear suspension components holds true. I am surprised no one mentioned that you have a ball joint back there that is surely bad. Dont forget to replace it. I also see where someone is offering up used parts. I WOULD NOT USE USED PARTS! you don't know what you are getting. German rubber LOOKS good, but isn't always so. I would also not use FEBI parts. Yes they are cheap, but they are cheap. Buy from an MB dealer who offers a MB Club discount or use the Lemfoerder parts. You only want to do this repair once

Rear ball joints? Seriously? Can someon eplease confirm? Thanks.

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1989 300E 144K

My bad. MB refers to it as a "spring link bearing". Holds the wheel carrier to the lower control arm. Mine came out at 15 years and about 160k miles. was pretty wobbly at that point

I have a question: how can i test the rear shocks? bouncing test ?

thanks,

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1993 300E, 2.8 M104 .....

Butt test, ride too soft (which I kinda like), or take them out and press them down by hand, then compare to a new shock for effort.

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Cheers!
Scott McPhee

1987 300D

they rear seems very firm, but i guess this car can be misleading. I realized that after i changed the fronts, they were a little soft when bouncing the car, yet nothing too bad. but when i changed them they were completely shot.....

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1993 300E, 2.8 M104 .....

Now that you have had LOTS of worthwhile diagnostic advice, you should go back to this "better than the dealer" shop and tell them that the car is still all over the road like a hog on ice.

And if they start talking about those worn out suspension parts, you can ask why they didn't spot them when they were doing the alignment which might embarrass them into offering a free re-alignment after they replace the parts they should have spotted in the first place.

if they do this, you are up ninety bucks right there which you can mentally deduct from the cost of the replacement part job.

There are, after all, some repairs that are better left to someone else jsut because of the hassle.

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Roger E.