92 400E Question
 

Do all 400E's have welded in ball joints? I have heard different things and when I look online at parts alot of the sites list the ball joints seperately from the control arm. My car was built in Jan. of '92 and is vin # WDBEA34E7NB 698319. Thanks for any help.

On any of that model, you must replace the complete lower arm.

The ball joint is available separately, it is not welded in, it is pressed in. However...

That so many mechanic shops rape us on labor, its usually cheaper and more cost effective to buy a complete lower control arm that comes with new ball joint and hinge bushings.

From what I understand..
The larger brakes of the 400/500E's will not clear the older replaceable ball joints. But you can make it work with the older style by grinding some tab down. Or just get the welded ball joint control arm. Is there a price difference?

Aftermarket Febi-Bilstien control arms are around $170.00 each; balljoints are about $30.00 each on average. I think the 400E shares the same control arms with the 300CE-24. I guess they are welded in too, but I don't know. My driver side front tire is worn badly on the outside edge, and I have re-lubed my ball joints twice already, so it looks like I will have to bite the bullet and work this out.:(

The front left tire on my '94 E320T wears very quickly on the outside edge, but I attribute this to aggressive on- and off-ramp driving, most of which requires right-hand turning here in the US; I would suggest that you perform a comprehensive inspection of your suspension and steering linkage before replacing any components.

Oh the ball joints are definitely shot. It's hard to keep them lubed enough to keep quiet. Wheel bearings check out fine. Control arm bushings look great from the outside, but could be in need of replacement. Steering linkage is fair, will need work after another 10K miles. Sway bar bushings were replaced last year when I got the car. Struts and mounts are new-Sachs-Boge. I just wish I could change the ball joints without changing the lower control arms. And she just turned 276,000 miles!

Sooo, I can remove the ball joints from a 400E without changing the LCA's?

No. :(

I won't argue with anyone here, since I never did the job on my W124, but there is a DIY for ball-joint replacement PeachPartsWiki: How I Replaced the Ball Joints and Tie Rods . I have read that some 124s do have welded in ball joints, but don't know which ones.

That being said, given that complete control arms with new joints and bushings can be had for about $165 a side, I think that is the way to go by far. Less time and aggravation for more improvement.

Thank you for the clarification. I would imagine that it is fairly difficult to tell if the ball joints are welded just by looking at them while assembled. I should have done all of this before it got cold outside. Today it was 35F.:eek:

Check the catalog: $165 for Febi.

I did. Now you look for the Febi part here. You get this:

1992 Mercedes-Benz 400E Sedan - Suspension, Shocks & Springs - Page 2

Notice the part number on the left. Compare it to the EPC number.

Now I need a spring compressor...I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks for all the input and Happy New Year.

Lemfoerder ONLY for such a critical part. DO NOT save a few bucks on this one. Get Febi on other stuff, not suspension and steering parts.