This is for my 300TE.

It has been an ongoing problem sporadically.

I've replaced tires, tie rods, drag link, ball joints and bushings, center link and idler arm.

2 alignments and the car still pulls to the right. Including dealer alignment.

The major problem and probably linked to the pull is this death shudder from the front driver wheel. Whenever I turn left for a uturn or out of a parking spot it occasionally will shudder like the entire wheel is going to fall off. it's quiet scary. I try to replicate it and it doesn't do it again for a week or month so it's hard to diagnose!

My best description would be imagine if the lugs were not tight and the wheel is moving around against the hub...that's how it feels when it does it. Or If you had a rim bent so bad the entire car wobbles when it rotates. It's just like that but during a slow hard turn.

Could it be the wheel bearings at all? Any other ideas?

that much amount of slop in bearings will be very noticeable. I would suggest you check the ball joints and upper strut mounts too. The strut mount is the fixed axis which then determines wheel caster properly.

I had this and it was solved by new ball joints.

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

The ball joints are new. I replaced the entire arm with Lemfoerder about a year ago. when I grab the wheel at 12 and 6 there is no slack.

Strut mounts are also 1 year old too. Shocks are old though and have 100k on them at least.

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2016 Monsoon Gray Audi Allroad - 21k
2008 Black Mercedes E350 4Matic Sport - 131k
2014 Jeep Wranger Unlimited Sahara - 62k
2003 Gray Mercedes ML350 - 122k

Have a look at tire interference, both full bump and full droop, when the steering is at full left lock.

to test the wheel bearing slop - by the 12/6 o clock method - you first need to compress the caliper and then remount the wheel.

you did replace the arm - but it wont hurt to check the parts again, Lift the car with the jack under the control arm and then try to wrestle the joint and spindle with a pry bar.

New parts can also fail.

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

+1 on the wheel bearing play.

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1986 300E (3/2002) Rear ended and totaled (10/2009)
2000 Xterra (5/2000)
1992 400E (11/2009) -Sold
1986 300E (12/2009) - Sold
2004 E500 Wagon (6/2013) - Sold

is this wagon 4matic?

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1985 300TD Turbo Euro-wagon
1979 280CE 225,200 miles
1985 300D Turbo 264,000 miles
1976 240D 190,000 miles
1979 300TD 220,000

GONE but not forgotten
1976 300D 195,300 miles
1983 300D Turbo 175,000 miles

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...e485-1-2-1.jpg