Bimmer-Bob, recommend using genuine MB suspension parts. Contact MB of Cincinnati and MB of Anaheim for pricing, and maybe other MB dealers who offer discount pricing. That's a job you certainly don't want to repeat anytime soon, and you want the vehicle to ride as-designed after you are finished. You may want to replace the engine mounts while you're at it.

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Fred Hoelzle

Thanks for the input.

Engine mounts already replaced with new Genuine OE mounts. Made a huge difference!

I personally used OE, Lemfoerder, and a couple Corteco bits as those are well regarded brands. Sometimes I did find OE was cheaper than aftermarket. The shocks I had to get from Mercedes because Bilstein made them, just it was special order and would take 12-16 weeks to be produced then shipped. I have a few Meyle parts on my car installed by the previous owner that are good but really no savings going to them and hard to screw up parts (brake lines and steering damper). Meyle HD parts are supposedly good or better than OE but I have never tried them so I can't back up that claim. There is one URO part I would recommend and that is the antenna. Way cheaper than Hirschmann and quality seems top notch. Peachparts is good for aftermarket but there are others I would also recommend. I would also recommend for the rear end that you go to adjustable camber arms, I can get you details on that if you are interested. They allow the camber to be adjusted for more even tire wear versus the stock arms.

For pressing the bushings, I would suggest calling around to shops to see what they would charge, I had mine done for $140 which was the 4 subframe mounts and the 4 rear lower control arm bushings. I did have to remove everything including the diff and axles from the subframe to do it. I did have to shop around to find a shop that could even do it (called 2 dozen places) then to find one that would do it at a reasonable price. A Mercedes shop I went to who claimed on the phone to have a full Mercedes and BMW bushing press/puller kit wanted $600 to "attempt" to press in the bushings (they didn't have the full kit), so don't let people BS you around. The place I finally went was an old timey mechanic shop with a full machine shop, they mainly worked on domestic cars. They didn't have the correct Mercedes tools but did an excellent job. The machinist said it was a PITA but enjoyed the challenge and told me "if you have anything else interesting to work on, bring it to me".

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Current: 1975 450SEL, 83 300D, 88 Yugo GVX, 90 300D OM603 swap, 91 F150 4.6 4v swap, 93 190E Sportline LE 3.0L M104 swap, 93 190E Sportline LE Megasquirt, 03 Sprinter, 06 E500 4Matic wagon.

I tried the URO antenna rod in a W124. Didn't even last one winter. The center rod rusted badly and seized, snapping the plastic feeder.
The original Hirschman is stainless steel.
The URO might be OK in good climates but if exposed to road salt, it will not last.

The part of this project that has me the most worried is the rear subframe bushings. I intend to try to rent or buy the correct press or puller, but I don't really know what I'm doing in this regard, and don't have much of a back up plan if things go wrong. There is one Benz shop in town that I suspect could probably do it - he has a machine shop in-house - but I don't know about getting the subframe so far apart that I could easily transport it.

The other part that has me a little worried is the steering box R&R, because it's just sort of hard to visualize - is it just up on the other side of the driver's side wheel well? Also, it seems pretty fiddly from what I've been reading. Also, is it worth paying to have the "new" used box rebuilt before installing it? No idea how many miles are on the thing. Some folks say you just really need to change one seal, and that it's DIYable.

I should have access to a lift (on base), and am thinking about just renting a stall out for the week or so and taking my time.