W210 Front end clunking
 

Hello all ... For months and months I have been tracking a problem. with this damn clunking sound it started about 1yr ago the dealership said it was lower control arm bushings.. Ok I replaced them at a separate shop, I just had them press the bushing I did the labor of removing them.....still clunking ok... I replaced the lower ball joints since I had the lower arm out..... still clunking.. oK I replaced the upper shock tower bushing.. ok Still clunking... I replaced the sway bar bushings.. still clunking..Last but not least I replaced the Sway Bar Links.... WOW.... Gues what no clunking..... The top of the link just pulls off..

Here is a shot of the new one installed

Here is a picture of the old one...

My 2000 E430 has just started making a popping sound from what I believe is the left front. A month ago I installed new H & R sway bars and bushings. It has taken this long for the noise to appear. Happens when I am turning into a driveway or on a bump when the wheels are turned. Had it on the lift today and the tech checked all bushings, wheel bearings, etc. Nothing seemed out of place. One sway bar bushing he said looked a bit odd. He suggested hitting the sway bar bushings with lubricant.

I am running E55 AMG Bilstein shocks. Could these shocks be too tall? They have been on the car about 2 years.

Car was lowered 4 years ago way before bar install. Car only has 36K miles on it.

Anybody have a clue what this is?

Give it a try.. It's a cheap part. But it made A world of difference.. It takes about 20 min per side once jacked up.. I used two jacks one for the car the second for the lower control arm under the lower ball joint to take the pressure off of the lower torx bolt while I loosened it up. It took some time to work the new on the top. I used some silicon spray, to make it easier..

Peter


Peter

Phouse:

I have the same problem, i.e. Clunk in my 98 E430. I replaced the lower control arm bushings and ball joints. This seemed to help but now it seems like it's back.
I'm going to try the sway bar links - the clunking doesn't happen when I am cornering - which makes sense that it's sway bar related.
Any other suggestions?

..Brad.

The links only take a few minutes.. You may as well just replace them.. Keep me posted.. How many miles do you have on the car..?

Peter

On my car, a little shot of WD-40 sprayed on the bushing kept it quiet for about six months each time I sprayed it. Give it a try.

Phouse

I have about 52K miles on it - seems low for front end issues.

...Brad.