Any advice please for my 2003 CL500 front suspension control arm

[Submariner1]

It may be vin specific but the method of attaching to the arm is the same in all cases...so you are adding to the confusion. It's why I posted the correct answer. But hey...post away and read the ****ing posts yourself.

Actually th dealer showed me 2 sorts ofstruts , just out of interest, on my car and they attach to the arm in a different manner (related to what parts you need if the ball joint is shot. ).

I think the point is that the 216 and 215 have completely different struts so your post was a bit pointless! The 215 struts all look the same.

There are 6 different types on the C216, so not having seen all 6 nor having a C215, naturally I had no idea if any of the 6 varients could have been the same.
As I said I thought it was unlikely. Just thought it might be helpful when he had a look at it, because the parts guy in sourcing mine said he thought some of the earlier ones were like the C215.

 

[alexanderfoti]

215 struts have the ball joints secured in with a grub screw. This grub screw is very difficult to remove to replace said ball joint.

I would have the strut removed, then taken to an engineering shop to get them to remove the screws without damaging the strut.

I did not do the above and cost myself £1100 because I am an idiot and tried to drill it out, in the process making it worse.

 

[Naraic]

215 struts have the ball joints secured in with a grub screw. This grub screw is very difficult to remove to replace said ball joint.

I would have the strut removed, then taken to an engineering shop to get them to remove the screws without damaging the strut.

I did not do the above and cost myself £1100 because I am an idiot and tried to drill it out, in the process making it worse.

This is why very often a used replacement is sold with the lower arm attached.