95 E300 diesel suspension just not right...

DymagBlade

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Hi

I was a member of this forum before...but only coming back now...

i have a 95 E300 Diesel auto saloon with 145000 miles on it....bought it in UK, with only 110000 miles, full service history..... fabulous car..had older W124's over the years and hankered after a multi-valve....

i looked and read tonnes of possible answers here before posting, but still not sure:
my problem:
rear suspension.... it just feels all wrong. on damp roads, around roundabouts or twisty greasy roads, it can snap sideways..have to nearly tiptoe my way..
even stopped at lights on greasy road,in a straight line, rear left hand side wheel, will spin up..
now the rear tyres are on there way out....i replaced the two rear shocks a while back and used Bilstein(as advised on this forum).....did it myself as i can spanner reasonably well....it helped a bit, not much....
other than this, i do not know where to look.... i'm thinking because rear left spins in wet for nothing, plus the car sliding for nothing on that side in wet, leads me to believe that maybe there's no downward pressure on rear left tyre to help it grip... spring(s) maybe???? i've read so much on all possible rear bushes, i wouldn't know where to start....
from driving the car the whole time, i can feel rear is just not right....

all information/help greatly appreciated...as i'd like to be armed with knowledge before going to a mechanic , should i need him...

I'm in Ireland by the way..... town called Naas, just south of Dublin.



many thanks
DymagBlade
 

Frontstep

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Your Mercedes
T210 320cdi
The obvious question has to be whats it like in the dry ? if fine tyres tyres tyres, if not Does it sit straight and square measure it, have you a seized bush not allowing travel! Four wheel tracking and alignment ?
Some picture of your tyres and wear patterns would be usefull.
 
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DymagBlade

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car sits pretty much very level..... rear tyre wear even, yes i can spin rear left in dry, rare, but it happens at a local hilly junction, very sharp left, uphill, i can spin wheel in the dry....as if weight transfer lightens load/down force on left back,and if i throttle it all at this junction, it'll spin up really hard....

thanks for info so far.... i'm gonna be away from pc for most of the day...will check back in tonite.....

again,thanks for current info and in advance of any more to follow...
 

wireman

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lancashire
Your Mercedes
nice 201 2.5D 1993 & very nice 129 SL500 1994
I had a somewhat odd rear end behaviour (124 250D) until the front pair of mounts on the rear subframe were replaced, its now almost immpossible to get the rear to slip out unless its on wet grass, but then it ain't got much by way of horse power.

The duff mounts were found by parking half on the path and with the parking brake firmly applied getting an assitant to place it into reverse and then drive alternately whilst I lay under the car to watch which bits of the rear end moved about, it is possible to observe all the bushes from this vantage point, on mine the whole subframe nodded about 1/2 an inch at the front mounts. All 4 mounts were replaced and an occasional clonk on start off has not been heard since.

If you try this at home do be certain sure that the parking brake is in tip top condition.
 

Bolide

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Your Mercedes
BMW 525 Diesel Touring
You need a 4-wheel alignment check and a hard look at the rear suspension components. I suspect one of the rear arms has worn bushes that are allowing the wheel to move away from the correct alignment

Also check for worn steering joints including the idler

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk
 
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DymagBlade

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just getting back to my pc now

thanks for all the advice....i was in the car today thinking more how i might describe the rear feeling as i drive... i'd swear it's as if the whole rear axle was swivelling.... very subtly as the car is driven...i just have no faith in the rear at all...
and as for movement\swaying on a windy day on a motorway... probably related
 
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DymagBlade

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these rear track control arm bushes??? would anyone have a diagram pointing them out to me??? would i be correct in thinking 4 are needed??

and is it a diy job??? would anyone have a guide on how to do them???

reasonably competant with spanners if i was given a good guide...

many thanks again
 

Bolide

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Your Mercedes
BMW 525 Diesel Touring
Two arms needed - bushes are part of the arms. IIRC they are the only arms at a diagonal. The MB parts man will point them out on their parts system

I think it's #104 or #122. Those are repair kits complete with nuts, bolts & washers as needed

For part numbers see
http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...GM=717.433&CT=F&cat=44R&SID=35&SGR=075&SGN=04

B35075000009.0395.gif


Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk
 
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DymagBlade

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Brilliant there Nick on the drawing and explaining i need the two arms..
i know the mercedes parts man well in my local stealership.....

just one other question??

is it an easy diy job for me???? no dismantling of suspension in any way??

just jack up, whip off wheel(s), remove old arms, refit new fit new ones???

no specialist tools needed???

again

many many thanks
 

kth286

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Your Mercedes
E320 Coupe 95
on above diagram the torque arm and thrust arm are 119 and 80.

These wear the most (from the effects of acceleration and braking).

the other two are tie rod and camber arm.

BUT, I think your symptoms point to the rear subframe bushes wear (esp the 2 front ones)

jack car rear nearside up using car jack and remove rear wheel.

then gently use another jack under the front subframe bush and you will likely find play.

Ideally, you need to have the whole rear suspension/geometry checked when car is in air and components/bushes unloaded, so you can lever/twist them.
 
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DymagBlade

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ok

sounds like the best plan is to get the car on a lift, test these bushes...

and go form there...

again, many thnaks to everyone...
 

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