97 C180 bottom ball joints?

[Geoff W]

Hi everyone. I took the old girl in for test today, and although she passed i have been given an advisory note which states "Slight movement in both front bottom ball joints" The tester said this is usual on Mercs.
Do i need to worry just yet ( I dont want to compromise on safety) are they easy to replace, any special tools etc.
Many Thanks Geoff.

 

[bigasotonuk]

Hi,
My C230K 1997 has just been advised exactly the same in its MOT 2 weeks ago i have now bought the new ball joints @ £16 each from Euro car parts (german quality).
As it did,nt fail on them i will be getting them replaced at the next service some 6000 miles away.
I have had this vehicle for over 5 years and done over a 100,000 miles in it and this is the first time they have picked it up, i personnally think Mercedes are no more prone to it than any other car.
I would be interested to hear what other forum members have to say on the subject.

 

[wireman]

Not overly expensive to get an indie to change. Budget for 70-100 quid.
The joint is pressed into the lower arm and needs a press to move it.
The suspension needs to be compressed while you remove the arm and the spring load is high. You may well be able to bodge it off and on again but that spring will kill you if it lets go while you maul at it.

If you are in any doubt about their longevity get them changed, a lot of damage will occur if one lets go on the move.

 

[BlackC55]

Not overly expensive to get an indie to change. Budget for 70-100 quid.
The joint is pressed into the lower arm and needs a press to move it.
The suspension needs to be compressed while you remove the arm and the spring load is high. You may well be able to bodge it off and on again but that spring will kill you if it lets go while you maul at it.

If you are in any doubt about their longevity get them changed, a lot of damage will occur if one lets go on the move.

They don't need to be pressed in. Just bolted in. 0.8hrs labour per side. No need to compress the suspension or remove the spring.

 

[BlackC55]

I have probably replace more lower ball joints than any other suspension part.

 

[Geoff W]

I have probably replace more lower ball joints than any other suspension part.

Hi Mate, is this something i could do myself without specialist tools, i am very handy with the car, but dont want to get out of my league!.
Many thanks Geoff.

 

[anyweb]

yes it is, i've done it on my old 190d (not a w202 but same principle)

http://www.niallbrady.com/mycar/190d/mycar (69).html

it wasnt too hard, only thing to note was that it screws backwards

see my comments here

'the balljoint which controls the movement (left right) of the wheel, was faulty (according to the car road worthiness test) and just pushing it you could feel it was loose, so it had to be replaced. What a nightmare. It took a long time to get any of the nuts to turn and after a while and lots of help from claes (with his welding machine) we managed. To cut a long story short, the reason its so dam hard to get the balljoint off it not because of rust, it's because its threaded backwards, which means to take it off you have to screw it clockwise (reverse threading). we were tightening it !!!. Arghhhhhhhhhhhhh. '

I do not know if the same applies to W202 yet.

cheers
anyweb

 

[television]

Hi Mate, is this something i could do myself without specialist tools, i am very handy with the car, but dont want to get out of my league!.
Many thanks Geoff.

You can do it yourself Geoff you have all the help that you need here

 

[Geoff W]

Thanks everyone for your helpfull advise, I will get the offending parts and keep you informed of how i get on, Many Thanks Geoff.

 

[anyweb]

please do take photos of the process so that others (like me) can learn and post back here

also, you will have to get your front wheels tracking done afterwords - remember to mark the balljoint and rod, where it attaches to the rod so you can at least get it nearly right

cheers
anyweb

 

[Ellsy Tanners]

Hi Geoff,

its only 2 nuts per joint.

The only problems you may incounter trying to do the repair yourself are:-

Not being able to remove the tappered joint after undoing the nuts as they may be sezied, a ball joint braker or lage hammer solves this one.
Or if you are unlucky the locating pin snaps of and must be worked or drilled out. bummer if this happens when working on the floor!!


if you are a handy car DIY,er i would have a go at this one

 

[Ellsy Tanners]

please do take photos of the process so that others (like me) can learn and post back here

also, you will have to get your front wheels tracking done afterwords - remember to mark the balljoint and rod, where it attaches to the rod so you can at least get it nearly right

cheers
anyweb

This is for track rod ends anyweb.
this guy is taking about lower ball joints, no tracking required

 

[Geoff W]

please do take photos of the process so that others (like me) can learn and post back here

also, you will have to get your front wheels tracking done afterwords - remember to mark the balljoint and rod, where it attaches to the rod so you can at least get it nearly right

cheers
anyweb

Hi Mate, I will make a point of taking photos, it will be my chance to give you guys something back for all the help you have given me.
Is it best to go to Merc dealer for tracking afterwards, or can any reputable place do this? Regards geoff.

 

[Geoff W]

please do take photos of the process so that others (like me) can learn and post back here

also, you will have to get your front wheels tracking done afterwords - remember to mark the balljoint and rod, where it attaches to the rod so you can at least get it nearly right

cheers
anyweb

Hi. Are we at crossed wires here? not track rod ends, but bottom ball joints?
Regards geoff.:roll:

 

[bigasotonuk]

Hi,
I,ve read in the post and someones saying that the tracking needs to be done after replacing the ball joints. My understanding is this would,nt need doing as you are possibly only disconnecting from the hub and not actually moving the rod end on its thread therefore tracking not changing apart from the possible slight difference which now is taken up by the new ball joints.
I tried to upload a pic of a new balljoint for a w202 but as it is the first pic i,ve tried posting i don,t hold out much hope.

 

[anyweb]

perhaps i'm confused (happens regularly) but isnt that balljoint thingy you posted a photo of above connected to the track rod ends

and isn't that what Geoff is talking about ? if so it has to be removed from the track rod ends

or am I still confused...

 

[bigasotonuk]

Hi,
The lower ball joint is connected to the lower arm and the hub/stub axle, and the steering attaches too the hub/stub axle
Besides unless you actually change the track rod end there is no need to have tracking done

 

[wireman]

If that photo is of a lower ball joint I suspect that the tracking will require adjustment after fitting. On the older 201/124 the ball joint is a concentric afair that must by nature align axialy eliminating any offset that might be different from joint to joint.
The two taper ends of the joint you show could and almost certainly will be in different places due to manufacturing tolerances, this will be reflected in a slight change in tracking angle.

It makes good sense to have the traking done anyway, so get it checked.

 

[Geoff W]

Hi all, Very interesting opinions on my plight, I think the best way forward is to replace the lower ball joints and the track rod ends, then have an alignement check. There is nothing apparently wrong with the track rod ends, but if i am to have the alignment done i figure for what it will cost, i may as well do the track rod ends, so at least i know all is well in that region.
where would you go for alignment? dealers or others, please comment.
Regards Geoff.

 

[BlackC55]

If there is no play in the track rod ends leave them alone. There is really no need.

After lower ball joints are replace there is no need for a wheel alignment either. The proper MB instructions say so!!