Ball Joint or Money Making Antics?! W205 C220D

[Omz2020]

Hi Guys

I bought a C220D 2015 W205 off good old auto trader and the next day it developed an annoying squeaking noise when turning the wheel both while driving and while idle turning.

I have been told that it is the front lower ball joint making this noise and it’s very common on this car - is this true??

I have also been told that you cannot simply replace the ball joint, it needs to have the entire arm replaced, BUT I’m sure I read somewhere on this forum that the ball joint can be pressed on...any ideas on this?

Lastly, I don’t believe there’s an issue with the joint, it’s just squeaking away. So surely there’s a way of lubricating it, and if there is I would be ever grateful for a bit of info/tutorial/direction on the same.

Thanks guys!

 

[onefortheroad]

Some inject power steering fluid ( red ) or atf in through the rubber seal. Just 1ml should silence it ..

 

[EmilysDad]

I know that on some cars the bottom ball joint will only come complete with the car, some cars it's possible to buy the joint separately but it then gets bolted on instead of the original large rivets so it's cheaper/easier for garages to buy the complete (pattern) arm & fit that.
A complete arm for Emily's Seciento was £20odd

 

[ajlsl600]

Often today ball joint has to come with arm but often some research finds that someone has solved this matter without changing complete assly.
It's plain Daft but there it is, car makers!! Nothing wrong with bolts rivirts, circlips. Just makers at it period.

 

[EmilysDad]

...... Just makers at it period.

Fullstop!!!!!

 

[star]

Yes the arm your talking about comes complete with joint (cast in) and can not be replaced separately. Be careful if trying to lub, if you damage boot it may fail an mot.

 

[LostKiwi]

As Star.
My r129 has one of two different types of arm.
One the ball joint in pressed in and is replaceable and the other it's not.
However...
My thinking is that if a ball joint has worn there's a good chance the bushes are also past their best so why not replace the lot? Also bear in mind that to replace the arm it often has to be removed as the ball joint is often pressed in. Since you're removing the arm and then spending time at £100 per hour to replace the ball joint it makes better sense to replace the entire arm and save some labour costs.
The nett cost is probably not much different and you get new bushes included.
If the ball joint is bolted in such as w210 then it's not worth replacing the arm as the time is much shorter and doesn't require the entire arm to be removed.

 

[Oldspanners]

Once it starts to squeak it's had it. Lubricating will stop the squeak but soon after it will start to rattle and clunk. Better to replace both sides at the same time and you will need to get it tracked as well.
I've been there and done it

 

[Omz2020]

Thanks for the responses

I am going to jack up the car, remove the wheel and attempt to lubricate the lower ball joint best I can. I did spray some WD40 over it (just over the rubber boot) yesterday and it quietened down very slightly. So if I can somehow dismantle it and lubricate it better then I will attempt this, otherwise I will just create a small incision in the rubber and drench it with lubricant.

One mechanic told me you can hydraulic press the old ball joint out and press new one in, while another said whole arm needs replacing. Little confusing with all the mixed messages...

I don’t really like the idea of paying couple hundred to replace something that isn’t broken and that I could maybe sort out myself.

 

[LostKiwi]

Lubricating it at this point is like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. The damage is already done.

If you want to fix it yourself change the arm yourself but it will need re-tracking.

Often when they start making a noise they fail shortly afterwards. Makes life 'interesting'.

 

[star]

Ball joint is peened in with boot. As mentioned, if boot is split it may fail an mot.

 

[Oldspanners]

Thanks for the responses

I am going to jack up the car, remove the wheel and attempt to lubricate the lower ball joint best I can. I did spray some WD40 over it (just over the rubber boot) yesterday and it quietened down very slightly. So if I can somehow dismantle it and lubricate it better then I will attempt this, otherwise I will just create a small incision in the rubber and drench it with lubricant.

One mechanic told me you can hydraulic press the old ball joint out and press new one in, while another said whole arm needs replacing. Little confusing with all the mixed messages...

I don’t really like the idea of paying couple hundred to replace something that isn’t broken and that I could maybe sort out myself.

Get a syringe with a small needle and inject a few CCs of ATF or a light oil in. That will cure the squeak and not damage the rubber boot. But it's just temporary, the arm will need replaced and probably the other side a short time after.
Get them both done and the car tracked and you can forget about it for another 5 years.
Here's how it's done different model same idea.

 

[Omz2020]

Okay, so I gather lubricating isn’t doing me a favours medium term and the arm needs replacing. Any experience with part cost and labour separately please?

This is first normal Mercedes I’ve ever bought and turning in to a bit of a mare!

Got my gearbox oil change, engine oil change to sort out as well.

 

[LostKiwi]

Where are you located?
We can probably recommend a reputable specialist if you're in the UK.

 

[Omz2020]

I am based in West London, there’s a lot of mechanics near me but I have severe trust issues

 

[Omz2020]

Get a syringe with a small needle and inject a few CCs of ATF or a light oil in. That will cure the squeak and not damage the rubber boot. But it's just temporary, the arm will need replaced and probably the other side a short time after.
Get them both done and the car tracked and you can forget about it for another 5 years.
Here's how it's done different model same idea.

Thanks a lot for that.

I think the other side was done by main dealer about 8000 miles ago based on the paperwork I have with the car. The car then sat around for a few months idle while the previous owner bought a new car. I test drove the car and drove nice with slight squeak. Got a lot more louder after a motorway trip...and voila here we are!

 

[LostKiwi]

Wayne Gates in Harrow has a good reputation. Further away is Ian @star motors near Reading or further still Cole@MBs in Southampton.

Ian and Cole are regulars on here with excellent reputations and many loyal customers on this forum. I use Cole for our r230 even though it's a 2 hour drive (in part because he's very familiar with my car as he serviced it for the previous owner and in part because he's very good).
You couldn't go wrong with either Star or Cole.

 

[Omz2020]

Many thanks for the suggestion. I will defo check them out

 

[Omz2020]

Also, on the oil filter for this car...I seem to have received a plastic screw with a rubber washer in it.

I thought when the car has an oil change it just needs the copper washer replaced on the screw...

 

[Omz2020]

Price update for anybody who’s interested...

Front lower arm is £100 from Euros or £210 from main dealer.
Fittings can be reused from the old arm