ball joints

[Nik_Codling]

Hi All,

I suspect I need to replace the front ball joints on my 300CE. I get occassional clonking and banging from the front.

Two questions - how would i go about checking to see if they're worn? Just jack the car up and feel for play?

Secondly, is it a hard job to replace them? I've never done this job on such a big car before (just on a Mini!).

Thank you for any advice.

Nik

 

[kid-jensen]

Nik

Ball joints can be checked by jacking the car up and tugging at the wheel to feel for play.

If you find any, get someone to apply the front brakes...........if the play disappears, then the play must be wheel bearings.

If the play is still there, vertical play tends to be ball joints, horizontal play tends to be steering related.

If you've done it to a Mini (bastard job!), can't see any problems in a Mercedes.

 

[Nik_Codling]

Nice one, thanks for your reply Paul.

I'll check them this weekend, assuming it's not too cold...

cheers,

Nik

 

[Andy]

Hi

I love your optimism on this forum. If the ball joints are worn. You won't find it in the way its been discribed. Unless they are falling off.

1. One way is to jack the front up so the wheels are about an inch of the ground. The wheels need to be hanging free. Then get a crow bar and put under the wheel and lift. Checking for movement or free play.

2. Or you could with the vehicle jacked up. Get a crow bar and place under the ball joint and while leavering against the wheel force the joint up and down, checking for play.

3. Orr you could get a pair of water pump pliers and squeeze the joint against the bottom arm\stub axle. You will see what I mean & check for play.


Trying to replace ball joints on your vehicle with out the special tools.Ie spring compressor. Can be very dangerous.

Take it into somebody who knows. They should charge you no more than an hours labour a side. Ball joints are £13.75 plus vat from your local stealership. DON'T fit replacement. There rubbish.


Regards

Andy @ www.mercedesservicing.com


PS. I doubt if its the ball joint causing the noise!

 

[Nik_Codling]

Thanks for your reply Andy.

I have to remain optimistic, it's the only way of dealing with a rising number of jobs that need doing on a car that continually costs me lots of money!!

Your advice is all along the lines of what I was anticipating to do in order to check them - I appreciate that I'm not going to be able to jack the car up and just feel for play by rocking the wheel.

I have spring compressors, so no problem there.

You say you don't think it's the ball joints? Care to let on? My other suspicion was wear to the bushes in the tops of the turrets, although I'm not familiar enough with their design to say for certain.

I'm buying a workshop manual today, so I can finally start having a better appreciation of how this car had been put together.

Any further advice is appreciated.

Nik

 

[Richard Moakes]

Be careful!

These cars need no ordinary spring compressor to be safe. You really need to have the proper tool from Klann to be sure, and they are VERY expensive.

Best to take it to a specialist for this sort of job, I have replaced drag link, steering damper, idler arm bushings, shock absorbers, top strut mountings, wheel bearings and my car still feels crashy over sharp bumps in the road, and still makes a knocking noise on rippled roads.

I did suspect the anti-roll bar bushes, but they were replaced by the previous owner about 20K ago, and they look fine.

My suspicion is that the ball joints are worn, but not completely gone, and as I get a little bit of wander when going over white lines or under braking, it may well be the lower control arm bushes that are also worn.

It seems to me that the all the components wear in unison, and the front suspension gets a bit sloppy. Additionally, just replacing certain parts seems to transmit more stress to the remaining old parts and simply makes the problem worse.

I don't plan on spending over £500 on a set of those spring compressors, when I get sick of the suspension, I will get someone like Andy to refurbish the lower arms with new bushes and balljoints.

Good Luck,

Richard

1989 W124 300E

 

[Andy]

Hi Nik

I have known people cure the noise's by just replacing the antiroll bar bushes. No problem. Sometimes it the shocks or even as you have mentioned the top strut mountings.

I would start with the antiroll bar bushes. Use the dealer stuff only £4 or so plus the VAT. But they have the modified rope type inner sleeve to stop noises.

Regards

Andy @ wwwm.mercedesservicing.com