Braking vibration , control arm gasket replacement .

[Wighty]

The CLK has developed some low speed knocking noises over uneven surface ,( possible more prominent when turning ) . Also a pulsing vibration when braking .
I have taken a couple of pics after examing the car.

The first pic shows the antiroll bar where it goes through its bushing , the car is jacked up on one side when the pic was taken , and you can clearly see a gap which is either wear related or is it becaus the car is jacked up ? Having done some reading , the antiroll bar needs to come out anyway to replace the two control arms on each side so it might be worth doing anyway ?

The second pics shows a split i found in one of the rubber gasket covers so one of the arms is certainly due replacement , this may have split because of excessive movement/wear in the ball joint ? On a ten year old car maybe both control arms on both sides are due replacement anyway .

Looking at youtube , the replacement of both control arms looks fairly straightforward , i may need a couple of bigger spanners .

Prior to the braking issues/knocking developing after doing 2000 miles in France i was already planning to change all 4 calipers for refurbed ones due to uneven brake pad wear and pad overheating .

Ive ordered a set of Brembo pads/discs from ECP in case the pulsing whilst braking is caused by uneven disc wear due to sticking pistons . I was thinking about returning these if that wasnt the case but if i end up doing control arms and calipers i might just as well fit them and be done with it .

So i guess my questions are :-
1) Is it worth changing all 4 control arms if one has failed because all the others wont be far behind .

2) change the antiroll bar as well because of the bush wear in picture 1 , and because its coming off to do the control arms ?

3) Can ball joints and bushes be changed seperatly on the control arms ? Or do i have to buy the complete arms ?

4) Buy MB parts (not sure on costs , but they would fit well) or someone like Lemforder ? (Any other recommended makes ?)

Any other comments or advice would be appreciated
Thanks

 

[Blobcat]

I'd replace the bushes on the anti-roll bar but not the bar itself

 

[Oldspanners]

Bonjour Wighty, back already?
I had the same problem it was the ball joint on the bottom arm ended up changing them both as after changing one it threw the steering angle sensor out of sync.
Easy enough job need a 21 or 22mm offset ring spanner and a ball joint splitter. Measure the distance from the centre of the hub to the wheel arch on the level and then jack the suspension up to this before tightening the chassis bolt up.
I used Metzger parts seem to be good quality.
Can't find the post I put up after the job must have a good look and report back.

 

[Blobcat]

Can't find the post I put up after the job must have a good look and report back.

Is this the one?

 

[Wighty]

I'd replace the bushes on the anti-roll bar but not the bar itself

I just had a distant memory that someone had said that the CLK front anti roll bar had to be replaced as the bushes were attached ?? (Not sure about this though )

 

[Oldspanners]

Is this the one?

How did you do that I could only see 10 or 11 pages?
Is it the Moderator's magic potion.
But it's not that one it's one where I changed the arm about August last year I think.
Thanks.

 

[Blobcat]

How did you do that I could only see 10 or 11 pages?
Is it the Moderator's magic potion.
But it's not that one it's one where I changed the arm about August last year I think.
Thanks.

This or this?

 

[Pullman]

I replaced both arms on the o/s and n/s on my CL earlier this year ... stub axle bottom pivot was a bugger but the antiroll bar bushes were OK .... thing is I couldn't see how the caster and camber could be adjusted ..the mounting holes were not elongated !!!!.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[Wighty]

Bonjour Wighty, back already?
I had the same problem it was the ball joint on the bottom arm ended up changing them both as after changing one it threw the steering angle sensor out of sync.
Easy enough job need a 21 or 22mm offset ring spanner and a ball joint splitter. Measure the distance from the centre of the hub to the wheel arch on the level and then jack the suspension up to this before tightening the chassis bolt up.
I used Metzger parts seem to be good quality.
Can't find the post I put up after the job must have a good look and report back.

Yep got back Sunday , just in time for the UK's heatwave .
Good tip with the measuring the suspension compression before tightening the bolts up . I had also read a suggestion about putting the car onto wheel ramps as another option (at the end of the work) and then final tightening .
Just checked I've got a 21mm spanner already .

 

[Wighty]

Just seen ECP has a sale on until midnight . Has anyone used Lemforder before ?

 

[Oldspanners]

This or this?

You've done it again but neither of them two.
As far as I remember (a big step!) I mentioned the tools and measurements I used.

 

[Oldspanners]

Just seen ECP has a sale on until midnight . Has anyone used Lemforder before ?

They are supposed to be the best and OE.

 

[Oldspanners]

Yep got back Sunday , just in time for the UK's heatwave .
Good tip with the measuring the suspension compression before tightening the bolts up . I had also read a suggestion about putting the car onto wheel ramps as another option (at the end of the work) and then final tightening .
Just checked I've got a 21mm spanner already .

Better on the flat as putting it on ramps won't distribute the weight the same.
Just be aware that some of them are 22mm you'll find out when you get the new ones!

 

[Blobcat]

You've done it again but neither of them two.
As far as I remember (a big step!) I mentioned the tools and measurements I used.

If you can remember any of the words you used I'll see what I can do

 

[Oldspanners]

If you can remember any of the words you used I'll see what I can do

That's a big problem!
All I can come up with it would have been the middle of September last year and "maybe" replacing w203 front suspension arms.
Thanks anyway for the trouble so far.

 

[Blobcat]

W209 CLK Anti-roll bar bushes - might be useful