E Class 211 - suspension noise front left

[Willber]

Hi,

I have a 2009 S211 E280 and it has just had:

New shocks
Springs
Control arms
tie rods
Upper ball joint
Lower right ball joint

There is still some suspension knock when going over small bumps at low speed. It can be felt through the left foot rest on the floor. It usually happens after i hold the car on the brakes in drive (using hold function) and then set off again slowly.

The only bit not replaced was the upper wishbone (just did ball joint) and the passenger side lower left ball joint (the one pressed into the upright) however, after prying there can be no movement felt in that ball joint, the other side had obvious play.

Has anyone got any ideas what to check? We have tightened the wheel bearings too as had some play.

Is it Common for the lower ball joints to make noise despite not showing any movement?

Thanks

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

There is a lot of load on the bottom ball joints so a very likely culprit given the symptoms when releasing from hold. The engine mounts and subframe bushing are other areas to check out

 

[Wighty]

I’d go the lower left ball joint that you hadn‘t replaced yet

 

[Wighty]

What mileage is the car on ?

 

[Willber]

Its on 118k. Front left has been replaced before but front right was original Merc hence more worn.

Probably worth doing front left just to rule it out?

 

[Willber]

There is a lot of load on the bottom ball joints so a very likely culprit given the symptoms when releasing from hold. The engine mounts and subframe bushing are other areas to check out

Should have mentioned; done the engine and gearbox mounts too, the engine mounts in particular were hammered! Passenger side top was hanging off and the inside was spinning!

 

[Uncle Benz]

Have you replaced the balljoints pressed into the middle of the camber arms that attach to the anti-roll bar links? These are notoriously hard to diagnose

 

[Willber]

Yeah its had all new arms and drop links. The only bit not replaced is lower left ball joint. Doesn't show any signs of play though

 

[00slk]

Are all the bolts or nuts tight?
Ask me how I come to ask

 

[Willber]

Yep been underneath twice making sure they're all tight!

 

[Willber]

Lower left ball joint now replaced but noise and feeling is still there.

Have checked/tightened all the top mounts nuts up too.

Its definitely related to front and back weight load shift, like when slowing right down and then accelerating sharply it seems to make the noise with the weight transfer.

All I can think is to get it aligned and see if it stops? Could the alignment be so far out that the suspension is binding up somehow and loading and releasing tension on some of the bushes and spring with the weight transfer?

Its really odd!

Do the steering rack bushes typically cause trouble on these cars? Or the front subframe bushes?

 

[star]

Could it be brake pads rattling in the carrier. Some aftermarket pads are fractionally smaller, lightly press the brake and see if the noise goes.

 

[Willber]

Its not a persistent rattle, and definitely feels more like something is under tension and pinging sort of.

When I jacked the car up several times there seemed to be a ping sort of noise coming from the passenger side, so i'm wondering if its the shock

 

[Willber]

Bit more investigation done last night by mechanic; we jacked the car up using the centre front Jacking point and could feel a ping on the end of the anti roll bar where the drop link is - this is the same on both sides.

We put the car on ramps and undid the drop links, lowered it, drove it around the block, raised it again and reconnected the drop links - noise still there.

We loosened the shock bolt and nipped back up, loosened the control arm bolts (the slotted kind) and nipped back up. Noise still there!

All we can think is that because the alignment is so far out (lots of neg camber and toe is out) that the suspension is under so much load it is sort of twanging when the load comes off. It doesn't do it at speed or over bump bumps so I'm wondering if at low speed the wheels are sort of scrubbing? As speed rises the wheels will toe out a bit as is normal and the car settles down a bit? It definitely can be felt in the footwell (makes sense if its roll bar) and can be heard in the car.

Any ideas?!

I think im just going to have to align it and see what happens. The car didn't do this before and all components are new quality parts.....

 

[M80]

Just a thought, and possible off the mark.
The suspension legs need to be kept in correct line as the springs are mounted.
This being so the upside down U will sit over the lower arm correctly.
If it / they weren't the fitter may have jimmied the bracket to be able to fit. This would be putting a strain on the coil spring.

Perhaps you might release the bottom of the suspension leg and see if it will rise off the lower arm w/o trying to rotate.

 

[Willber]

Turns out that it was a faulty ball joint on the new Febi suspension arm which was causing it. It was the one which attaches to the drop link; the ball joint was almost too tight and moving in notches rather than smoothly. Replaced the ball joint and all is fine now! Never had a faulty new part in lots of previous suspension rebuilds, even more surprised as they are Febi parts stamped 'made in Germany' not cheapo stuff!

 

[Uncle Benz]

I wish I’d had money on it

 

[Willber]

Haha - its a really odd fault. Never had a new part fail straight out of the box before! Pressed it out and put another febi one in and its fine now

 

[Botus]

Turns out that it was a faulty ball joint on the new Febi suspension arm which was causing it. It was the one which attaches to the drop link; the ball joint was almost too tight and moving in notches rather than smoothly. Replaced the ball joint and all is fine now! Never had a faulty new part in lots of previous suspension rebuilds, even more surprised as they are Febi parts stamped 'made in Germany' not cheapo stuff!

I took off some rubbish febi arms that were more worn than the part I took off - I got a used arm - swapped the ball joint boot the main dealer had deliberately stabbed with a screw driver on the originals to steal 1k, and these arms are still on the car - the febi jokes had done 3k miles - you might want to get the geometry checked first and put it back with the adjusting washers on the right side so you can have a car that drives in a straight line

 

[such]

My right side febi engine mount lasted 40 miles before collapsing and leaking fluid.
Only MB parts for me from now on...