E-Class front X Members

[clive williams]

Hi All,

I noticed the discussion on E-Class faults and thought it worth commenting separately on the E-Class (W210) X-members. On the recent first service of the E320CDI (2001 model) I took the under trays off and immediately spotted the design problem with the X-member. The front tray is fixed directly up to the underside of the X-member sealing the space between the tray and the metal. Water gets into the engine compartment, drains back to the X-member and is held there. The seal is not so good as to prevent capillary attraction and the bottom of the X-member basically sits in a pool of water. What ****head designed it thus? the only way the X-member was not going to rot was if it was either SS or heavy galvanized.
Fortunately, my X-member had a limited amount of rust which was scraped clean and the underside liberally coated with axle grease. When I reinstalled the tray I made up some pvc spacers 3-4mm thick, through which the fixing screws pass. The tray is now set below the X-member by 3-4mm, which allows the water to drain away. If the tray retains debris then I'll consider alternative drain holes.
What about all those who have had the X-members replaced but have not solved the problem????

Clive

500E
E320CDIT210

 

[johnmc]

Hi Clive,
It is just plain bad design to save a few Euros. I got mine replaced FOC, and it looks like the part is galvanised this time. Worth checking though!

John

 

[jberks]

Sounds like good advice to me.

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

Thanks for posting the finding Clive.

I'll add the job to my 'to do list' for the summer. The fixing of the undertray tightly to the x member is convenient for rigidity but lacks long term thinking re the water trap/corrosion issue. Perhaps the designers have been told that mercs don't rust, lol.

 

[MIW615]

Hi All,

I noticed the discussion on E-Class faults and thought it worth commenting separately on the E-Class (W210) X-members. On the recent first service of the E320CDI (2001 model) I took the under trays off and immediately spotted the design problem with the X-member. The front tray is fixed directly up to the underside of the X-member sealing the space between the tray and the metal. Water gets into the engine compartment, drains back to the X-member and is held there. The seal is not so good as to prevent capillary attraction and the bottom of the X-member basically sits in a pool of water. What ****head designed it thus? the only way the X-member was not going to rot was if it was either SS or heavy galvanized.
Fortunately, my X-member had a limited amount of rust which was scraped clean and the underside liberally coated with axle grease. When I reinstalled the tray I made up some pvc spacers 3-4mm thick, through which the fixing screws pass. The tray is now set below the X-member by 3-4mm, which allows the water to drain away. If the tray retains debris then I'll consider alternative drain holes.
What about all those who have had the X-members replaced but have not solved the problem????

Clive

500E
E320CDIT210

Thanks for the info Clive - I'll be checking mine (2002 E240 Avantgarde) in the spring.

 

[clive williams]

Thanks for posting the finding Clive.

...... The fixing of the undertray tightly to the x member is convenient for rigidity...... .

I thought of that too Malcolm, but the fixing is by two (I think) simple screws which would allow the tray to sag if it was not in itself rigid enough. I suppose the only advantage of the tray tight up to the u/s of the X-member would be if you hit something but the way I have set it up allows the tray to flex 3-4mm before hitting the X-member. Besides, which is cheaper - tray, which is dispensable (at a push) or the X-member?

Clive

500E
E320CDIT210