How does one check Lower Swivel ball joint play on CL500 W216 ?

[Submariner1]

I assume you jack it up, remove wheel and then get another jack to support the Spring Arm ( to take the load the Spring in the strut exerts ) and then check for ball joint play.?

My initial check with the car just jacked up showed no play on the ball joint - just wheel bearing play. But then I guess the ball joint is under tension from the Spring in the strut and or ABC fluid pressure.

Any advice?

The good news is - she is booked in at MBS Next Monday.

 

[ajlsl600]

Jack motor with wheel on put bar long under tyre get someone to jog bar up down whilst you look. If joint shxgged u should see it.
Failing that release the ball joint and see if it has any free play in movement. Normal if it moves about whist remaining a little stiff, with no up down movement.

 

[Submariner1]

Jack motor with wheel on put bar long under tyre get someone to jog bar up down whilst you look. If joint shxgged u should see it.
Failing that release the ball joint and see if it has any free play in movement. Normal if it moves about whist remaining a little stiff, with no up down movement.

Thanks so much.
I raised the ABC to get better visibility, then jacked up front wheel till it was free, and put a 500mm cold chisel under it and put that over a small chisel to act as a fulcrum, and got the wife to step on the long bar as per red arrow i.e. slightly raising the wheel.

when I did this on the drivers side ( the side that developed the squeaking noise 200 miles after B Service), I could see on the arm with the ABC strut going into it, the top section of the ball joint started to raise, i.e. start to separate the ball joint say 3mm. All the other ball joints went up and down together i.e. not separating at all.

When I did this on the Passenger side, which I think is the nearside? (UK Car) there was no separation, Or if any pretty much negligible/impossible to see.

Confused because on the latest service @ 54,582 miles, an advisory said “front spring control arm ball joints excessive play“ £££s.
But on last years service @ 52,303 miles it had an ‘Amber advisory’ “N/S/F lower swivel ball joint worn“ . That would be the passenger side? If so, one would have thought the passenger-side would have been the worn one or at least the worst worn one.??

Assuming raising the ABC would not invalidate this test?

Apologies for being detailed, but as they are ‘order in - next day’, to get it fixed at my service appointment, I need to preorder this arm @ £340.82

Are they talking about the same Arm? The ball joint with the movement is the lowest ball joint physically.

Puzzled one end has a replaceable rubber bushing - yet the ball joint end (where it would get the most wear) is non replaceable.
Would have expected to get 75,000 miles out of something like this on a MB. Guess S Classes aint whot they used to be.

 

[ajlsl600]

If ur talking about lower ball joint at bottom of abc strut?? U have 3 options 1 change strutt, not cheap. 2 there is a service that refills the ball joint lower case with a kind of hard wearing plastic, and fits a grease nipple(you will need to search that on here) or wait for a referral. 3. There is, was a company in Germany selling the ball joint., you will need a 15 tonne or more press and someone who knows what they are doing. They are spine pressed in and f tight. Some basic tooling will need fabricating. If we are on the same page? I understand(Craig) has had some success with China struts.
Of course I may have the wrong ball joint that ur looking at?

 

[Submariner1]

If ur talking about lower ball joint at bottom of abc strut?? U have 3 options 1 change strutt, not cheap. 2 there is a service that refills the ball joint lower case with a kind of hard wearing plastic, and fits a grease nipple(you will need to search that on here) or wait for a referral. 3. There is, was a company in Germany selling the ball joint., you will need a 15 tonne or more press and someone who knows what they are doing. They are spine pressed in and f tight. Some basic tooling will need fabricating. If we are on the same page? I understand(Craig) has had some success with China struts.
Of course I may have the wrong ball joint that ur looking at?

No its the ball joint onto the steering knuckle, of the arm that the ABC leg is bolted to. One end of the arm goes onto the bodywork, and the offending ball joint is at the other end and is bolted to the steering knuckle, with the leg of the ABC bolted to this arm in roughly the middle of the arm.

 

[ajlsl600]

Ah,!! well Yr prob forced to benz, or if lucky febi bilstien or the like can supply I doubt its a replaceable ball joint, not much is that simple any more... On my ngtf I can just replace ball joint or even as last week, just the rubber ball joint cover, for a couple of quid!
All 1972 and before makers became so f devious