mbhackie

As the title states I've been getting this "rubber cruching" noise while driving slowly over bumpy or uneven road surfaces. I raised my car on a lift and everything feels tight. I have zero play in all the balljoints. My thrust arm bushings are dry (no fluid leaking out of them or tears). So I am thinking it might be the strut mounts or struts any ideas?

Thanks

saetneta

I know you checked --- but sounds like bushings to me.

JLD2k3

That's what I thought, too. Get a set of metric sockets/wrenches and make sure the endlinks are supertight.

JE8

My C240 has a squeak in front end when going over bumps.....some days its worse than others....is it bushings?? How much $ to repair?

Thx

JLD2k3

Front sway bar bushings are around $80/side. If you can do it yourself, $30. Takes 10 minutes once you get the car up/side.

Check to make sure they're tight first before you take it to the dealer.

JE8

Are they visible from under car on floor jack? What should I be looking for? Sorry for the dumb questions

JLD2k3

Not dumb questions, 2 months ago I didn't know any of this stuff either. I'm no expert, but this forum can help you save a lot of trouble and money at the shop.

Check out InstallUniversity.com for the front sway bar install step by step. The endlinks are where the sway bar meets the tie rod, and there is a bushing that pads that link. If that nut/bolt is loose you will get a clunking sound going over bumps and especially when you shift the weight from one side to the other.

Also, don't get under the car with just a floor jack. Use ramps or jack stands. This is for your safety. It will be easier to deal with the sway bars using ramps.

JE8

THANK YOU !!!!!

JLD2k3

Post your findings after you check it out. Also, grab a hold of the tie rod and shake the ***** out of it. Do that before and after you tighten (if you need to tighten). If it moves around and feels like popping a knuckle, try to tighten the nut, if after tightening it still does it, you need a new bushing.

If it was loose and tightening it fixes it, get some Loctite Blue threadlock ($3 at Lowe's) and put that on there. Tighten the ***** out of it and let the threadlock sit for a half hour or so. The MB spec is 18 footpounds, but I learned it's better to crank it.

Sorry for the multiple posts, I just figured if you're anything like me you'll prefer to knock it out in one shot if possible.

JE8

just read this....

http://www.installuniversity.com/mb/...frontsway.html

I 'll give it a try tomorrow

Thx again

mbhackie

Thanks for all the replies guys.

Question... when you say...

Are you suggesting the sway bar bushings that everyone is talking about or my thrust arm hydro bushings?

JE8

I just greased the sway bar bushings today...helped alot ...although not 100% fixed.....I guess next step is to replace them????

Rookie question......What the heck is a Thrust Arm Hydro Bushing????

Mu9enx

man i need some sways.. car is starting to sound like jordan's musical brakes, lol.

mbhackie

The thrust/control arms use fluid filled pressed in bushings. Check this out...

https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...grease+bushing

pointman

Hey guys, old thread but the topic I am curious about. Does the failure of the bushings sound like a rubbing... almost like when you rub a wheel on the fender?

And is this an issue that can create further problems? Thanks.

Glyn M Ruck

Read this & check sway bushes & links

https://mbworld.org/forums/attachmen...h-bulletin.pdf

https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...need-help.html

pointman

Nice. Thanks for the good info. Gonna check it out. I hope you are right. The noise has me worried.

danev6972

Call me ignorant but as I was shopping online for bushings I saw
"rear outer control arm bushing, Lower control arm bushing" and that got me confused!
http://www.car-stuff.com/store/?N=11...668+11921+9198

How many do I need to replace all front & rear?
Is this correct....?

FRONT : 1 left Low arm & 1 right Low arm =2
REAR: 1 left Low arm & 1 right Low arm =2
Total of 4 LC arm bushing
OR
FRONT: 2 left / 2 right = 4

REAR: 1 outer arm Left side & 1 outer arm right
Total of 2 Out arm bushing

DOes the FRONT have an outer arm bushing too?
Does the REAR have a lower arm bushing?

I am so ignorant about suspension...SORRY.

swiftbmx

sorry to drag up an old thread but after reading through old topics for an hour, I think i confused myself more.

I'm having the same issues as the OP, am i suppose to e getting sway bar bushings, thrust arm bushings, control arms bushings, or something else? What about for the rear? How much am I looking at?

Glyn M Ruck

OK - suspect number one is the castor bushes (also known as thrust arm bushes or control arm bushes). They crack & leak & I have posted the factory bulletin multiple times.

Suspect number two are sway bushes and links. All are cheap. Castor bushes are under $20 each.

See pic - no 18 is castor bush. sway bushes & links are obvious.

holycaoAMG

I read the posts above but cant seem to fine a solid answer.
I have this knocking and clunk sound in the front end suspension. On normal, uneven roads, theres a knocking sound that feels like my front end is lose and going over speed bumps, theres a clunk sound.

Already had my strut bushings replaced, so no more squeking sound, and had the sway bar bearing lubricated, all noise was gone, but after 10k miles later, the clunk/knocking is now audiable. Im thinking its the sway bar bushings, but my mechanic guesses its the sway bar links.

Can someone tell me exactly what needs to be replaced?
Both sway bar bushings/links all together?

Thanks,

LILBENZ230

.

Glyn M Ruck

Yep!

johnand

Sounds like swaybar endlinks. Try those 1st.

holycaoAMG

Thing is my mechanic wants to charge me $70 just to diagnose the problem, i said no, as i know the problem is either links or bushings. I want to get the entire problem fix the first time and not have to keep bringing it back cause he will keep charging me everytime i come see him. Im doing some major maintainence on the car right now, and every penny i can save is worth everything right now.

Thats why i want to nail down exactly what the problem is.

I might as well do both links and bushings, but i wanted to clearify if i only need links.