Just purchased my S but some sounds coming from front end
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 16
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C230, CLK430, ML430
Just purchased my S but some sounds coming from front end
Just wondering if anyone has any ideas whats wrong..
1. when I go over a slight bump there is a clunking coming from the FR wheel. It wont make the sound when I push down on the car or push it sideways, I can only get it to do it while driving. Rack and Pinion, Control Arm, Buschings?
2. When I go over about 45mph and press the brakes the steering wheel will start to shake side to side pretty bad until I apply constant pressure, and then it goes away. It never does it under 45mph. Im thinking rotors on this one but would like to get any ideas on if it may be anything else.
Alighnment is dead on, the car does not pull either way at all.
I just want to make sure im not dealing with a major problem and if anyone knows a good mechanic around the Sarasota area. I refuse to go to Mercedes Benz of Sarasota because they tried to tell me my transfer case was filled with metal shavings and quoted me $12,500 on my ML430 when it was the intermediate bearing a $250 job. Plus they had already installed the new transfer case without my approval and refused to give me the old one to have inspected until I called to police to have a theft reported.
Thanks for the help!
1. when I go over a slight bump there is a clunking coming from the FR wheel. It wont make the sound when I push down on the car or push it sideways, I can only get it to do it while driving. Rack and Pinion, Control Arm, Buschings?
2. When I go over about 45mph and press the brakes the steering wheel will start to shake side to side pretty bad until I apply constant pressure, and then it goes away. It never does it under 45mph. Im thinking rotors on this one but would like to get any ideas on if it may be anything else.
Alighnment is dead on, the car does not pull either way at all.
I just want to make sure im not dealing with a major problem and if anyone knows a good mechanic around the Sarasota area. I refuse to go to Mercedes Benz of Sarasota because they tried to tell me my transfer case was filled with metal shavings and quoted me $12,500 on my ML430 when it was the intermediate bearing a $250 job. Plus they had already installed the new transfer case without my approval and refused to give me the old one to have inspected until I called to police to have a theft reported.
Thanks for the help!
Last edited by hersheylala007; Dec 7, 2011 at 09:55 AM. Reason: Added backround
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 382
Likes: 4
From: LI, NY
(1960) 300d, S550 AMG S500 S600 560SEL
the only way to know what's wrong is to send it to a dependable suspension garage for a visual and physical check up, there are lots of moving suspension parts as well as steering parts in the front that may cause the noise.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 382
Likes: 4
From: LI, NY
(1960) 300d, S550 AMG S500 S600 560SEL
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 4
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1997 S420
cool_lagoon
What I meant to say was I replaced the parts mentioned and was told by a shop that I go to was that he adjusted the ball joints, he is a long time acquaintance and i trusted his saying, I guess he was pulling my leg. I am more of a motorcycle guy and not up yet on cars. I tried the high octane boost and marvel mystery oil route to try and blow out the carbon at 110 mph and the engine light is still on, i 'll keep trying. Hope you have luck fixing the front bumping noises, Sincerely, Stove
Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 81
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97' S320 & 00" S500
I have the same problem
OK, I know this is a late reply, but I have had the same problem on my 97 S320 for 4 years now. I have replaced the rotors and brakes and recently had the upper control arms replaced. Still the clunking noise. I was under the car today with my wife pressing it up and down to try to get the noise. I faintly heard something from the lower ball joint and even felt a grinding there as the car moved. I will try replacing those next.
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Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 382
Likes: 4
From: LI, NY
(1960) 300d, S550 AMG S500 S600 560SEL
kcscout before you go on changing parts may i suggest you check first the following parts, stabilizer bushing, lower control arm bushing as well as the rubber boot of the ball joint, steering gear box, plus all the rubber and metal bushings you may see underneath for wear and tare and start spraying them first with silicone oil, make sure all oil have properly penetrated and circulated all through the rubber, one way to make sure it has already spread properly is after spraying take the car for a ride and runn to humps or un even road. If the noise persist then check for any loose bolt, another source of clunk noise is the rubber seat which is installed on the top and bottom of the coil springs.
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Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 81
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97' S320 & 00" S500
Thanks for the advice. I did have my silicon spray with me while I was under the car the other day and was using it to help eliminate joints. I was expecting the problem to be the lower control arm bushings, but they looked OK. All of the rubber seals around the various joints were in tact. The only parts that appeared to be worn were the lower ball joints. I did not consider the spring end plates though. I will check on those soon but since the spring is under constant tension, I don't see how there can be any play at the ends.
Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 81
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97' S320 & 00" S500
Just a bit of a followup on my front end problems. I was unsure what the problem was so I took my car to a local mechanic who told me my shocks were bad and my upper control arms were worn. I replaced both of those but still had the shimmy and the knocking. I got back under my car and inspected every joint and finally saw that the lower ball joints were really shot and the steering damper looked rusty. I changed those and when I dropped the steering damper the top side was completely rusted out. I was amazed it functioned at all. That took care of most of my problems, but there is still a bit of a klunking when I hit a bump at slow speeds. I checked again and the front right sway bar link has one end that is a little loose. I plan to change that next. Everything else seems to be OK. I was surprised at how easy it was to change the lower ball joints and the steering damper. I was afraid of fooling with the front suspension, but after really looking things over, only the lower control arm is affected by the spring tension. everything else is really simple to replace.
