Hi from Newbie and Front Suspension problem
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Auckland
190e 5 speed manual 1990
Hi from Newbie and Front Suspension problem
Hi all
I am new to your forum, having had my first problem with my new car (1990, 190e), okay - so not that new.
First a bit about myself .... no, you don't actually want to know anything about me, except perhaps that I might be the farthest away member and come from a country with the worlds best rugby team (I await flames with glee).
My problem is with ball joint removal. I got to the stage of removing the ball joint from the steering knuckle - and it wouldn't. The bolt is absolutely frozen in place. I therefore have a few of questions
Is the bolt that retains the ball joint threaded at the base? (ie. do I need to wind it out of the hole?) and yes I did try this and used a sturdy six point socket with an 18 inch bar - and broke the socket through the sidewall!
Has anyone else had a similar experience, and what did they have to do to fix it?
And lastly, did they ever weld these in place? - this car was assembled in the U.K. and I think industrial relations were dodgy back then, what are the chances that someone did this on the production line for fun?
Any help that you have would be useful, along with any suggestions of control arm and steering knuckle compatibility with other models, as I might have to have a hunt for replacement parts if I end up replacing everything that attaches. I might be able to get away with just replacing the steering knuckle if the ball joint could be cut off below the bracket, but we are talking about some seriously hard material, and I wouldn't want to use a torch because of the damage it would do to the control arm.....
Regards
RobWell
I am new to your forum, having had my first problem with my new car (1990, 190e), okay - so not that new.
First a bit about myself .... no, you don't actually want to know anything about me, except perhaps that I might be the farthest away member and come from a country with the worlds best rugby team (I await flames with glee).
My problem is with ball joint removal. I got to the stage of removing the ball joint from the steering knuckle - and it wouldn't. The bolt is absolutely frozen in place. I therefore have a few of questions
Is the bolt that retains the ball joint threaded at the base? (ie. do I need to wind it out of the hole?) and yes I did try this and used a sturdy six point socket with an 18 inch bar - and broke the socket through the sidewall!
Has anyone else had a similar experience, and what did they have to do to fix it?
And lastly, did they ever weld these in place? - this car was assembled in the U.K. and I think industrial relations were dodgy back then, what are the chances that someone did this on the production line for fun?
Any help that you have would be useful, along with any suggestions of control arm and steering knuckle compatibility with other models, as I might have to have a hunt for replacement parts if I end up replacing everything that attaches. I might be able to get away with just replacing the steering knuckle if the ball joint could be cut off below the bracket, but we are talking about some seriously hard material, and I wouldn't want to use a torch because of the damage it would do to the control arm.....
Regards
RobWell
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,753
Likes: 0
From: York, PA
2003 C230K Sport Coupe, 1986 190E 2.3
They press in and press out. I needed lots of heat on one, I had a torch handy at my father in laws. The other I was at my house and needed to bang the living crap out of it while cobing together a press type device using two c clamps and a large socket type deal. It was a b!tch!
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Auckland
190e 5 speed manual 1990
Bolt or ball
Yes, but are you talking about the ball joint coming out of the control arm? I know that needs to be pressed out, but I haven't gotten that far yet. I'm having a problem getting the steering knuckle off, I didn't think this was supposed to be a problem.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Auckland
190e 5 speed manual 1990
Just a follow up...
I tried an impact driver, and it wouldn't turn, I used a mild steel 15mm round shift and bent it. I had to drill out the bolt that held the ball joint in, I used a 5% cobalt drill bit and managed to clean it out right down the centre. The ball joint has a similar level of corrosion and I'm going to have to remove the control arm and take it to an engineer in the upcoming holidays, as the press I have had absolutely no chance of removing it. There appears to be a small amount of corrosion everywhere, I guess because it was on U.K. roads for the first couple of years of it's life, where they use salt - the body and chassis, and everything else are in good nick, so I assume MB use a good anti rust paint system.
Bugger, it was never meant to be this hard.
I tried an impact driver, and it wouldn't turn, I used a mild steel 15mm round shift and bent it. I had to drill out the bolt that held the ball joint in, I used a 5% cobalt drill bit and managed to clean it out right down the centre. The ball joint has a similar level of corrosion and I'm going to have to remove the control arm and take it to an engineer in the upcoming holidays, as the press I have had absolutely no chance of removing it. There appears to be a small amount of corrosion everywhere, I guess because it was on U.K. roads for the first couple of years of it's life, where they use salt - the body and chassis, and everything else are in good nick, so I assume MB use a good anti rust paint system.
Bugger, it was never meant to be this hard.
