Attaching strut bellow to strut mount.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 220
Likes: 43
From: In the bush on the shores of Lake Nipigon
1990 Mercedes 190E
Attaching strut bellows to strut mount.
After several months osf procrastination, assembling parts and arranging for the grandson to assist I am in the process of tackling the replacement of the front stuts on my 190E. I have the old struts removed and while the first one was a challenge to remove the second one came off relatively easily. Now the job will be to get the new ones on. I have watched several youtube videos and read the procedure and feel confident that I, with some muscular help can install the new Sachs struts before winter sets in. I have not seen or read about how the bellows fits to the bottom of the strut mount. The old ones were torn and loose on the strut shaft but it appears as though the bellows were attached by spreading them over the two shorter "ears" of the mount bottom. I see on the AutoDoc video with a W124 the technician seems to simply twist the bellows around the mount ears. I would find that all but impossible to do but looks doable with a bit of a struggle with maybe a pry tool. Is this correct?
Last edited by LauraS; Sep 29, 2023 at 03:16 PM.
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 25
Likes: 4
1990 190E 3.0
After several months osf procrastination, assembling parts and arranging for the grandson to assist I am in the process of tackling the replacement of the front stuts on my 190E. I have the old struts removed and while the first one was a challenge to remove the second one came off relatively easily. Now the job will be to get the new ones on. I have watched several youtube videos and read the procedure and feel confident that I, with some muscular help can install the new Sachs struts before winter sets in. I have not seen or read about how the bellows fits to the bottom of the strut mount. The old ones were torn and loose on the strut shaft but it appears as though the bellows were attached by spreading them over the two shorter "ears" of the mount bottom. I see on the AutoDoc video with a W124 the technician seems to simply twist the bellows around the mount ears. I would find that all but impossible to do but looks doable with a bit of a struggle with maybe a pry tool. Is this correct?
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 220
Likes: 43
From: In the bush on the shores of Lake Nipigon
1990 Mercedes 190E
Thank you. It seemed like the only way the bellows would attach to the mount but it seems to be hard for me to stretch the rubber across both ears. Maybe with a pry tool?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,369
Likes: 195
From: SF Bay Area, CA
190E 2.6L 1989, 190E 2.6L 1988, BMW 535dXdrive 2014, BMW 428i 2015
When I did mine years ago I just rested the bottom of the bellows on the rubber ears. Not sure sure if that is the right way of doing it. So if the car is jacked, the bellows lift off the ears.
I think otherwise they would stretch too much.
I think otherwise they would stretch too much.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 220
Likes: 43
From: In the bush on the shores of Lake Nipigon
1990 Mercedes 190E
Thanks for the advice. It is always appreciated.
Last edited by LauraS; Sep 30, 2023 at 04:46 PM.
