Front end rebuild = new car ride
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 61
Likes: 11
From: Melbourne, FL
2011 C300 Sport
Front end rebuild = new car ride
After 10 years and 90K miles, it was time to re-fresh the front end.. It started with my drivers torque strut leaking and snowballed into a full front suspension swapout. The passenger torque strut had some cracks in the rubber so it was probably going to go soon as well..
Since you have to remove 1/2 the suspension to get those suckers out, I just replaced all of it. Torque struts, cross struts, tie rod ends, sway links, struts and shocks in the rear. I went with Lemforder and Bilstien B4. It was not too bad, the hardest part was swapping the springs onto the new struts. I bought a spring compressor specific for this job due to the issues people have noted with getting the springs compressed. The rear shocks are more of a PITA than I expected.. I only got driver side done. The issue is the shock needs to be compressed while you pull it out of the vehicle. I was able to wrestle the driver side out, but the passenger side has a bunch of fuel related stuff in the way. After thinking about the issue for a while, I have come up with a plan on how to get the passenger side out.. finger crossed...
After the work was done, drove it up for an alignment. Smooth and solid...feels like a new car... and then 1 day later the ESL started to flip out so it is parked while I have a new ESL motor on order...
Anyway, if you have a 2011ish C300 and feel like it is riding a little harsh, well worth the effort..
Since you have to remove 1/2 the suspension to get those suckers out, I just replaced all of it. Torque struts, cross struts, tie rod ends, sway links, struts and shocks in the rear. I went with Lemforder and Bilstien B4. It was not too bad, the hardest part was swapping the springs onto the new struts. I bought a spring compressor specific for this job due to the issues people have noted with getting the springs compressed. The rear shocks are more of a PITA than I expected.. I only got driver side done. The issue is the shock needs to be compressed while you pull it out of the vehicle. I was able to wrestle the driver side out, but the passenger side has a bunch of fuel related stuff in the way. After thinking about the issue for a while, I have come up with a plan on how to get the passenger side out.. finger crossed...
After the work was done, drove it up for an alignment. Smooth and solid...feels like a new car... and then 1 day later the ESL started to flip out so it is parked while I have a new ESL motor on order...
Anyway, if you have a 2011ish C300 and feel like it is riding a little harsh, well worth the effort..
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 4,037
Likes: 1,011
From: Miami, FL
2003 CL 600
The struts are probably the one thing nobody does that will make a major difference, the lower arms are a very common failure across the benz product line and people don't realize how worn they get until they hear a noise, but by that time they have been very sloppy for some time.
Also, if you haven't done it, throw a set of engine/trans mounts in there, will smooth the car out like you won't believe.
Also, if you haven't done it, throw a set of engine/trans mounts in there, will smooth the car out like you won't believe.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,118
Likes: 271
'13 GLK350 4matic,'10 C207,'15 GLA250,'07 Honda Odyssey, '18 GLE 43, '24 EQS 580
I do hope you changed the strut bearings at the front when you replaced all of those stuff. In my case I only replaced the struts, bearings and links and I am already very happy with the results.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 61
Likes: 11
From: Melbourne, FL
2011 C300 Sport
Yeah I did the bearings as well. They didn't sound/feel too bad but they got swapped out anyway..
I did the transmount and flex discs about 1 year ago due to a slight vibration at around 45 mph. Cleared that right up.
I'll have to look at the motor mounts..
I did the transmount and flex discs about 1 year ago due to a slight vibration at around 45 mph. Cleared that right up.
I'll have to look at the motor mounts..
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 435
Likes: 81
From: New Zealand
W204 C200, BMW E30 M3, 1980Gt Mini, Toyota Corona, KTM 200 EXC.
Just finished my 08 C200K AMG sport front end rebuild, 135,000km tidy up.
Castor arm and camber arm bushes, sway bar links, new original front springs, new discs and replaced seals in front brake callipers.
Hardest job was the front springs managed to get them off and had to take them to suspension shop to reinstall.
Defiantly makes the car steer straight again for long distance takes out the need to continually correct the steering wheel.
Castor arm and camber arm bushes, sway bar links, new original front springs, new discs and replaced seals in front brake callipers.
Hardest job was the front springs managed to get them off and had to take them to suspension shop to reinstall.
Defiantly makes the car steer straight again for long distance takes out the need to continually correct the steering wheel.
