Replacing sway bar bushings?
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2008 CLK550 Cab
Replacing sway bar bushings?
I assume my sway bar busings are causing my creaks over bumps. An easy job but does somebody have torque specs? And does it help to put some sort of lube indside them to prevent future creaks?
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2004 CLK320
I recently replaced my rear sway bar bushings because of squeaks.
I paid $21 CAN for the set of two from the dealership. It was changed by an indie and I paid $40, so must be an easy job.
My car is 2004 CLK320.
Part no: 203-326-02-81.
I paid $21 CAN for the set of two from the dealership. It was changed by an indie and I paid $40, so must be an easy job.
My car is 2004 CLK320.
Part no: 203-326-02-81.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2010
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2008 CLK550 Cab
So I went to the dealer to pick up a set. No such thing he says. He even showed me the parts breakdown. Of course there are bushings, but they are not sold separately - they are glued onto the sway bar. I would have thought he was on crack except that fits pefectly with Rodney's description of having to shave his off, and the parts drawing did indeed seem to show them as one part with the bar. So at some point did they start gluing them? If so, how can they be the common squeak source? Seems like aftermarket ones would be a step down since they would be loose fitting. The good news is the whole bar is like $80, but now I'm curious if they are really the source of my creaking if the bar can't move inside the bushing.
And if I wasn't clear, I'm talking front bushings.
And if I wasn't clear, I'm talking front bushings.
Last edited by Yidney; Feb 14, 2013 at 06:35 PM.
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Your parts guy is wrong. They are available. You need a 21mm bushing. He can look it up for a W203 - the part number should be A2033232185. You may also want to buy new brackets as these are a slightly different shape than the W209's, but you can still make them fit (I use my stock brackets with no problems - it just looked like an odd fit). It is not recommended to use any lubricant on them.
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It seems they did make a change to the bushings and they only come pre-installed on the sway bar. I suppose they thought that gluing them in place would make them less prone to noise, but obviously this hasn't worked. So, the solution is to buy a bushing from an older chassis that has the right diameter. You may be right - the CLK550 probably uses the larger 22mm. So the part number is A2033232285. Positions 9 and 10 in that part number vary by diameter - A2033232085 is 20mm, A2033232285 is 22mm. Just use an end wrench to verify your sway bar size and buy accordingly.
