DIY: W209 fix for creaky sway bar bushings (w/pics)
#26
Yes my car currently is pulling to the right side, its the front sway bar bushings I believe. I removed the sway bar and links and there was absolutely no way to slide off the bushings. I had to cut, scrape and file down the old bushing to come off. After all that, it still wasn't perfect. After this was done, I realized the bushings don't fit properly into the bracket. Do I need to replace the brackets too, to fit the new febi bushing in?
#27
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At some point MB made the front bushings part of the bar - fused to the bar. They are not a separate part. Those new bushings are not a correct fit - obviously. Some have used the wrong bushings as a "good enough" solution, but that is not my style. In your situation I'd just buy a new bar with bushings - they are not that expensive.
Last edited by Yidney; 05-11-2016 at 11:05 AM.
#28
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But I'm still curious why you think sway bar bushings will cause your car to pull. As well as what you meant by warped. In all the suggestions I've ever seen for fixing a car pulling, I don't think I've even seen sway bar bushings suggested as a cause.
#29
I'm starting to think its not the bushings, because its still driving the same. A while back I had the bar off and the bushings never went back on the same way. They changed shape and were dried out from over the years. I've had an alignment on the car twice and they cant figure out why it steers to the right.
#30
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How are the alignment numbers? These cars usually have too much negative camber. I had the dealer put camber bolts on and now my car no longer pulls right.
#31
I would have to look them up, don't have the paper on me. Back to the sway bar problem, it looks like if I purchase a new sway bar you still need to buy the bushings separate. Should I just purchase Mercedes bushing and put on the old bar.
#32
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Where are you getting this info from? If online, it's not totally reliable because of the change that was made. If you go to a dealer and have them look up the part by your VIN, you will get a bar with attached bushings. Think about it - MB did not make a sway bar that the bushings needed to be hacked and filed off so they could be replaced. They are not meant to be replaced.
#33
I was looking at the diagram from various parts place. I usually purchase from https://www.genuinemercedesparts.com/. On the schematic it shows separate parts numbers for the sway bar and bushings.
#34
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I was looking at the diagram from various parts place. I usually purchase from https://www.genuinemercedesparts.com/. On the schematic it shows separate parts numbers for the sway bar and bushings.
#35
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I assume you bought those incorrect bushings in the pics from a similar online site. They said they were for your car but they are not. Although I've never seen any in person, I assume the older design looked like that. So if you order the separate bushings in the diagrams online, you will have two identical incorrect sets, but one will have an MB logo.
#36
MBworld Guru
I removed the "built-on" bushings from my car and replaced them with the old-style removable bushings. My old ones were totally warped and word where they mate with the bracket. This built-on style was a dumb idea! And yes, my new bushings fit poorly just like Nick's. I figured I'd fix this by ordering the old style brackets, but I never did. I bolted everything down with the existing brackets and there is no noise and they are secure.
#37
Senior Member
Originally Posted by Rudeney
I removed the "built-on" bushings from my car and replaced them with the old-style removable bushings. My old ones were totally warped and word where they mate with the bracket. This built-on style was a dumb idea! And yes, my new bushings fit poorly just like Nick's. I figured I'd fix this by ordering the old style brackets, but I never did. I bolted everything down with the existing brackets and there is no noise and they are secure.
#38
MBworld Guru
The busing is part number A2033232085. However, you need to measure your torsion bar diameter (use a metric sized open-end wrench). That is for the 20mm diameter. For the other sizes, just replace the "20" in the 8th and 9th position of the part number with diameter (20mm, 21mm or 22mm).
For the old-style bracket, the part number is A2033231140 (left) and A2033231240 (right).
For the old-style bracket, the part number is A2033231140 (left) and A2033231240 (right).
#39
Senior Member
Originally Posted by Rudeney
The busing is part number A2033232085. However, you need to measure your torsion bar diameter (use a metric sized open-end wrench). That is for the 20mm diameter. For the other sizes, just replace the "20" in the 8th and 9th position of the part number with diameter (20mm, 21mm or 22mm).
For the old-style bracket, the part number is A2033231140 (left) and A2033231240 (right).
For the old-style bracket, the part number is A2033231140 (left) and A2033231240 (right).
Sorry, I have never done it but that noise bugs me. I really want to fix it.
Last edited by merceBENZ; 05-13-2016 at 12:35 PM.
#40
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The sway bar (torsion bar) is a round steel rod of pretty much uniform thickness. So just remove the plastic belly pan and measure it on either side of the bushings. You can use a wrench as Rodney suggested, or use calipers since most people don't have 20+mm wrenches. As for whether you have the old style, I'm not sure what year it switched. But the old style have a seam in them. Or you can just remove the clamps and see if they are fused to the bar. If they are part of the bar, you have the new style.
#41
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#42
Senior Member
I will try lube first because this makes a lot of sense. Can I use MB branded lube for brake pad job? I believe it is high temp silicone.
I don't have 20mm wrench nor caliper.
I don't have 20mm wrench nor caliper.
#43
MBworld Guru
Really, just good old lithium grease is fine for lubrication here, but the brake pad lube would work, too. My problem with the new style was that the pressure of sway bar against the fixed (glued) bushings deformed them, and lube didn't help much - it lasted a week or two. I just don't understand the fixed bushing. In this setup, the sway bar is not allowed to "sway" - the lateral force has to be held by the bushing.
#47
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Really, just good old lithium grease is fine for lubrication here, but the brake pad lube would work, too. My problem with the new style was that the pressure of sway bar against the fixed (glued) bushings deformed them, and lube didn't help much - it lasted a week or two. I just don't understand the fixed bushing. In this setup, the sway bar is not allowed to "sway" - the lateral force has to be held by the bushing.
#48
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As usual, your front camber is out of spec. I am not sure how much is too much as far as it making it pull. All I know is my car pulled no matter what and the world's worst MB dealer kept saying it was the tires - through three sets. So I took it to a much more competent dealer who reinstalled incorrectly installed camber bolts and my car has not pulled since. I'd have to look at my specs to see where they were before. But that fix was just about three years ago, and also just happens to be the last time I've paid a nickel to anybody to work on my car.
#49
Senior Member
This screenshot from EPC with my VIN. Obviously it shows rubber as separate piece. But when you click on it you get invalid message.
#50
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1. the ranges for the rear is different on the print outs
2. the model year used are different (2003-09 and 2004-09)
3. one vehicle version is listed as USA and the other Europe
None of this may matter, but it would make me wonder about the work being done.