When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I did an in-depth writeup on how to install new polyurethane bushings in the front lower control arms of my 2002 CLK55. I couldn't seem to find anyone else with the Powerflex bushings so I thought I'd share it here.
The full story in on my blog at StumptownBenz.com, but here's an overview:
What you’ll need for this job
Tools
Threaded Rod, 2 nuts, 2 washers -OR- a press (hydraulic or arbor)
Removing the Arms
The front coil springs have a lot of potential energy stored in them so you'll need to be careful when removing them. At first I tried using a pair of external coil spring compressors, but they were a pain and didn't work that well so I just ended up using a floor jack to support the arms when removing the outer ball joint. Once the ball joint is removed from the spindle, lower the jack and the spring can be removed before unbolting the arm from the chassis.
Removing the old bushings
As others have pointed out on previous DIY threads, the rear bushings are pretty easy to cut out because they have an aluminum shell and the rubber has gaps where you can fit a hacksaw blade. I just knocked the centers out because they were barely attached and used my sawzall with a hacksaw blade on it.
The front bushings are considerably more difficult to remove. I used a heavy hammer and a masonry chisel to beat them out. It took about 10 minutes per bushing half, but worked out pretty well.
Installing the Powerflex bushings
The new powerflex bushings go in pretty easily, if you take the right approach. The best DIY way is probably to use a piece of threaded rod with two nuts and two large washers to "squeeze" the inner sleeve into the poly pieces AFTER you have the poly pieces in the arm. I have an arbor press attached to my workbench so I used that.
The other thing to watch out for is how the bolts fit into the new bushings. The factory shoulder bolts won't fit, so I had to get a set of febi eccentric bolts and use the inboard slot of the frame, to help reduce negative camber. I'll be taking the car to the alignment shop soon to see how far out of whack the alignment is.
Overall, it's not a bad job. I highly recommend it!
2001 W163 ml 270 1998 w202 c250td 1999 s202 c250td
Originally Posted by Ferrist
Wow, thank you kindly for this!
Any update on these? Im about to pull the trigger since ive been getting some terrible vibration at 100km/h
Any feedback would be awesome!
iv tried everything with w202 front control arm rear bushes over the past 10 years ,after market bushes lucky if they have 1000 miles in them before they start to wear ,genuine or lemforder will last 25k on a lowered car before the woes begin ,I too went down the poly route using the Mercedes camber/caster adjustment bolts and my car handles great with no squeaks or tyre wear but suffer the same vibration problems at speed and ride quality at any speed suffers greatly
I've been driving on the PowerFlex bushings for over a year now, and although my CLK is not my daily, I have had zero complaints about them. No squeaking at all and the ride is perfectly acceptable. Highly recommended.
Ive had these sitting at home for the last year while ive been waiting to choose suspension and find a goddam tech who could push the old bushings out (eyeroll) but will be doing it soon, any info on the exact bolts you had to buy?
while i do have a second car would like to be prepared to get the job one and done.
Ive had these sitting at home for the last year while ive been waiting to choose suspension and find a goddam tech who could push the old bushings out (eyeroll) but will be doing it soon, any info on the exact bolts you had to buy?
while i do have a second car would like to be prepared to get the job one and done.
We are so involved in constant design, manufacture - seldom get around to marketing awareness re our product range!
Thought this an excellent opportunity to inform - we producing a "TOTAL FRONT AND REAR SYSTEM". Constantly testing, proving in all-out heavy V8 competition racing.
Not only these '4' "front" replacement poly bushings (with K-MAC having "twice the load bearing area" than all other brands for performance - improved brake and steering response and long term durability).
"PLUS THEIR CAMBER AND CASTER ADJUSTABLE"
Fact/Reality being there is only "TOE" (front and rear) "directional" adjustment OEM
No essential CAMBER (or Caster) to adjust TIRE CONTACT ANGLES to resolve costly, premature edge tire wear, improve traction.
CASTER necessary to compensate for Camber change, correctly resolving steering pull, improving high-speed directional control, along with reducing dive/lift on brake/acceleration.
THE UNIQUE K-MAC PATENTED DESIGN ADJUSTMENT SYSTEM has revolutionized the industry in how adjustment is made.
Now no more the "time-consuming need" for dis-assembly. Instead now on car fast/precise single wrench. Accurately under load (direct on alignment rack).
At K-MAC with constant, ongoing development our very latest "2019 Generation" have increased adjustment range further.
Now 4 times that of the inaccurate "one only offset position" fluted bolts.
FURTHER BONUS - HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO AWAY WITH LABOUR/TIME CONSUMING NEED TO REMOVE ARMS FROM VEHICLE AND ELIMINATED NEED FOR CHISEL/HACKSAW.
Now K-MAC latest generation is straight forward, fast fit on car. With specially designed bush extraction tool supplied.
K-MAC HAS THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING THE LONGEST ESTABLISHED aftermarket manufacturer of performance bushings 55 years (1964).
Other performance bushings we manufacture for the W208 are replacements for the '6' rear multi-link arms (entire 4 upper and 2 lower).
WE HAD MANY REQUESTS TO PRODUCE THESE BUSHINGS TO REDUCE REAR-END TWITCH/FLEX, LOSS OF TRACTION. Especially when applying power to lane change/overtake.
Prior, available were replacement bushings in Delrin. But these have a short life, soon pounding out will resultant noise, looseness.
The K-MAC design has resolved this situation with excellent feedback both competition and road use re dramatic improvement to rear end stability.
Having only rear Toe adjustment OEM. We also manufacture a rear Camber adjuster kit (also includes "extra" Toe adjustment to compensate for the new Camber facility).
This kit replaces the "lower arm' inner bushes. Comes with bush extraction tool so can be fitted on car. Like the front is easily accessible to adjust and the unique patented design - it is precise, single wrench.
WITH THE FITMENT OF THIS REAR "CAMBER AND TOE" ADJUSTER KIT MEANS THE "ENTIRE SUSPENSION" BUSHINGS (FRONT AND REAR) ARE NOW POLY. Have "twice the load bearing area" of all other brands and our long term K-MAC design expertise ensuring noiseless in operation.
NOTE: Also many requests re rear, upper Camber adjustment arms. Do not manufacture these the reason being to resolve common, premature inner edge wear/improve traction they need to move top of tire "outwards" reducing the essential clearance to outer fender. Also difficult to access, adjust.
The only real benefit of upper arms is being able to adjust top of tire "inwards" to fit extra-wide profile tires. Trade off though is further increasing (not reducing) negative Camber, costly premature inner edge wear!
Do point out "even in the above situation" the K-MAC "lower arm" adjuster kit (by adjusting "base of tire") when used in addition, allows adjustment inwards of the lower arm reducing this excessive negative Camber angle.
Front Camber and Caster Adjustable bush kit #502016J $380 Rear Camber (and extra Toe) bush kit #502026H $320 Rear 12 bush multi-link kit #501528K $480 Rear 2 diff bush kit (2axis) #501628H $320 Rear 4 sub frame bush kit #501728K $480
Delivery Worldwide $30 one kit $20 each additional (diff bushes $10)
Hey Joel, quick question. I'm about to undertake this job and was just curious about the bolts? How much did they need to be adjusted? How bad was your caster/camber out? I'd like to try and do it without having to get an alignment and am about to order the bolts.
i don't understand what you mean about using the frame and bolts to line it up, could you give a bit more detail on this? Thanks!
Just curious where you got your bolts from though, I searched on google and came back with after removing the feb from the p/n u posted results for a 97-00 c230 now when I searched for the bolts for that car on fcp euro they came back as the same sky listed for the clk55 bolts any thoughts?
How out of wack was ur alignment? I'll be replacing the febi drag link (12k miles old I'm thinking hopefully original parts are better than cheap "oe" or "oem" )with original Benz while I'm down there and lining up threads on end links (lol) so just curious. Bolts came today from fcp euro, $35 for all 4 I think. I live up the little notch towards inboard of the car?
Hey Joe, sorry to bother you again...but I managed to get the bushings out and am ready to press the power flex in and swap out the arms.
2 things.
the two washers on the new bolts...which way do the little humps face on either side when installing? It will either create a gap against the bolt head and nut or "inboard" meaning toward the bushing?
only other thing is once I'm ready to put the new sleeve in the bushings, I don't have an arbor press but I do have a vise on the work bench which will extend far enough out, think I will be ok using that to press them in?
The little humps should go inside the slotted hole in the frame so the washer sits flat, but can't rotate. As for installing the bushings, it's probably best to use a piece of threaded rod with some nuts and washers on either end to pull the sleeve into the bushing. I did not think of that until after I used my arbor press, which was kinda difficult.
Man...it's funny how things work. I suppose I didn't look deep enough into poly bushings in the front, is the vibration at highway speeds that bad?
lol and you can be honest, the vibration I get now is just really wack.
where specifically do you guys see the vibrations with the poly bushings?
my cheapo's are only about a year old with 13k miles and after replacing the drag link, steering shock even having my wheels refurbished and brand new extreme contacts put on the progressively worsening vibration from 62-72 I assume has to be related to the arms.
which is why I'm doing this lol!
I did the thrust arms on my buddies 435 this weekend and asked him why he wouldn't have gone poly, he said cause everyone said it makes them vibrate, I got concerned but thought he might be messing with me.
but then I re read some posts even on here and I'm like man...that sucks. People are really just sucking up vibrations to not have to change their arms as often? That seems silly!
so I guess we'll just go through with it and see how it goes, I'll also be replacing the Febi drag link with a genuine Benz and had already re replaced the febi dampener with genuine Benz.
it's not my daily, but ride comfort and lack of vibration is super important to me. Seems Ike I'll be taking these off in not too long to replace with some lemforders.
I am so glad to hear that Joe! Hopefully I will end up with the same results.
but quick and hopefully last question... with the new washers, on the front of the bracket the washer and little hump are able to sit to where the bolt will pass through. However on the rear there are two little notches which prevent it from sitting flush and the bolt to pass through.
what did you do in your experience?
This is the front, just enough space for bolt to slip through
rear, the little notch prevents bolt from going through.
Suggestions?
Jeez joe, ur scarin the crap outta me! I already totaled the car with my spring compressor 😂 never should have got it for my birthday should have just used ur trick
put that factory bolt back in without a bushing. It should only go in one way. The shoulder keeps it from rotating because it’s in an oval hole. The nub on the new washer goes into that oval, offset to one side. That puts the bolt offset as well, which makes the flute on the other end engage with the tab in the other hole.
02-01-2018, 03:04 PM
Thank You!
