Floating body in Wind 300e
06-24-2002, 03:02 AM
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Floating body in Wind 300e
I have a 1990 300e. Travelling with cruise control at 80mph on straight flat motorway I took my hands steering wheel. Car body seemed to float about in a diagonal cross wind but the car continued to travel in a straight line with no steering correction, required. The car has done about 115,000 miles and I have just replaced the front shocks with standard ones. The ride height and suspension setup as per factory. Also, if I turn into a corner too quickly at speed the body roll is very excessive. I have only just bought car but surely a car like this should not feal as unsafe as it does. The steering does not seemed to have any play in it. So can anyone tell me if this is nornal or what do I need to check to correct it.
Many thanks
Many thanks
06-24-2002, 09:37 PM
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Possible fixes??
My 89 300e handles fast turns with ease, even with my bad tires (soon to be replaced w/ 16'').
The only thing I know of would be bad tie rods. I basically rebuilt my whole front right tire area with new suspension/shocks/brakes/arm and the car started to vibrate badly at around 60mph. My mechanic noticed that the tie rods were getting quite bad and replaced them. Now my car only vibrates at 80mph
, probably because I have a worn front left tire. But, check out the tie rods if you have already not. Just a possibility. I could be totally wrong 
!!
The only thing I know of would be bad tie rods. I basically rebuilt my whole front right tire area with new suspension/shocks/brakes/arm and the car started to vibrate badly at around 60mph. My mechanic noticed that the tie rods were getting quite bad and replaced them. Now my car only vibrates at 80mph
, probably because I have a worn front left tire. But, check out the tie rods if you have already not. Just a possibility. I could be totally wrong !!
06-25-2002, 05:22 PM
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1986 300E
A 124 should be steady as a rock at any speed.
In my case, that 'floating at speed' symptom was caused by bad balljoints.
Chupper's vibration may indeed be the tire, unless the mechanic missed a problem with the idler arm bushings (right side), or play in the bearings.
In my case, that 'floating at speed' symptom was caused by bad balljoints.
Chupper's vibration may indeed be the tire, unless the mechanic missed a problem with the idler arm bushings (right side), or play in the bearings.
Last edited by csnow; 06-25-2002 at 05:25 PM.
07-02-2002, 05:08 PM
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T. Williamson,
Go underneath the car and look in the rear, there are 5 arms, one of the arms is called the thrust arm(probably the problem) ,one is the control arm camber strut, one is the control arm strut, and the tie rod and oh yeah the sway bar link. When my car was doing the floating thing I had to change the thrust arm which corrected my problem. Eventually I changed all of the arms. I'm no mechanic, but I did do the work myself and all is good. So good that I even did the whole frontend over myself and dropped the car using Eibach Prokit springs, Bilstein comfort shocks(should've went with sport shocks) #1 cups in the front and #3 cups in the rear. I took a chance and did all of the work myself because here in Staten Island,NY they'll rob you with the price.
Good luck...
Go underneath the car and look in the rear, there are 5 arms, one of the arms is called the thrust arm(probably the problem) ,one is the control arm camber strut, one is the control arm strut, and the tie rod and oh yeah the sway bar link. When my car was doing the floating thing I had to change the thrust arm which corrected my problem. Eventually I changed all of the arms. I'm no mechanic, but I did do the work myself and all is good. So good that I even did the whole frontend over myself and dropped the car using Eibach Prokit springs, Bilstein comfort shocks(should've went with sport shocks) #1 cups in the front and #3 cups in the rear. I took a chance and did all of the work myself because here in Staten Island,NY they'll rob you with the price.
Good luck...
