new front struts purchased, fyi
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Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 114
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From: Washington, the State
1993 300CE Sportline
new front struts purchased, fyi
My 1993 300CE Sportline has been vibrating a bit at highway speeds, not always consistent. I took it to a body shop for a 4way alignment. It has a leaking front strut and a toe-ed in front wheel. I just ordered two MB struts (124 320 76 30) from Rusty at MBParts for $179 each. The shop will charge 2 hrs for each side to install and they hope the new strut will correct the toe-in or it can be fixed during the final alignment. The car has 80,000 miles. Any similar experiences?
kurt
kurt
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 76
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From: Hedgesville, WV
1990 300E 2.6
Check this link to "Adsit Co." Don't know if one of those listed is for your car but it might pay to check. To get the best price, you must order online but you can always call to verify which one is for your car.
http://www.adsitco.com/category.asp?CID=1304
OliverB
http://www.adsitco.com/category.asp?CID=1304
OliverB
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,647
Likes: 8
Youngtimer
Originally Posted by oliverb
Check this link to "Adsit Co." Don't know if one of those listed is for your car but it might pay to check. To get the best price, you must order online but you can always call to verify which one is for your car.
http://www.adsitco.com/category.asp?CID=1304
OliverB
http://www.adsitco.com/category.asp?CID=1304
OliverB
Thread Starter
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 114
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From: Washington, the State
1993 300CE Sportline
mighty slow?
""Boy 2 hrs a side for a strut change! Them folks seem mighty slow???
Smokie""
Two hours is from the shop manual...have you personally done a strut change? Is 2 hrs high? Sometimes what "seems" high or slow is not the case when you are turning the wrench. Tell me why it seems mighty slow?
Smokie""
Two hours is from the shop manual...have you personally done a strut change? Is 2 hrs high? Sometimes what "seems" high or slow is not the case when you are turning the wrench. Tell me why it seems mighty slow?
Member
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 237
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From: Charleston, SC
99 ML 320, 97 Porsche 993 C2S, 92 300E
I've done this job on 124s several times. I'm not a professional. I'd say two hours is plenty of time although I've not timed myself. I think it will also depend on whether you use air tools or not, I do and I think they make any job faster and much easier.
Basically you jack the car up, remove the wheel, compress the spring with proper compressor, remove nut on top of strut, remove three bolts that attach strut to wheel carrier, support wheel carrier with wire or whatever as you remove strut, remove strut mount, three bolts. I forget if I had to remove the two nuts that hold the bushing and sway bar to the wheel carrier in order to push the wheel carrier down far enough to remove old strut. Then do reverse and torque all fastners to spec.
I have no idea how they arrive at those flat rate times, they seem unrealistic with no basis in fact. I can nearly always do the job in less time than the flat rate indicates and this applies to jobs I'm doing for the very first time. Once I've done a job the next time I can do it even faster. I would think a professional with way more experience than me would never require the amount of time indicated by the flat rate.
Basically you jack the car up, remove the wheel, compress the spring with proper compressor, remove nut on top of strut, remove three bolts that attach strut to wheel carrier, support wheel carrier with wire or whatever as you remove strut, remove strut mount, three bolts. I forget if I had to remove the two nuts that hold the bushing and sway bar to the wheel carrier in order to push the wheel carrier down far enough to remove old strut. Then do reverse and torque all fastners to spec.
I have no idea how they arrive at those flat rate times, they seem unrealistic with no basis in fact. I can nearly always do the job in less time than the flat rate indicates and this applies to jobs I'm doing for the very first time. Once I've done a job the next time I can do it even faster. I would think a professional with way more experience than me would never require the amount of time indicated by the flat rate.
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Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 253
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From: Temecula, CA
Tesla model S
Yeah, those guys are going to eat steak on you tonight - 4 hrs is reasonable but still BS, a seasoned mechanic can have both sides done and cleaned up in two hours. As for the price (179.00 ea) wow, I think you could have bought all 4 Bilsteins for 400-425...
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Member
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 76
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From: Hedgesville, WV
1990 300E 2.6
The price of Bilstein shocks/struts seems to fluctuate some. I watched prices and sales and purchased the fronts from Adstico for $90 each last year and the rears from Performance Products on a price match for $49 each year before last.
