Suspension schedule?
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Junior Member
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 50
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2008 e550 base WDBUF72X98B228774
Suspension schedule?
I may be replacing my front airmatic struts soon. I've heard that the lower control arms tend to wear out. My car has 73K miles on it and is from 2008. Would it be good to plan on replacing the control arms or ball joints while I'm in there (or is that overkill)? I do hear a lot of creaks from the front when driving, although am unsure where it's coming from. I usually only find out ball joints are shot when I go in for an alignment, it's impossible afaik to visually inspect how loose a ball joint really is, so maybe it's a matter of years or mileage. Thanks.
Last edited by KCe550; Aug 20, 2024 at 07:49 PM.
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 528
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2006 E280
Yes, you are right about that that you can't visually inspect a ball joint. Lift front end up and place jack stands under the car. Grab the tire from 6 o'clock and 12 o'clock positions and try to move the tire. This way you can feel if there's any play on the upper or lower ball joints (the are two lower ball joints). Then take 3 and 9 o'clock position and try to move the tire, this will tell if there is play either on the outer or inner tierod ends.
Bushings on the suspension arms are harder to inspect, you really can't see the condiotion of the rubber without removing the arms. Unless you take car to the shop that has shaker plates, makes diagnosing the suspension really easy.
Bushings on the suspension arms are harder to inspect, you really can't see the condiotion of the rubber without removing the arms. Unless you take car to the shop that has shaker plates, makes diagnosing the suspension really easy.
