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Removed the front control arms and think that the tie rod ends are in pretty good shape (will confirm with a trained eye). Wondering if anyone has removed and replaced the bushings themselves? Were you able to do it with any rental tools from a parts store? Seems unlikely as the end that you would have to push the bushing out will have to be pretty precise as the wall of the bushing is pretty thin. Did you take it to a shop and what did they charge if you did?
-- The problem I had with forward control arm (caster) was the non-replaceable ball-joint that's built into it.
The bushing had softened... I replaced the whole arm with a LEMFORDER.
I don't think bushing are worth the trouble with built-in BJ.
-- For the side control arm (camber), I replaced the ball-joint and kept the arm/bushing.
-- What restored a firm & precise steering was the $60 strut bearing/bushing.
This is really the suspension MAIN bushing.
You best not want to ignore the 10-Yr old chewing-gum in this part.
-- The steering rack tie rods seem to be holding up so far.
-- I tried adjusting the front wheel bearing play with a digital dial gauge (0.01mm)... a waste of time! Adjust by hand with the wheel back on and plastic center cap removed: now perfect tiny bearing play.
-- All 4x swaybar links are the first items to get worned out. They make the chassis bounce side to side until you replace the rear because the front is not enough to hold the chassis by itself. It makes the car feel very bouncy like failed shocks where in fact shocks are just fine.
The outcome is my loose front end handles like new again @60kMi. It's easy to drive it centered without weak instabilities.
Last edited by CaliBenzDriver; Sep 3, 2024 at 10:27 PM.
Removed the front control arms and think that the tie rod ends are in pretty good shape (will confirm with a trained eye). Wondering if anyone has removed and replaced the bushings themselves? Were you able to do it with any rental tools from a parts store? Seems unlikely as the end that you would have to push the bushing out will have to be pretty precise as the wall of the bushing is pretty thin. Did you take it to a shop and what did they charge if you did?
Get a control arm and replace it IMHO. There is a special bushing kit from what I recall that is pretty pricey but will remove all of them. Then ya have to get just the bushings which arent too expensive. The kit to get them in and out though.
Originally Posted by CaliBenzDriver
-- The problem I had with forward control arm (caster) was the non-replaceable ball-joint that's built into it.
The bushing had softened... I replaced the whole arm with a LEMFORDER.
I don't think bushing are worth the trouble with built-in BJ.
-- For the side control arm (camber), I replaced the ball-joint and kept the arm/bushing.
-- What restored a firm & precise steering was the $60 strut bearing/bushing.
This is really the suspension MAIN bushing.
You best not want to ignore the 10-Yr old chewing-gum in this part.
-- The steering rack tie rods seem to be holding up so far.
-- I tried adjusting the front wheel bearing play with a digital dial gauge (0.01mm)... a waste of time! Adjust by hand with the wheel back on and plastic center cap removed: now perfect tiny bearing play.
-- All 4x swaybar links are the first items to get worned out. They make the chassis bounce side to side until you replace the rear because the front is not enough to hold the chassis by itself. It makes the car feel very bouncy like failed shocks where in fact shocks are just fine.
The outcome is my loose front end handles like new again @60kMi. It's easy to drive it centered without weak instabilities.
Not sure on yours but my benz with 4matic the fwd and rear control arms (caster/camber arms) (upper lower control arms) (whatever they are called) both have ball joints built into them. Just swapped mine out. Would be nice if it was feasable to replace ball joints and bushings because the arms themselves seemed fine (unless there were some micro cracks or something). I miss the days of just swapping ball joints and being done with it lol.
EDIT take that back maybe thats a e250 4matic thing not necessarily a e350 thing.
Hi - At K-MAC we have the experience of resolving OEM Suspension shortcomings since 1964 !
SEEING OEM ALL W212 MODELS HAVE NO FRONT CAMBER OR CASTER AND NO REAR CAMBER ADJUSTMENT - New car industry’s best kept secret (all to do with ever increasing speed of new car assembly lines - there being now only TOE “directional” adjustment).
CAMBER AND CASTER is now “one setting only” (at showroom height) STOPPING TO ALIGN / ADJUST IS NO LONGER AN OPTION.
THEREFORE SOON AFTER W212 RELEASE - We provided not only uprated “suspension bushings” but included “adjustment” - allowing to adjust tire contact angles, spread load more evenly TO RESOLVE EXCESS EDGE TIRE WEAR AND OWNERS HAVING TO FUND COSTLY PREMATURE REPLACEMENT !
NOTE: Can purchase offset bolts (Front only) but only offer miniscule 1/8" (.3 of one degree).
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THEN FOR REAR (ALSO 2 DEGREES POS. OR NEG.) - THE LOWER ARM INNER BUSHINGS FOR CAMBER (all above ‘6’ bushings in total are also the highest wearing).
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Spoiler
ALL MODELS W212 incl. E63, 65/S AMG
FRONT LOWER ARM Camber (Only) Bushes
#502916-1i $345 (Both Sides) 4MATIC #503616-1i $345 (Both Sides)
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ABOVE CASTER BUSHES - Are Mono Ball / Self aligning. Replacing the OEM large diameter soft rubber bushings. SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVING BRAKE & STEERING RESPONSE.
REAR SUSPENSION - Lower Arm Inner bushings (All Models)
CAMBER (& Extra Toe) #502126K $480 (Both Sides).
UPRATED BUSHES FOR THE REAR ‘6’ MULTI LINK ARMS. Less twitch, flex, loss of traction. Especially when applying power to lane change / overtake.
#502628K $480 (Both Sides)
FOR PERFORMANCE / TRACK DAYS:
UPRATED / STRENGTHENED REAR “TOE ARMS” to eliminate flex #502326-3J $380 (Both Sides) - used in conjunction with #502126 kit.
NOTE: ALSO MANUFACTURE UPPER ADJUSTABLE CAMBER ARMS (INSTEAD OF SOFT EXTRUDED ALUMINUM) ARE CHROMOLY STEEL #502226-1M $595 BUT MORE DIFFICULT TO FIT AND ALSO TO ADJUST. Therefore only recommend when wanting extra (not less) negative Camber for top of tire clearance to outer fender.
ALSO FOR TRACK DAYS ADDITIONAL FRONT REPLACEMENT STRUT TOPS CAMBER & CASTER ADJUSTABLE (Coil Susp.)
STAGE 2 (STREET / RACE) #502916-2L $545 (Both Sides) STAGE 3 (FULL RACE) #502916-3L $545 (Both Sides)
AGAIN K-MAC UNIQUE PATENTED DESIGN - Providing the “BIGGEST” (up to 3 degrees Neg. Camber change) plus “QUICKEST to change settings” (from engine bay - no need for strut removal)
See website re all the unique K-MAC features.
TRACK DAYS - (COMBINED WITH THE LOWER ARM KIT) - Can dial in more then enough extra neg. Camber to dramatically reduce understeer. Allowing to hit those corner apexes every time and go “deeper into the corners” - with increased Traction and Braking response. In the pursuit of front row of the grid lap times.
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So far I been buying genuine MB front suspension arms for my friend W204.
My car only needed the correction bolts and the L shaped ball joint for front suspension.
I did buy rear camber arms, also genuine MB and its not too expensive.
My experience with Lemforder for rear damper top mount W212 been a bad one, so me stay away from Lemforder whenever I can.
Some rear suspension bushings of my W212 are by Lemforder but branded MB, but no suspension arms on my W212 be it front or rear are from Lemforder.
I never could trace the actual OE of the suspension arms, except the front sway bar link is by a Japanese company .
Since suspension arms last very long in terms of years of ownership for my low mileage use, going genuine is easiest for me.
I am now at 42,000KM and 10 years and both my front suspension arms bushings are still good, steering rack end ball joint ( tie rod ) also still good.
Lemfoerder seems to be the preferred supplier for bushings per other brand sites. Some thought that Febi wasn't a great brand before Bilstein bought them and preferred Meyle.
Wanted to just replace the bushings but the local parts stores don't have the right loaner tooling to remove the bushings. The OEM arms come without the bushing. Do you have the WIS for the bushing replacement?
At 150000 miles and 15 years reluctant to pony up for the Mercedes arms and bushings but want ones that are design intent hydraulically filled.
2016 E350 4Matic wagon, 2019 Ford Expedition, 2019 Chevy Bolt EV
Bilstein did not buy Febi. Febi Bilstein was founded by an entirely different family coincidentally named Bilstein, but no relation to the suspension company.
Febi Bilstein is primarily a reboxer. you could get 4 boxes of the same part number and find 4 different parts, mostly Asian these days, whatever they found cheapest that week. For the most part, avoid at all costs. Last I heard, Meyle wasn't any better.
Lemfoerder seems to be the preferred supplier for bushings per other brand sites. Some thought that Febi wasn't a great brand before Bilstein bought them and preferred Meyle.
Wanted to just replace the bushings but the local parts stores don't have the right loaner tooling to remove the bushings. The OEM arms come without the bushing. Do you have the WIS for the bushing replacement?
At 150000 miles and 15 years reluctant to pony up for the Mercedes arms and bushings but want ones that are design intent hydraulically filled.
I am out of town, so no access to my PC back in my man cave.
There is a WIS on the caster arm bushing only replacement. It is actually easy bushings are, you note the old one orientation well and depth of insert and copy over to the new one.
The problem with bushing that size is : if your tool is like mine, manual threaded bolt and nut as puller/pusher tool, the accuracy of the push "cup" tool is very important and hard labor is a must.
If the bushing shell is aluminum, you are in luck, if the bushing shell is steel, it will be much harder to work with as these are all friction fit.
The thinner the bushing shell, the more accurate the "cup" to use and the center bore of the cup must be tight too for the bolt, otherwise the pressure to bushing shell won't be equal.
I done rear suspension bushings 3 each side and the small steel one (Lemforder brand used by MB ) on the wheel knuckle/carrier is the worst one in terms of friction fit resistance.
The biggest bushing is the subframe side for spring control arm, and it is very long. Not too fun to work with too.
BTW, I did again the same 2 bushings of the rear wheel knuckle/carrier for my friend's W204 few months back but I needed to machine a new
tool just for that dumb-azz steel shelled #40 bushing and with 14mm bolt, it works like a charm, but still the push "cup" suffered and had a minor compression buckling
A friend has a hydraulic press and I can cut out the old bushings but the issue is getting the right tooling to push it in and as much as I hate and I mean hate throwing away a perfectly good parts (the control arms plus tie rod ends) I guess I have to do the sensible thing and buy new arms.
When reinstalling the control arm, does the wheel needed to be loaded with the car weight prior to tightening the bushing? I am thinking that it should be, as the bushing is not free to rotate.
When reinstalling the control arm, does the wheel needed to be loaded with the car weight prior to tightening the bushing? I am thinking that it should be, as the bushing is not free to rotate.
Yes, you must have the car at ride height , aka arms bushing pre-loaded with car weight as is
Do you know the bolt torques for the 4matic control arms and struts? I have looked at your other posts but am still unsure for the 4matic. Is the adjustable bolt referred to as the repair kit? I'm thinking it is 100 N-m+ 180 deg for the control arm to chassis attachment and 120 N-m plus 180 at the tie rod end. Sound right? Are the 4matic lower bolts the same as the RWD ie 70 NM loosen then 100 NM? Thanks for the torques for the upper end of the strut on your previous post.
2016 E350 4Matic wagon, 2019 Ford Expedition, 2019 Chevy Bolt EV
Originally Posted by MBNUT1
Do you know the bolt torques for the 4matic control arms and struts? I have looked at your other posts but am still unsure for the 4matic. Is the adjustable bolt referred to as the repair kit? I'm thinking it is 100 N-m+ 180 deg for the control arm to chassis attachment and 120 N-m plus 180 at the tie rod end. Sound right? Are the 4matic lower bolts the same as the RWD ie 70 NM loosen then 100 NM? Thanks for the torques for the upper end of the strut on your previous post.
Find attached the WIS for Camber n Caster of the front and the front suspension strut
FRONT SUSPENSION ARMS
No big deal, 100nm vs 120nm is not an issue if the stage 2 is the 180 degrees which matter most. 20nm extra is peanuts for this king kong bolts.
Thanks to all the valuable input I got here I got things back together with the new front struts sans getting the bushings torqued completely.
Took it to a local tire store for an alignment and they said they the camber was out and wanted an outrageous amount to put in the repair bolts. So I took it back. I have one of the repair bolts and ordered another. Have another alignment scheduled with a shop in the neighborhood. I am hoping that they will install the repair bolts in the camber arms and tighten the caster bolts for a reasonable amount along with the alignment.
I haven't replaced the rear shocks and based on the the difference in the front end ride quality and the rear I am guessing I am going to need to. Wanting to confirm that I do that after the alignment without requiring another alignment.
He showed them to me but did not give them to me. He claimed the caster was in at .66? and .68?, He said the the camber was out but (+.33?) but might come in as the new struts broke in. And said the toe in was out a little. He said it probably drives straight. I have been afraid to drive it far because of the under torqued front bushings (110 nm + 20-30 deg). I need to go see my brother who is 300 miles away in the next week. It felt pretty good and was tempted to get it on the highway to see if it pulled but again concerned about the bushing torque.
At 14 years old and I bet good mileage on your car, if the rear shocks is as old as the car, replace them.
Dang.... I was hoping they print out the wheel alignment result, otherwise its what he/techy said
Yeah I expect to replace them but was wondering if I can do that after I have the alignment done without needed to redo the alignment. I need to go out of town before I can get them in. Do you agree that will be ok?
So this is not the same as when the original shop looked at it because I believe the before in this case is after the second shop installed the camber repair kit bolts which looks like it brought the camber into specs.
The strange part is at the first shop the caster was in on both sides. Wonder if the bushing slipped after I drove it because it wasn't torqued sufficiently.
The other interesting thing is after I picked it up I noticed that it was riding a little stiff so I checked the air pressures and they had set them to the values on the door post rather than on the fuel door.
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Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
