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After thoroughly checking all of the potential causes of a front end rattle, i.e. ball joints, anti sway bar bushings and attaching points, control arms, struts, tie-rod ends, etc., etc I think I have identified the problem. It appears that the right and left body to frame mounting points have shrunk or collapsed so two pieces of metal are too close together and they bang against each other when going over bumps. I jacked the car up and when I let it be supported by jack stands that space opened up so I placed a piece of blue, 1/4” thick, Thinsolite (fairly dense foam) in the spaces on both sides and let the car back down. I believe that took care of 99% of the rattle that had been driving me nuts for several months. I’m assuming this has something to do with how the body is attached to the frame but I’m not certain of that. My solution is obviously very temporary and I’d like to find the correct Mercedes part to permanently solve this issue.
I’ll try to attach a photo.
N e help identifying this part or a permanent fix for this problem would be appreciated! Now that I see this photo I can see that this blue foam is not very compressed as I thought it would be. N e way, what the heck am I dealing with here???
Last edited by 1xsculler; Mar 22, 2024 at 12:53 AM.
Yes, rattle is now gone as of when I drove it this evening
If that foam remains in place problem solved BUT I’m assuming it will wiggle out.
The pieces of metal that were rattling together were not big heavy pieces like suspension components but more like 1/8” thick sheet metal.
I may end up taking it to the dealer to get a definitive answer but you guys can usually troubleshoot this stuff for me and I very much appreciate that!
Last edited by 1xsculler; Mar 22, 2024 at 02:38 AM.
I am confused. What are we looking at in the pictures? Could you clarify what the perspective is, and what is in the field of view?
Unless I am badly mistaken, the GL is a uni-body chassis, not a body-on-frame, design, with things such as the motor and transmission resting on crossmembers bolted to the unibody.
(Regarding the pictures, perhaps take a wide-angle shot and then zoom in.)
I'm not 100% sure exactly where that is, either... but if you're saying that the foam definitely made a difference then I would be looking to rubber mounts between items that may have failed/gotten flat.
Now I wonder how much of a PIA it might be to R&R a pair of these puppies?
MB part #: 166 331 00 42
I got the feeling that my dealer had never had to order these before which raises my suspicion that I may be on the wrong track???
Hard to describe the rattle but it doesn’t seem to be related to any of the troubleshooting you did AND my little Thinsolite pads ALMOST eliminate it.
Last edited by 1xsculler; Mar 22, 2024 at 07:20 PM.
Please describe the rattle and can you replicate the rattle sitting still by putting body weight on the running boards and moving the body up/down and left/right?
I had a horrible rattle clicking that took a while to find … I kept disconnecting front end parts and swaying the body.. Mine ending up being the inside tie rods that were out on before I bought the car .. they were super tight and the clicking rattle was from the inner ???
1. If you suspect the front end .. start by disconnecting the torsion ends..
2. Than try the tie rods…
mercedes etc
3. I even let the air out of the front bags and pulled the bottom bolts
4. Lots of trouble shooting on Youtube videos with 164 chassis noise.
good luck and keep us informed !
It looks like there may be two of this part # in the front and two in the rear??? Does this part ever go out? Have mine gone out at 165k?
I’m not in the market for a knuckle busting job that may not even solve the problem.
Has n e one on this forum ever heard of this part failing??
Maybe I should remove one to find out much of a problem it is. Prices range from $140 at dealer to $24 aftermarket.
Last edited by 1xsculler; Mar 22, 2024 at 07:54 PM.
As I already stated ..I think it will be wise to go to youtube and watch some videos on 164 rattles … and yes those parts you posted go bad and are in the front and rear .. but where you placed the big thick rubber can isolate many noises by not letting the suspension move a lot also
Last edited by vesiadog; Mar 22, 2024 at 09:29 PM.
Reason: wording
I just think it’s very unlikely that two identical rubber mounts on either side just up and disappear
are you sure there was anything there to begin with?
The only rattle, crack, pop noise I Experience from my front end is when the airbag is not sufficiently tightened onto the strut, or the sway bar links are worn out.
Note the 166, which means it is the X166 chassis. The parts may be interchangeable, but you are looking for a part that begins with 164.
I think it highly unlikely this is your root cause. The assembly you are looking at is what holds the motor up. Not only would it be exceptional that those bushings fail, both, on opposite sides, but if it rattled it would be a very heavy clunk.
I have never used them, but "chassis ears" might be your tool of choice.
I have and followed many many posts and videos on chassis noise including my own. The 4 rubber corners you are referring to have definitely been on the list for many people. The torsion bar ends are high on the list. The front struts including the bottom long bolt. All of the rubber bushings in the bottom A frame and pretty much all of the rubber bushings in the front end. Inner and outer tie rod ends ( my loud clicking/clunking was in the inner tie rods) .
I would again highly advise to watch as many trouble shooting videos as you can… That is how I finally tried the inner tie rods..Buying a good removal tool really helps also.
The 4 rubber bushings you are referring to looked pretty bad on my GL550 but that was not my issue.
Last edited by vesiadog; Mar 23, 2024 at 10:47 AM.
Reason: wording
What I thought solved the rattle didn’t.
I’ve checked everything and watched lots of YouTube vids. I refuse to do all of the work to R&R one bushing after another hoping the rattle goes away.
It bothers me enough that I’ll undoubtedly keep trying to pin point it but I don’t think it’s an existential threat.
Undoubtedly, end links are the most common front end rattle. When you said you checked them... how? The best, and most definitive, way is to simply disconnect them and go for a drive.
End links are the links attaching your Torsion bar to both sides of the car. Usually called “Sway Bar links” the last pair I put on had grease fittings .. Moogs.
Also if you are going to replace the links you might as well replace the bushings .. total of 4 hold the sway in place. I have had both cause rattles in 164 chassis’s. Don’t forget you can eliminate many components by removing them and testing for noise… I was able to find a crazy rattle by rocking the car (215lbs helps occasionally) than elimate parts and rock… my crazy noise was super tight inner tie rods that were put on with a pipe wrench before I bought it and both sides had a rattle with slight bumps .
Last edited by vesiadog; Mar 25, 2024 at 08:33 PM.
Reason: wording
Can you repeat the rattle in the driveway by putting a lot of weight on the running board and swaying the car while holding onto the roof rack bar? Many noises can be repeated with this method… if yes you can pin point the noise by eliminating different pieces… the bolts on the bottom of the front struts ..letting the air out of the strut …. taking the end links off…. taking the tie rods off…. like I have said before that is how I finally found my clunking that drove me nuts.
Have you found the rattle yet? Don’t give up… It can take some time eliminating the possibilities and there are NO simple 1 item that can cause front end rattles. Bill
I’ve checked everything I can several times and I am convinced that it’s nothing very serious but I may eventually take it to the dealer for a diagnosis!
I’ve checked everything I can several times and I am convinced that it’s nothing very serious but I may eventually take it to the dealer for a diagnosis!
Can you make it rattle in the driveway without driving it? Putting weight while standing on the running boards and swaying ??
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