S550 W221 suspension issue
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Joined: May 2015
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Mercedes Benz s550
S550 W221 suspension issue
Hello All!
I have a s550 2009 which I was having a rough ride with. My local Benz dealer pointed
out bushing and ball joints were torn so I replaced every component with a bushing in the front
end. Now my car is riding more rough and squeaking over speed bumps and turns. Everything is
in the front end. Does anyone know what could be wrong? I’m not trying to spend more unnecessary money
chasing this thing. Thank you
I have a s550 2009 which I was having a rough ride with. My local Benz dealer pointed
out bushing and ball joints were torn so I replaced every component with a bushing in the front
end. Now my car is riding more rough and squeaking over speed bumps and turns. Everything is
in the front end. Does anyone know what could be wrong? I’m not trying to spend more unnecessary money
chasing this thing. Thank you
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 27
Likes: 1
Mercedes Benz s550
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 27
Likes: 1
Mercedes Benz s550
or a check engine or similar. I just started to hear a clonking noise from the front and replaced
everything and now I’m having this issue
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 72
Likes: 16
From: Pasadena, California
S600
Did the dealer install all the parts? If not, the bushings or ball joints may be torqued incorrectly or bushings need lubrication, but I'm not sure if that's required on your car. When I installed my last set of bushings on another vehicle, I had to leave them loose, lower the vehicle to ride height, then torque them to spec. Otherwise, the bushings will bind, depending on the style of bushing.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 27
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Mercedes Benz s550
Did the dealer install all the parts? If not, the bushings or ball joints may be torqued incorrectly or bushings need lubrication, but I'm not sure if that's required on your car. When I installed my last set of bushings on another vehicle, I had to leave them loose, lower the vehicle to ride height, then torque them to spec. Otherwise, the bushings will bind, depending on the style of bushing.
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Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2018
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From: Pasadena, California
S600
Maybe the links in post #2 of the below will help. I'm not positive. There are online manuals you can pay for, but I haven't personally used them.
https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...-steering.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...-steering.html
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Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 27
Likes: 1
Mercedes Benz s550
Did the dealer install all the parts? If not, the bushings or ball joints may be torqued incorrectly or bushings need lubrication, but I'm not sure if that's required on your car. When I installed my last set of bushings on another vehicle, I had to leave them loose, lower the vehicle to ride height, then torque them to spec. Otherwise, the bushings will bind, depending on the style of bushing.
Lower control arm
Thrust arm
upper control arm
inner outer tie rods
swaybar links
Thread Starter
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Mercedes Benz s550
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 72
Likes: 16
From: Pasadena, California
S600
I hope someone else chimes in with some ideas, but I think there is just something loose or a lube/torque issue. Is the ride height normal? The air ride isn't sagging, right? If everything in the front end that was replace checks out good, look into the sway bar bushings.
Thread Starter
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Joined: May 2015
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Mercedes Benz s550
I hope someone else chimes in with some ideas, but I think there is just something loose or a lube/torque issue. Is the ride height normal? The air ride isn't sagging, right? If everything in the front end that was replace checks out good, look into the sway bar bushings.
im going to take it down to my mechanic tomorrow to replace the swaybar bushings whether they are torn
or not and also tell him to check the tourque. The ride hight is normal, I’ll get back with updates!
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 72
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From: Pasadena, California
S600
a guy on another site sprayed the sway bar mounting bushings with lube and knocking went away. He then replaced the bushings with new ones and the noise is still gone. from the post:
"Finally replaced the front sway bar. All the weird sound from the front are gone. Sorry forgot to take pictures of the worn bushing on the sway bar, but it looks that the sway bar do move a lot while driving. The bushing was rubbed down a lot comparing to new. The WD40 test helped to locate the cause of the weird sound from the front. Thx. "
"Finally replaced the front sway bar. All the weird sound from the front are gone. Sorry forgot to take pictures of the worn bushing on the sway bar, but it looks that the sway bar do move a lot while driving. The bushing was rubbed down a lot comparing to new. The WD40 test helped to locate the cause of the weird sound from the front. Thx. "
Thread Starter
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Mercedes Benz s550
a guy on another site sprayed the sway bar mounting bushings with lube and knocking went away. He then replaced the bushings with new ones and the noise is still gone. from the post:
"Finally replaced the front sway bar. All the weird sound from the front are gone. Sorry forgot to take pictures of the worn bushing on the sway bar, but it looks that the sway bar do move a lot while driving. The bushing was rubbed down a lot comparing to new. The WD40 test helped to locate the cause of the weird sound from the front. Thx. "
"Finally replaced the front sway bar. All the weird sound from the front are gone. Sorry forgot to take pictures of the worn bushing on the sway bar, but it looks that the sway bar do move a lot while driving. The bushing was rubbed down a lot comparing to new. The WD40 test helped to locate the cause of the weird sound from the front. Thx. "
went to benz to get new bushings and I was told they don’t sell bushings alone. I had to get the whole swaybar with bushings molded
on to it. I was told that this is the new design of swaybar as the old design was faulty. I’m dropping of the car tomorrow to have it replaced.
keep everyone posted on the outcome
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Mercedes Benz s550
just got my car back, it doesn’t make a sound and rides smooth. You would not think that a piece of rubber would make such a difference. My advice to people is to check the swaybar bushings while your at it!
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2008 S550 4Matic
Hi,
The following was my experience. It may help.
I have a 2008 S550 4Matic with AMG appearance pkg, at 40000 miles, I had dealer replaced all of the both lower control arms in both driver and passenger sides in hope for a better ride but the car came with noise at speed bump.
I sent it back to dealer. it turns out was due to a wrong installation procedure for the lower control arm (Not the upper one). The bolts for the lower arm has to be tightened with full load pressure on a leveled floor.
My sway bar bushing was tightened by wrapping it up with a layer of rubber skin around the existing rubber cushion ( Dealer recommended solution is a gluing ) . The existing bushing bolts came with some kind defects and were replaced by modified ones.
The following was my experience. It may help.
I have a 2008 S550 4Matic with AMG appearance pkg, at 40000 miles, I had dealer replaced all of the both lower control arms in both driver and passenger sides in hope for a better ride but the car came with noise at speed bump.
I sent it back to dealer. it turns out was due to a wrong installation procedure for the lower control arm (Not the upper one). The bolts for the lower arm has to be tightened with full load pressure on a leveled floor.
My sway bar bushing was tightened by wrapping it up with a layer of rubber skin around the existing rubber cushion ( Dealer recommended solution is a gluing ) . The existing bushing bolts came with some kind defects and were replaced by modified ones.
