2012 S550 Big Repair Bill Incoming - Ongoing Saga
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S500
that's a very tinny noise - could be the phone mic over doing it - a very similar noise that would come in such driving conditions, but its a bit deeper in tone can be the front roll bar
when u said they greased bushes you shouldn't do it, these days its doesn't work - and of course german rubber suspension and ARB bushes are created from the cheapest nastiest die in 3 years crap you can fit on any car
on the front ARB (antiroll bar) the main bushes made such a noise when the car's where first released - the cure was to TRY and bond the bushes to the bar to stop horrible noises - its doesn't work especially as they age and the rubber hardens and shrinks back - letting the bad gluing session fail
you may get a knock too that's often there and you feel on the brake pedal as you gently come to a rest - this is the arm physically rattling inside shrunk stiff bushes - tends to be especially a week after its been driven in a far bit of wet weather - then the squeaking comes as the sun comes out
new ARBs come with the bushes pre-bonded on the ARB and the part number for a new bush on its own was deleted from parts availability some 10 plus years back - some bodge up aftermarket trash bushes are out there to try and DIY without the relatively crazy cost of a whole arm and half the worlds steel wasted...
when u said they greased bushes you shouldn't do it, these days its doesn't work - and of course german rubber suspension and ARB bushes are created from the cheapest nastiest die in 3 years crap you can fit on any car
on the front ARB (antiroll bar) the main bushes made such a noise when the car's where first released - the cure was to TRY and bond the bushes to the bar to stop horrible noises - its doesn't work especially as they age and the rubber hardens and shrinks back - letting the bad gluing session fail
you may get a knock too that's often there and you feel on the brake pedal as you gently come to a rest - this is the arm physically rattling inside shrunk stiff bushes - tends to be especially a week after its been driven in a far bit of wet weather - then the squeaking comes as the sun comes out
new ARBs come with the bushes pre-bonded on the ARB and the part number for a new bush on its own was deleted from parts availability some 10 plus years back - some bodge up aftermarket trash bushes are out there to try and DIY without the relatively crazy cost of a whole arm and half the worlds steel wasted...
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2008 CL550, 2022 EQB 300, 2023 EQS 450 4Matic
I had a similar noise on a front control arm when I drove it a bit before torquing it down to spec. You might want to check the torque on all the front suspension components that were worked on.
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2010 E550, 273 Engine: 2012 S550, 278 Engine
Well that didn't last long. The noise came back the same day and sounds even worse. They've been looking at it for two days and no news yet. I uploaded a video here: https://imgur.com/OFW2jkU
It's been almost two weeks, a bit concerning but still have hope. For the little bit that it was fine, it felt really good to drive with the new mounts.
It's been almost two weeks, a bit concerning but still have hope. For the little bit that it was fine, it felt really good to drive with the new mounts.
I explained in my earlier post how you need to take the upper wishbone arm loose and let the wheel hub turn as you lower it down with a jack of some sort. The hub turns and after it has made it's move the force is relieved from the ball joints and you can feel how bad they are.
Did you see that the front struts were really replaced? If you had this same noise before the work and it disappeared for a week or so this can be done by lubing the worn ball joints that will last for a few days, just saying...
Replace the load bearing lower control arms (the rearward ones) and you will be fine, guarantee it! They are like $350 a piece. I bought mine from FCP Euro but I cannot find them in their pages anymore...? MB should have them.
P.S. If the garage says they replaced the lower control arms as you indicated in your firs post, you have been hosed pretty good by them!!!
Last edited by Arrie; Jul 26, 2024 at 06:32 PM.
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From: Southern US
2010 E550, 273 Engine: 2012 S550, 278 Engine
That sound is exactly what a worn dry lower weight bearing control arm ball joint does. I had these issues on two of my W221s and the fix is to replace the load bearing lower control arm(s).
I explained in my earlier post how you need to take the upper wishbone arm loose and let the wheel hub turn as you lower it down with a jack of some sort. The hub turns and after it has made it's move the force is relieved from the ball joints and you can feel how bad they are.
Did you see that the front struts were really replaced? If you had this same noise before the work and it disappeared for a week or so this can be done by lubing the worn ball joints that will last for a few days, just saying...
Replace the load bearing lower control arms (the rearward ones) and you will be fine, guarantee it! They are like $350 a piece. I bought mine from FCP Euro but I cannot find them in their pages anymore...? MB should have them.
P.S. If the garage says they replaced the lower control arms as you indicated in your firs post, you have been hosed pretty good by them!!!
I explained in my earlier post how you need to take the upper wishbone arm loose and let the wheel hub turn as you lower it down with a jack of some sort. The hub turns and after it has made it's move the force is relieved from the ball joints and you can feel how bad they are.
Did you see that the front struts were really replaced? If you had this same noise before the work and it disappeared for a week or so this can be done by lubing the worn ball joints that will last for a few days, just saying...
Replace the load bearing lower control arms (the rearward ones) and you will be fine, guarantee it! They are like $350 a piece. I bought mine from FCP Euro but I cannot find them in their pages anymore...? MB should have them.
P.S. If the garage says they replaced the lower control arms as you indicated in your firs post, you have been hosed pretty good by them!!!
The only other place where this noise could come from is the ball joint at the lower end of the strut. But hey, they were all changed out, right…?
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2012 Mercedes-Benz S550
Another update, this time a great one for the weekend. Got the call that they found where the issue is, sway bar bushings and end links. Picked the car up and drove it over 100 miles to be sure that it's fixed and it rides incredibly smooth, much better than when I got it.
@Arrie It was the upper control arm, which they admitted was a misdiagnosis. They have refunded me the full price ($1,100) for that. I even told them that I am okay with paying since I know they spent a lot of time on the car, but they strongly insisted that they do not replace parts for no reason and charge customers. I did check the strut and it's brand new.
Maybe soon I will consider what @vettebk did and do a full suspension rebuild, but for now I am a happy camper.
Thank you again to all for the input, I learned a lot about the car's suspension.
@Arrie It was the upper control arm, which they admitted was a misdiagnosis. They have refunded me the full price ($1,100) for that. I even told them that I am okay with paying since I know they spent a lot of time on the car, but they strongly insisted that they do not replace parts for no reason and charge customers. I did check the strut and it's brand new.
Maybe soon I will consider what @vettebk did and do a full suspension rebuild, but for now I am a happy camper.
Thank you again to all for the input, I learned a lot about the car's suspension.
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1983 Nissan Shltbox
Glad your car is operational. The W221 is especially heavy and if you also run 19 inch wheels, the lower control arms take a lot of punishment. I had to replace lower control arms about every 35,000 miles. At 95,000 miles; I bit the bullet and bought a full OEM suspension component kit from FCP Euro with both sets of upper, lower forward and rearward (Lemforder components) control arms. I had my Indy install it all, and did an alignment. He also found a couple of my alloy wheels a little bent and once those were refurbished; the car drove remarkably better (and it was pretty good before). I wish they made the alloy wheels out of something a little harder to survive the road hazards; but I bumped the air pressures to 40 psi to give me a better chance going through the potholes.
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From: Washington, DC
2007 S600, 2007 Chrysler 300 SRT8, 2000 C5 Corvette, 2017 Mustang GT, 2023 300C, and a 2019 Lincoln
As usual, BOTUS is 100% correct. Lemforder is the OEM. My car just turned over 100K miles this week. The suspension package was from FCP and was about $850 using one of their $100 discounts. It included all components upper, lower, forward and rearward. I selected FCP because these components are life=time warranty. I even called them to ask about suspension and coil packs which would seem to me to be consumables but they warranty them. Just imagine. It is OK with me!!!
We did the installation at 95K miles and my indy charged me for 10 hours. I thought it was a good deal after picking it up and taking it for a test drive. The suspension was much more compliant, taking bumps better, smoother, just like an S Class is supposed to be. No squeekes and no clunks. I was super happy. These platforms are great to build on.
Of course, last week I made a sharp left turn at an intersection and didn't see the concrete island and I ran up and over the island with the entire left side of the car. I was worried I had bent a new component, but apparently I got lucky this time. It would be just like me to put in a new front end only to bend it running over a concrete island.
Now working on refurbishing the wheels. Found an AWRS shop (Alloy Wheels Inc) with a hydraulic wheel straightener and they are refurbing my wheels this week. Will post the results. Our alloy wheels are made from chewing gum wrappers!
We did the installation at 95K miles and my indy charged me for 10 hours. I thought it was a good deal after picking it up and taking it for a test drive. The suspension was much more compliant, taking bumps better, smoother, just like an S Class is supposed to be. No squeekes and no clunks. I was super happy. These platforms are great to build on.
Of course, last week I made a sharp left turn at an intersection and didn't see the concrete island and I ran up and over the island with the entire left side of the car. I was worried I had bent a new component, but apparently I got lucky this time. It would be just like me to put in a new front end only to bend it running over a concrete island.
Now working on refurbishing the wheels. Found an AWRS shop (Alloy Wheels Inc) with a hydraulic wheel straightener and they are refurbing my wheels this week. Will post the results. Our alloy wheels are made from chewing gum wrappers!
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1983 Nissan Shltbox
Thanks, vettebk! I'll look into picking up that kit. I have the FCP W221 center support kit, the FCP W221 chain tensioner kit, and I'll grab the front end kit. Then I'll start all the work! Only 50k mi on mine, but 12 years old now. It rides great and everything feels solid in the front end, no noises, etc., but a fresh front end would last the life of the car for me. Then when I can cough up $1200, I'll have my wheels refinished by a local wheel refinisher here in Tampa. Cool!
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S500
should be $100 a wheel to refurb - so long at there's not welding going on
acid dip
bead blast
add a pretend coat of nothing - which falls of Merc alloy inside 2 years
or u buy a ford and they never need doing
acid dip
bead blast
add a pretend coat of nothing - which falls of Merc alloy inside 2 years
or u buy a ford and they never need doing
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1983 Nissan Shltbox
Agreed. But they CNC face each wheel in that process. Place called Glen's Wheel. Can find their Facebook page on Google search. Quite the variance in customer vehicles.
Funny you mention, been looking for a 1940's Ford for some time now. Tough find.
Funny you mention, been looking for a 1940's Ford for some time now. Tough find.
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From: Washington, DC
2007 S600, 2007 Chrysler 300 SRT8, 2000 C5 Corvette, 2017 Mustang GT, 2023 300C, and a 2019 Lincoln
So when I finally found the Alloy Wheels place (it was 28 miles north of me on the map but all one lane roads way out in the country!), there was a nice yellow Porshe out front on jack stands. Turns out it was a guy who had dropped off his car for wheels refurbishing at another shop (who shall remain nameless until the story is completed). Apparently, that shop had removed his BBS wheels and replaced them with a set of cheap wheels. Of course, when he returned to claim the car, he was outraged and pissed. He had not received any paperwork when he dropped his Porshe off for the work and only had photos of the car from a show a month previously. The fairly-absentee owner of the shop theorizes a staffer, now terminated, stole the BBS wheels knowing the shop never does paperwork. So the Porshe was getting proper wheels refitted at the place I took my S600. The office gal related the story as I was dropping off two 19 inch staggered wheels. I promptly asked for a receipt for my drop off which she happily provided.
But there is a lesson in all of this. And I hate paying the tuition.
I will update after I get the refurbed wheels mounted on the S600. I plan to do the two on the drivers side first for driver comfort (me), then redo/refurb the passenger side two wheels presuming I am happy with their work.
But there is a lesson in all of this. And I hate paying the tuition.
I will update after I get the refurbed wheels mounted on the S600. I plan to do the two on the drivers side first for driver comfort (me), then redo/refurb the passenger side two wheels presuming I am happy with their work.
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1983 Nissan Shltbox
Porsche guy got had. Lesson learned. Maybe I'll think of stamping mine in the center hole somehow.
I'll be doing all 4 simultaneously at the recommendation of the shop, for consistency purposes.
I'll be doing all 4 simultaneously at the recommendation of the shop, for consistency purposes.
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From: Washington, DC
2007 S600, 2007 Chrysler 300 SRT8, 2000 C5 Corvette, 2017 Mustang GT, 2023 300C, and a 2019 Lincoln
I will post the costs they charge when I pick up the Mercedes wheels. I am having the dip, the blast, the press, the paint, and the clear coat done on their shop suggestion. I saw the chemical dip shop. I saw the big hydraulic press. And the shop foreman lifted both 19 inch wheels out of my trunk with one hand in one motion (I struggled with each wheel when I loaded), so I decided right then I wasn't going to argue with him about anything.
Right again, BOTUS, One of my other cars is a 2017 Ford Mustang 5.0 GT (36K miles) and the wheels are much better. Same potholes my Mercedes hits causes absolutely no damage to the Mustang. And the Mustang drives very smoothly at 60 mph on the highway and is solid well above 125 mph (on the racetrack of course). Same Michelin tires as on the S600 (different size).
I agree the Ford wheels are better. If Alloy Wheels, Inc. can't make my Mercedes wheels work, I plan to buy new after-market wheels for the S600 and simply stop the lunacy permanently. Imagine, a Mercedes S600 with Ford wheels...... Heresy.
Right again, BOTUS, One of my other cars is a 2017 Ford Mustang 5.0 GT (36K miles) and the wheels are much better. Same potholes my Mercedes hits causes absolutely no damage to the Mustang. And the Mustang drives very smoothly at 60 mph on the highway and is solid well above 125 mph (on the racetrack of course). Same Michelin tires as on the S600 (different size).
I agree the Ford wheels are better. If Alloy Wheels, Inc. can't make my Mercedes wheels work, I plan to buy new after-market wheels for the S600 and simply stop the lunacy permanently. Imagine, a Mercedes S600 with Ford wheels...... Heresy.
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From: Scottsdale AZ
2015 SL550 & 2012 S550 4matic
Hey Senecat, I did a check of craigslist in Phoenix and found several ads for 40s Fords.
https://phoenix.craigslist.org/searc...=1~gallery~0~0
https://phoenix.craigslist.org/searc...=1~gallery~0~0
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From: San Jose, CA
11 E550, 16 AMG GTS, 13 S550
Oh yeah they have to replace your sway bar, I forgot if the sway bar is manufactured with the bushings already adhered on, thats not metal on metal. Bushing life is a casino on those.. I've seen them go out every 3 years, I've seen them go 20 years.
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2012 Mercedes-Benz S550
As far as I know they only did the bushings. It drives so well now.
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From: Washington, DC
2007 S600, 2007 Chrysler 300 SRT8, 2000 C5 Corvette, 2017 Mustang GT, 2023 300C, and a 2019 Lincoln
Update on Alloy Wheels. Picked up the two wheels that I had dipped, blasted, pressed, painted, coated, and refurbed. They did a great job. I am very happy. They clipped me $200 a wheel but it was worth every penny.
Apparently the shop is a franchisee of an outfit called Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists (www.awrswheelrepair.com) with nationwide owner operated shops. He also sells BBS wheels and I learned that BBS wheels are Japanese.
Apparently the shop is a franchisee of an outfit called Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists (www.awrswheelrepair.com) with nationwide owner operated shops. He also sells BBS wheels and I learned that BBS wheels are Japanese.
