CLK W209 Do not touch the rol bar bushes!!!

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malphadour

Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2012
Messages
58
Location
Bristol
Car
CLK 270 CDi
Just sharing as I am now going through the massive **** ache of trying to sort this out.

The front roll bar bushes on the clk 270 (and I guess most if not all W209 models) are held in with 8mm bolts. These are bolted thru the sub frame and the thread is part of the frame.

When you try to undo them they sheer and then yo are screwed.

I have subsequently googled this and it is a really common problem with these bolts.

Nobody else has mentioned it on this forum so I'm doing my bit to warn you.

Once they have sheered they are in a really awkward place to get to so I can't get enough grip on them to remove them, and despite the bolts being crap enough to sheer they are hard enough to be almost impossible to drill - ive tried.

Now taking it to a garage which utterly defeats the point of doing it myself.

Oh, and the bushes were fine and didn't need changing just to rub it in....
 
Hi Mate,

had this same issue on my w209 when I upgraded the Anti roll and shocks to eibach/bilstein, ended removing subframe (iv still got pics of it out ), attempting to redrill failing ended fitting a bolt all the way through with locking nut etc (all heavy duty) took approx. 14hrs!!!!!!! (although this included changing all shocks/springs front and back) has been good for last 6 months (although after first month had to go back get one sides droplink tightended)

thank god this was all done at the Garage my dad works at by a friend who charged me a pittancer compared to what id expect from a standard garage ....
mate I feel for you - let us know the outcome.
 
This is not just an issue with the 209.
My 203 had the same issue.
I had to drill out three sheared bolts when I changed the AR bar.

Patience and cobalt drill bits got me through....

Tony
 
My W209 has yet another suspension rattle, after 2 broken springs. ARB?
 
Guess I must have been lucky. Recently replaced my front and rear ARB bushes on my 14 yr old W209 without any of the issues mentioned. What a difference it made, no clunking or squeeking whatsoever now.

Might be an idea when doing this job to give the bolts a good spray with penetrating fluid and let it soak in before starting. I might be wrong but the bolts seemed to be made of an alloy as they were very light hence why they may have a tendancy to shear. I replaced them as a matter of course. Definately would not recommend using power tools for this job. If one shears, only continue with the others if you have the skills and means to drill out the bolts.
 
I think I will take the CLK to indie in Mansfield to fix. The car is too low to drive up Halfords type ramps
 

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