Do I need a bigger hammer???

[PhilL]

Yesterday I had a look at replacing the lower front suspension balljoints on my '99 E240 Estate while I was replacing discs and pads. I have the new ball joints and experimented with splitting the joint from the Swivel Hub with no luck.

The ball joint splitter I have is too small so I tried a few gentle taps with a soft faced mallet with no joy. Has anyone had experience of replacing these joints? and if so; do I need a bigger joint splitter or a bigger hammer?

Any advice would be welcome.

 

[grober]

Have a look at this -not your model but principles the same. http://www.mercedesshop.com/Wikka/W124BallJoint
you really need the correct equipment to do this easily without damaging existing components and yourself. This is a job I would personally leave to an experienced mechanic.

 

[Dieselman]

All you need is a bigger hammer. The first one of these I did I messed around for ages trying various splitters to no avail. Then gave a few heavy blows to the end of the taper and hey presto.
The other side took three blows and about 30 seconds to remove.

 

[230K]

Hi

Also remember to get the nylon locking nuts completely free before breaking the tapers!!

230K

 

[Ian B Walker]

These joints can be a pig to remove if its the first time they have been out. They either come out with a big hammer easy or they fight you all the way. I always get the fight you all the way ones. My solution to that is to remove the wishbone and do it under a fly press. Making sure that you mark all the eccentric bolts on the wishbone to chassis joint. You will need a spring compressor though to hold the spring while the wishbone is removed. The advantage of doing it this way is that you put the new joint in with the fly press and know that it is seated 100%. Time consuming yes, but safer than struggling with big hammers etc.

 

[nick mercedes]

These joints can be a pig to remove if its the first time they have been out. They either come out with a big hammer easy or they fight you all the way. I always get the fight you all the way ones. My solution to that is to remove the wishbone and do it under a fly press. Making sure that you mark all the eccentric bolts on the wishbone to chassis joint. You will need a spring compressor though to hold the spring while the wishbone is removed. The advantage of doing it this way is that you put the new joint in with the fly press and know that it is seated 100%. Time consuming yes, but safer than struggling with big hammers etc.

Are you thinking of 124 joints rather than a 210?

 

[Ian B Walker]

Are you thinking of 124 joints rather than a 210?

Gulp.........sorry. Slip of the brain this morning.

 

[grober]

mea culpa

That was maybe my fault Ian for talking about w124 ball joints.

 

[big x]

You need a metal hammer not rubber.One good whack and it will pop apart !
The W202/210 front suspension is a double wishbone set-up completely different to the wishbone and strut type of the W124.The ball joint just unbolts.
http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...623716.634&CT=F&cat=66G&SID=33&SGR=030&SGN=01

adam

 

[PhilL]

Thank goodness I didn't have to replace the joints on my 124 during 10 years of ownership. I think even I would have been tempted to leave to a mechanic.

The 210 does not seem too difficult so it's off to Halfords for a bigger hammer.

Thank you all for your responses. Please keep the advice coming as I probably will leave it till after Christmas now.