Lower suspension ball joints

[Chas]

Just had the car MOT today, it passed but with advisories of nearside and offside front suspensions have slight play in lower suspension ball joints.
Also nearside and offside front suspension lower dust covers missing/split.

Do you think I should get them done before next MOT, I only do 5K pa, and is it expensive?

 

[N/B]

Just had the car MOT today, it passed but with advisories of nearside and offside front suspensions have slight play in lower suspension ball joints.
Also nearside and offside front suspension lower dust covers missing/split.

Do you think I should get them done before next MOT, I only do 5K pa, and is it expensive?

Definitely get them done, they will be a ball of rust by this time next year.
Safety issue, tbh - if one lets go it will cost you plenty to put right.
I had mine done (on a W201) and paid what I considered top-dollar for an independent garage.
Ball joints were £15 each, labour was 2hrs at £75/hour, all plus VAT.
Garage was properly equipped to press the ball-joints in and used only genuine MB parts. Old units handed back to me in a bag, downright scary tbh.

 

[lynall]

See here item 10 Êàòàëîã
Probably wont fall of but you will always be thinking what if?
Get them done.



Lynall

 

[timskemp]

Dealer should have them in stock, probably in bulk...

 

[hygt2]

I'll definitely do it. You just cannot risk letting the joint to break because your wheel and hub will separate from the lower control arm and the wheel will just fall off if the car is moving. Just think of the body work damage if the joint let go.

My W220 needed doing last year on MoT and my lower control arm bush (the arm the strut sits on) were an advisory item. The garage advised get both done at the same time because the labour costs to push out and press in the ball joint out weigh the part costs of the combined lower control arm and ball joint. Labour to change the lower control arm and ball joint is less too because it is a bolt off, bolt on part which takes about 20 minutes if nothing is seized.

From memory the lower arm and ball joint was around £180 so if your lower arm is marginal then I'll get both done at the same time.

Garrison

 

[Chas]

Will arrange to have done next week .

Thanks foe advice

 

[Chas]

Just had the car MOT today, it passed but with advisories of nearside and offside front suspensions have slight play in lower suspension ball joints.
Also nearside and offside front suspension lower dust covers missing/split.

Actual quote from MB



"As requested cost to repair advisory defects noted during m.o.t -£1,086
front suspension bottom ball joints,slight wear present,cost to strip and replace £662.49inc vat,parts/labour fitted.

torque arms on both sides,gaitors on the ball joints starting to show signs of slight cracking,cost to strip and replace £423.78inc vat,parts/labour fitted.

Please contact myself if repairs required or any questions".
Does the description of defects sound the same as the advisories in the MOT ,and is the price ok? The labour must be about 10 hours @£75 per hour !

 

[Chas]

Could someone please identify the defective parts mentioned in the quote ? I will inspect them myself. thanks

http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.asp?TP=1&F=220165&M=112%2E944&GA=722%2E618&CT=F&cat=66H&SID=33&SGR=030&SGN=01