Rear Thud w210s selfleveling suspension

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russell1

New Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2010
Messages
1
Location
UAE
Car
Eclass W210 Estate
Does anyone know about a load thud I'm experiencing when i go over small pot holes or bumps in the road a load Thud! I put the car in for a MOT and they said that the shock absorber is detached. However this is not the case. The car is a 1998 w210 with under 90,000miles could it be the spheres that need replacing I do a round 2000 miles a year and the car is laid up during this period.
Any help would be most appreciative.
 
Welcome.

Why do they think it is detached, but you don't?
 
Sounds like the shock to me. Spheres will give you a hard ride if they are failing/failed.
 
These hydraulic rams are not shocks. They have a lower ball joint and an upper rubber. They are very reliable and don't seems to wear out prematurely. They have excellent gaiters, so if the lower area is not wet, look elsewhere...

At your low mileage, I would discount them and would suspect the spheres have lost nitrogen after 17 years, loss of compliance, leading to the harshness and bumps.
 
Everyone is an expert on here.

We break hundreds of these cars every year and we sell every single one very quickly.

We have also run dozens of them over the past 15+ years as delivery vehicles racking up silly mileages. We are well aware of the weak and strong points of the S210.

Whether you think they're reliable or not, garages and individuals are buying them to fix problems exactly as the OP describes.

We live in a weird world where the views of unknown people on the internet get listened to as much if not more than professionals with experience.

The OP has had a pro look at the car and give a diagnosis but it appears like he doesn't want to listen.
 
We break hundreds of these cars every year and we sell every single one very quickly.

We live in a weird world where the views of unknown people on the internet get listened to as much if not more than professionals with experience.

How do you test them all? A patronising response, Thanks, I will shop elsewhere. :fail
 
Sorry, reading my response back it seems very aggressively aimed towards you. That wasn't my intention.
My frustration is when people read something on the internet and go and tell a professional their business.

I can just imagine the OP trundling off back to the garage to tell them they're wrong because of something they've read on the internet.

In regards to testing them, whilst on the car I would use one of these to simulate load on and off rapidly. Use a stethoscope to identify the area of knocking.
http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/2000x2000/144/144472_2000x2000.jpg
Il

If the part is already off the car then hold it tight between your feet and onto solid ground. Then push/pull and you'll feel any knocking.
 
Similar symptoms to my 210. First bushes were done, minor improvement. Then spheres, minor improvement, then I reduced wheel size and ran softer tyres, minor improvement, then finally replaced the leaking strut. Massive improvement.

Cost a lot though.

Multi-link suspensions have numerous elements all of which need to be right.
 
Sorry, reading my response back it seems very aggressively aimed towards you. That wasn't my intention.
My frustration is when people read something on the internet and go and tell a professional their business.

I can just imagine the OP trundling off back to the garage to tell them they're wrong because of something they've read on the internet.

In regards to testing them, whilst on the car I would use one of these to simulate load on and off rapidly. Use a stethoscope to identify the area of knocking.
http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/2000x2000/144/144472_2000x2000.jpg
Il
If the part is already off the car then hold it tight between your feet and onto solid ground. Then push/pull and you'll feel any knocking.

No problem, it is all too easy for the 'wires to get crossed' and the meaning / intention skewed somewhat on forum posts. I have done just that recently.

I agree with you. Whilst a valuable resource, it used to be so much easier before the whole day, pre-job and de rigeur online research ... spanners out, scratch head, job done.
 

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