Replacing W211 rear control arm bushing?

[dape16]

Need to replace the outer bushing in both spring control arms in the rear.

But when I have the control arm loose it looks like it is made of two pieces and that the bushing is not possible to replace. Also the new bushing is 40 mm vs the hole in the arm which is 38 mm.

Is it true that I have to buy two new complete arms?

This is a W211 without Airmatic but with self leveling air springs at the rear axle.

Thanks
Daniel

 

[Silverarrows]

Need to replace the outer bushing in both spring control arms in the rear.

But when I have the control arm loose it looks like it is made of two pieces and that the bushing is not possible to replace. Also the new bushing is 40 mm vs the hole in the arm which is 38 mm.

Is it true that I have to buy two new complete arms?

This is a W211 without Airmatic but with self leveling air springs at the rear axle.

Thanks
Daniel

Hi
I have an E55k AMG S211 2003, yes just stripped my alloy twin wishbone arms, spent £80 on new Lemforder 40mm dia bushes, I find out the Airmatic alloy arms has 38mm bores?
Struggling to remove the old bushes.
No car now and cannot get to work on Monday!

Surely, I Don't need to buy new complete arms at £500 from the stealer?

 

[pmcgsmurf]

Hi
I have an E55k AMG S211 2003, yes just stripped my alloy twin wishbone arms, spent £80 on new Lemforder 40mm dia bushes, I find out the Airmatic alloy arms has 38mm bores?
Struggling to remove the old bushes.
No car now and cannot get to work on Monday!

Surely, I Don't need to buy new complete arms at £500 from the stealer?

No, the bushes do fit but are a pain and you will need a tool too (ebay).
Lemforder 2099402 fits nicely.

 

[Silverarrows]

No, the bushes do fit but are a pain and you will need a tool too (ebay).
Lemforder 2099402 fits nicely.

Now I am really confused?

I bought 2x Lemforder bushes from ECP which measure 40mm diameter.
I stripped my car and even though I haven't fully removed the old bearing outer from the alloy arms yet, I measured the bore I could see at 38mm, the same as you?
Now you are advising me to buy Lemforder 2099402 which also measures 40mm diameter (please see attachment).
There is no way that a 40mm diameter bush will fit into a 38mm bore, am I hearing correctly?

Many thanks for helping me, much appreciated!

 

[pmcgsmurf]

Now I am really confused?

I bought 2x Lemforder bushes from ECP which measure 40mm diameter.
I stripped my car and even though I haven't fully removed the old bearing outer from the alloy arms yet, I measured the bore I could see at 38mm, the same as you?
Now you are advising me to buy Lemforder 2099402 which also measures 40mm diameter (please see attachment).
There is no way that a 40mm diameter bush will fit into a 38mm bore, am I hearing correctly?

Many thanks for helping me, much appreciated!

You might be thinking that you have to push the new rose bush into the arm, you don't.
The arm wraps around the bush, trust me honest they fit.

See my post below, you will see the split arms hanging after painting.
I fitted new Lemforder bushes before going back on the car.

Familiar E55 W211 Moved to New Home Further North | Members Gallery

 

[Silverarrows]

You might be thinking that you have to push the new rose bush into the arm, you don't.
The arm wraps around the bush, trust me honest they fit.

See my post below, you will see the split arms hanging after painting.
I fitted new Lemforder bushes before going back on the car.

Familiar E55 W211 Moved to New Home Further North | Members Gallery

Ok thanks,
I understand that the bearing outer has to be removed.
I see you have split the arms!
I will keep my Lemforder 40mm diameter bushes and split the E55 arms this weekend to make it easier to remove the old bush outers.
I have a good bush removal kit.

Many thanks

 

[pmcgsmurf]

You have to split the arms as both halves wrap around the bush.
It's impossible to push the bush as the lip stops it. Probably where you measured 38mm.

 

[Silverarrows]

Ok thanks,
I understand that the bearing outer has to be removed.
I see you have split the arms!
I will keep my Lemforder 40mm diameter bushes and split the E55 arms this weekend to make it easier to remove the old bush outers.
I have a good bush removal kit.

Many thanks

Ok, now it is clear!

You mean that the bush does not press in through the two arms when assembled on the car.
That explains why I cannot press out the outer. (Drawings/photos of the alloy wishbones are hard to find split apart!)

The arms have to be removed from the car and split apart and then the new 40mm diameter bush sits between the two and butts up to outer shoulders.

Many thanks for saving me £500, will rebuild both of the E55 rear arms this weekend.

 

[Stegel]

Many thanks for this thread. I stumbled upon it as I struggled to identify the “smaller” diameter bush for the rear arms on my S211, having used the Lemforder bushes on the steel arms of a now departed CLS. I have destroyed one bush’s boot trying to figure out the bush diameter, and reluctant to fork out for two new arms was resigned to reusing the old arm plus a S/H substitute for the one I’ve damaged, despite renewing all the other arms at the rear. The second hand arm‘s bush is even more tired than the original, hence a return to the search - it makes absolute sense now. I’d imagine a bit of heat will assist the split.

I have dipped into the E55 thread too and will read it all in due course - I felt negligent with the approach to my car until I read it’s not going to be a daily, it’s seriously impressive.

Thanks again.

 

[Silverarrows]

I had to use a sturdy vise and heat from my blowtorch to split the rear arms, the dissimilar metals were seriously seized!
You also have to be careful not to damage the boots on the new bushes when installing them.

 

[Stegel]

Same here, with a blow torch probably essential. I’m fortunate to have a small hydraulic press which aids the process, but even being very careful it’s easy to nick the boots. I’m going to slather them in rubber grease to aid getting the joint back together and give it protection.

 

[amosfella]

No, the bushes do fit but are a pain and you will need a tool too (ebay).
Lemforder 2099402 fits nicely.

What tool do you need for this job?

 

[Alex5000]

What tool do you need for this job?

Also interested in the answer for that. Looks like it needs a shallow wedge driving between both parts at the point they join. Probably will need some heat as well...

Made far more challenging by the arm 'wrapping around' the bush, meaning it can't just be pressed out like many of the other. But worth a bit of effort given it would be £550 for a pair of new lower arms.

 

[Silverarrows]

The arms have to be removed from the car and 'SPLIT APART' and then the new 40mm diameter bush sits between the two and butts up to outer shoulders. This will take much heat and effort if corroded.
This will save you £550, both me and PMCGSMURF have rebuilt both of the E55 rear arms! Read the post carefully - PMCGSMURF is a wealth of knowledge on the S211 E55 AMG!

 

[Alex5000]

The arms have to be removed from the car and 'SPLIT APART' and then the new 40mm diameter bush sits between the two and butts up to outer shoulders. This will take much heat and effort if corroded.
This will save you £550, both me and PMCGSMURF have rebuilt both of the E55 rear arms! Read the post carefully - PMCGSMURF is a wealth of knowledge on the S211 E55 AMG!

Thanks. Can you tell me what tool you used?

I have read PMCGSMURF’s thread all the way through but couldn’t see any details on how to split the arms.

I have currently got the whole of the rear end of the car apart and am doing something similar to him in terms of an overhaul.

 

[Silverarrows]

Hi,

Yes, if they are corroded from the UK salted roads they will be very difficult to split, mine were terribly corroded and stuck fast so I initally used Plus-Gas spray and MAP gas to heat the joint, eventually I sucessfully split them by clamping one half of the arm in the vice jaws and forcibly rotating the other arm with a rawhide mallet until the corroded joint conceded. - Best of luck it is not easy!

 

[Alex5000]

Hi,

Yes, if they are corroded from the UK salted roads they will be very difficult to split, mine were terribly corroded and stuck fast so I initally used Plus-Gas spray and MAP gas to heat the joint, eventually I sucessfully split them by clamping one half of the arm in the vice jaws and forcibly rotating the other arm with a rawhide mallet until the corroded joint conceded. - Best of luck it is not easy!

Just wanted to close the loop on this as I managed to separate the arms.

Rather than being not easy like I was expecting and others advised, it was in fact surprisingly easy!

I disassembled the ball joints with a punch as I was expecting grief, and to try and make things a bit easier, but once clamped in the vice and heated I didn't even need a hammer to rotate them - gravity and thermal expansion was enough. I then used a small pry bar to separate them, which didn't require much force at all, just teased one arm off. Then I clamped the outer sleeve of the ball joint and heated to remove the other arm which came off dead easy too.

I used propane rather than MAP gas or anything else, and other than removing the centre of the all ball joint very little force was required.

When it comes to fitting the new ball joint, just be very careful not to pinch the rubber boot - all too easily done. Also make sure to have the arms in line with each other as they were removed (so it isn't scew when refitted).

Cheers for all the comments on this thread - was helpful, including confirming the correct ball joint to fit.

£500 saved! (not to mention a six week wait for the arms as they were out of stock).

 

[Silverarrows]

Well done!