S211 ball joints DiY

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350cls

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E55k AMG Sold / S211 E320 CDI I6 W212 E63 6.2 N/A saloon.
Ball joints on S211 how hard to change on standard axel stands?

Getting a squeaky noise when turning at low speeds and when I bounce the suspension up and down on the drivers side front. Passenger side is quite as a mouse. I haven't had a look under the car to 100% confirm this. But 9 times out of 10 squeaky suspension noise is failed ball joints.


Is the ball joint removal and fit kit an essential toll to have to undertake the job?

Cheers
 
fine if you have the correct tool to remove and install :)

I bought the ebay special:rolleyes: Ball joint removal kit , think it was around £30
 
To be honest I had more trouble splitting the taper joint then I did pressing the joint out of the arm.

I bought a hydraulic splitter for the job, literally pinged it apart so easily, and obviously you need a tool to press the old joint out and the new one into the arm.


Tom - if you’d like to borrow my press kit and hydraulic splitter happy to send it to you for the cost of postage. Unless you’re local and wanted to collect. I have sold my 211 so unlikely to use it for a while :)
 
Will, really appreciate the kind gesture. I'm in Essex. I don't think we are near enough for me to collect but I do really appreciate the offer it's very kind of you indeed. I'll do a bit more scratching around when I get a chance to get under the car then I will make a decision on what way to go around it. It like I think it is just the lower ball joints I may purchase the kit like Gavin did above.

I also need to get all my tools together I think I may be one or two torx bits a miss and a 17" closed end spanner short. I'll have to have a look on Monday now as tomorrow very busy. Maybe Sunday if the weather is ok I'll get underneath and have a good look and fiddle about and see.

Again, thanks for the kind offer Will. :thumb:
 
The job itself doesn't seem to complecated. I have never done them before but I have done several oil filter changes and been under the car numerous times also.

I'm also informed once the new joints are fixed. Torque the nuts with the vehicle supporting it's full weight. I don't think an alignment is nessarray with just lower ball joints. If replacing whole new thrust arms then it is recommended.

I'll see what I find once I get underneath. Ride quality is perfect it's just the squeaky noise that's pointing to joints.

I'll update on my findings!
 
I’ve changed mine just using axle stands. I used the £30 eBay kit as well to remove and refit. Not to difficult. I needed long breaker bars as you need a lot of torque to release them.


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If you have a syringe and a needle try a ml of Atf into the balljoint rubber and see if squeak goes away. 1 side at a time. Itll help finding the culprit.
 
The hardest part for me was pressing the original ball joints out.
 
The hardest part for me was pressing the original ball joints out.

It does take a fairly fit and strongish person to get them started. I used a long torque wrench to pop mine. A standard socket set ratchet will be of no use.
 
A 2ft breaker bar will do the trick. Torque wrenches are not really designed for that kind of use :)
 
My torque wrench is.
 
I had the car up today wheels off. Had a good play about before I lifted the car and put pressure on the front struts and for the life of me I couldn't hear the squeaky noise I got the other day. I then did get underneath the car axel stands in place and the ball joints seem ok to the eye. I did have the upper ball joints replaced back in 2019 around march time. I will keep a ear open if I do hear the squeaky noise again but nothing on today's investigation.

Power steering fluid up to the correct marking on the low temperature reading. It doesn't smell the best I must say. Also when I had the car in the air I did rotate the steering lock to lock and on furthest point the steering did make a like pressure noise but went away as soon as I take pressure off the wheel. I think this noise is absolutely normal.

Is a power steering fluid change a straight forward DIY?

Thanks Tom
 
Depends on how you do it, I used a Syringe and sucked the old fluid out replaced with new, did this a couple of times to get rid of all the old stuff. Found it the easiest way in my case.
 
Depends on how you do it, I used a Syringe and sucked the old fluid out replaced with new, did this a couple of times to get rid of all the old stuff. Found it the easiest way in my case.

What sucking toll did you use Gav, and did you suck it directly from the vesivoir. How much power steering fluid would you say you extracted?

Mine is a green colour fluid.

Was this on your old S211 320?

Tom
 
Can anyone confirm is Pentosin CHF11S the correct powewr steering fluid for the 2004 E320 cdi?

I am nearly certain it is the correct fluid. Nothing at all in the owners manual regarding power steering in the w211 owners manual!!!
 
Only 2 types afaik. Red or green.
 

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