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S211 front anti roll bar bushes.

350cls

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E55k AMG Sold / S211 E320 CDI I6 sold W212 E63 6.2 N/A saloon. S212 e250 cdi .
Could someone please advise me, can you replace the bushes on the front anti roll bar without replacing the whole arm. S211 2004 E320 CDI

Thank you.
 
Could someone please advise me, can you replace the bushes on the front anti roll bar without replacing the whole arm. S211 2004 E320 CDI

Thank you.
Have you asked your dealer if the parts are available?

I know that on the W203 you had to buy the bar and bushings as a unit
 
Have you asked your dealer if the parts are available?

I know that on the W203 you had to buy the bar and bushings as a unit

I haven't to be honest. Looking up at the anti roll bar bushes from on the ground with the car Raised at the front. I very much doubt this job can be done without dropping the front crossmember As the bushes are right above the crossmember frame. Just about shine a torch in there. I also doubt Ill be able to do this at home with ramps and axel stands. Oh well more forking out on the old girl. The front suspension is feeling a little loose over any rough type of road surfaces.

I have a feeling the whole bar is how the unit comes with the bushes mounted like you have said on the w203.

Have to investigate more.

Thanks for the reply 👍
 
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I haven't to be honest. Looking up at the anti roll bar bushes from on the ground with the car Raised at the front. I very much doubt this job can be done without dropping the front crossmember As the bushes are right above the crossmember frame. Just about shine a torch in there. I also doubt Ill be able to do this at home with ramps and axel stands. Oh well more forking out on the old girl. The front suspension is feeling a little loose over any rough type of road surfaces.

I have a feeling the whole bar is how the unit comes with the bushes mounted like you have said on the w203.

Have to investigate more.

Thanks for the reply 👍
I’ll be interested to find out how you get on , looks like a nightmare on the facelift W211 as well
 
On the early MLs and on the w204 the anti roll bar is so easily assessable. This I assume is a nightmare on the w/s211 chassis with all other crossmembers and axel right below the bush itself.😡
 
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The bushes are very robust. Much more likely to be causing the issue are the drop links and the ball joints they mount to. The ball joints are pressed into the camber control arms, and are very difficult to assess for wear. The only way is to remove the drop links from them and have a good feel. If you suspect them to be the culprits you can peen the back cap of the ball joint with a ball pein hammer to tighten them. The noise will go away for a couple of hundred miles.
 
The bushes are very robust. Much more likely to be causing the issue are the drop links and the ball joints they mount to. The ball joints are pressed into the camber control arms, and are very difficult to assess for wear. The only way is to remove the drop links from them and have a good feel. If you suspect them to be the culprits you can peen the back cap of the ball joint with a ball pein hammer to tighten them. The noise will go away for a couple of hundred miles.

Thanks for the advice.

I think I'm going to replace the front lower rear control arms and the roll bar drop links. This is something I can do at home on the ramps. Can you tell me the torque settings on the lower control arms?

Is it also best to tighten to torque spec once the car is on its normal load weight?

Can you also recommend a brand to go with?


Thank you.
 
I’m away for the weekend so can’t look up the torques, but definitely with weight on the wheels.
Lemforder are good
 
I'll need to replace the ball joint on the end of the control arm, I presume I'll need a ball joint removal and install tool?

Are the ball joints universal on the lower arms, can someone confirm? Thanks
 
The camber arm doesn’t have a balljoint on the end. It’s a bush one end and an eye the other. The bottom ball joint is pressed into the knuckle. There is a balljoint for the anti-roll bar drop link pressed into the arm, about a 1/4 of the way in from the eye end.
 
The camber arm doesn’t have a balljoint on the end. It’s a bush one end and an eye the other. The bottom ball joint is pressed into the knuckle. There is a balljoint for the anti-roll bar drop link pressed into the arm, about a 1/4 of the way in from the eye end.

The eye end of the control arm fits over the top of a ball joint does it not. This is the ball joint I would like to replace as no point changing the control arm with out changing the ball joint the arm attaches to.

Screenshot_20221022-161919.png

The one bottom left of the picture
 
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That’s it. You can buy a tool to remove and refit the balljoint in situ, but I always strip the knuckle down and do it in my press. It’s a good opportunity to clean and check everything on that corner
 
The eye end of the control arm fits over the top of a ball joint does it not. This is the ball joint I would like to replace as no point changing the control arm with out changing the ball joint the arm attaches to.

View attachment 133172

The one bottom left of the picture
I replaced W211 ball joints as you pictured , a year ago after experiencing a noise and knock on turning .
Yes they have to be pressed in , I bought an eBay kit for the W211 for £50 odd quid .
The main suspension arm (pictured) and the drop links I changed a few months later anyway , but I should have done it at the time .
I used Lemforder for all the parts , mainly from Autodoc
 
Much appreciate the advice fellas. Thank you.

I have been looking up the removal and install kits on eBay. The C type clamp I assume if for removing and Installing the ball joints. But for breaking the joint from its positioning it's the fork type tool? Or does the C type clamp do all?

I definitely think it's something I'm going to do. I just need to double check what's been replaced on the front lower suspension with service history. I'm not actually at home this weekend to confirm what had and hasn't been replaced on the front so recently. If my memory serves me correctly it was only the tie rod arms that have been replaced and the upper arms. By my Indy.

The kits that are available seem very good value. They aren't Lemforder kits but have decent enough reviews. I am swaying towards Lemforder I must say. Definitely have the longevity and sturdy reviews.
 
Much appreciate the advice fellas. Thank you.

I have been looking up the removal and install kits on eBay. The C type clamp I assume if for removing and Installing the ball joints. But for breaking the joint from its positioning it's the fork type tool? Or does the C type clamp do all?

I definitely think it's something I'm going to do. I just need to double check what's been replaced on the front lower suspension with service history. I'm not actually at home this weekend to confirm what had and hasn't been replaced on the front so recently. If my memory serves me correctly it was only the tie rod arms that have been replaced and the upper arms. By my Indy.

The kits that are available seem very good value. They aren't Lemforder kits but have decent enough reviews. I am swaying towards Lemforder I must say. Definitely have the longevity and sturdy reviews.
Lemforder for the parts , the kits aren’t made by them . This sort of thing is I bought
The kit pushes out and then presses the ball joint back in again .
As you say to pop the suspension arm off the ball joint first , this is the sort of design I used .

 
Lemforder for the parts , the kits aren’t made by them . This sort of thing is I bought
The kit pushes out and then presses the ball joint back in again .
As you say to pop the suspension arm off the ball joint first , this is the sort of design I used .



Brilliant, much appreciated W1ghty👍
 
The most recent front suspension repairs carried out while the cars been in our possession.
Mileage 203,0000
12/2018
2x front lower arms £160.00 these are the thrust arms I presume.

2x top ball joints £80.00

Mileage 222,0000
8/2021
Osf and NSF bottom ball joints £46.00
Rear height corrector £131.00

The bottom ball joints replaced here are the ones that link to the front rear lower control arms I presume. If this is the case, I think by me replacing the lower control arms and the anti roll bar links is the areas I should be looking at. So my initial thoughts of replacing the lower control arms and anti roll bar drop links is correct. So I'll order up the parts and the tool removal tools.

Mileage 224,000
1/2022

Nsf shock absorber £65.00
Osf Rack end £17.00

So overall I think I'll go ahead and order the above parts I originally suspected. Plus the ball removal tools.
 
Just ordered two front lower rear control arms and two anti roll bar drop links for the S211 E320 CDI. Plus a ball joint ejector tool. Parts from Autodoc. Lemforder parts.
 

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