Squeeky Suspension

[Klausy]

Hi All,

My W203 petrol saloon, '51 Plate has developed a very loud dry squeek. At speed on the motor way it isn't heard but going slowly exaggerates the noise. I think that it is only on the rear drivers side. When parked and pushed down manually you can hear it but can't see where from.

Any ideas? is it my bushes?

Any help would be great, as always on a budget so a home fix is my first train of thought.

Cheers
Klausy

 

[grober]

Could be suspension bushes- broken spring [ usually more of a boing! sort of noise] or shock absorber/ or its mounts, or roll bar bushes/links - best solution is to get it up on ramp and have a look.

 

[Klausy]

Yeah, it's more of a heavy creeking than a squeek. I have no choice but to drive it to work for the rest of the week until I finish for Easter.

What is the worse that could happen if I continue to drive it?

 

[BlackC55]

It will be either a front roll bar bush or a rear lower trunion bush I suspect.

 

[Klausy]

is that a home fix,(my brother in law has a pit) or an expensive garage visit?

 

[BlackC55]

The front roll bar bushes are easy to do but the retaining bolts tend to pull the thread from the subframe. Undo them bit by bit.

The rear trunions need a special tool. 0.9 per side in labour time.

 

[Klausy]

I've had to admit defeat, it's booked into an independant over the holiday. Fingers crossed.

Call me a wuss, but if it was my old LR Defender I would have stripped it and done it without giving it any thought, should I be scared of working on my Merc?

 

[BlackC55]

I've had to admit defeat, it's booked into an independant over the holiday. Fingers crossed.

Call me a wuss, but if it was my old LR Defender I would have stripped it and done it without giving it any thought, should I be scared of working on my Merc?

Not at all. I am a big believer of people working on their own cars. You will learn so much about your car by working on it. Also the sense of satisfaction can't be beaten.

 

[The mallard]

I have the same creak on the drivers side which I have traced it to the lower outer bush on the bottom suspension arm where it connects to the bottom of the rear hub.
I bought a new bush but see that it seems to be eccentric, as in the shaft for the bolt is not parallel with the outer sleeve. How do you determine the correct position before pressing it into the hub?
thanks

 

[BlackC55]

It's not eccentric at all. You do need a tool to push it in though.

 

[The mallard]

thanks for that, if none of my bush tools work will just remove the hub and use a press, strange that the new bush does look like the centre shaft is not parallel with the outer sleeve though, maybe it sorts itself out once fitted

 

[BlackC55]

It's very tight too. The mb tool for it is excellent. Pressing it out in a press will be very tricky. As we have the tool we do quite a few for the trade as it's near on impossible without it.

 

[Klausy]

Finally decided that the lower suspension arm bush needs changing (nearest the wheel), how much should that cost at an independant mechanic?

 

[MJH]

Finally decided that the lower suspension arm bush needs changing (nearest the wheel), how much should that cost at an independant mechanic?

Don't know where you are in Shropshire but Matthew at Malkin Motors in Wem is a really good guy. Ex merc trained and is VERY reasonable. I've always done a lot of my own work on all my cars but the E class always goes to him for servicing to keep the history up. It takes a lot for me to trust a garage I can tell you !!

Mike

 

[tor_ake]

The rear outer bush can be handled wit a diy tool as the real tool is a) £130 and b) not for sale to non-professionals. DIY tool consists of a threaded piece of rod approx 20cm long, and 36,32 and a 42mm socket. 36 and 42 for extracting and 32 and 36 for pressing in the new one.

This is what it looks like when extracting:

If the bushing separates, use a torch to heat it up the remains, when it cools off it will come out easy.

 

[StevenN]

Are these squeeks an MOT faliure?

 

[Rich J]

The rear outer bush can be handled wit a diy tool as the real tool is a) £130 and b) not for sale to non-professionals. DIY tool consists of a threaded piece of rod approx 20cm long, and 36,32 and a 42mm socket. 36 and 42 for extracting and 32 and 36 for pressing in the new one.

This is what it looks like when extracting:

If the bushing separates, use a torch to heat it up the remains, when it cools off it will come out easy.

So is this the rear trunion bush then? Looking at that pic is that the bottom part of the rear hub?