Third party front control arm for 218

[molgrips]

Front lower control arm bush, the big hydraulic ones, need replacing in my X218. I've looked on Autodoc and there are a few options but the only decent make is Meyle HD. These seem to be rubber only and are firmer for better handling. I don't want that, I want OEM comfort.

Bushes are available from Febi which are hydraulic/oil filled and I bought some but I just can't get the old ones all the way out with my crappy tools. I don't want to fit cheap crappy parts, and none of the ones listed 9n Autodoc say they're hydro mounts except the ones from A.B.S. who are apparently a Dutch firm. There's nothing on their site that talks about manufacturing so I'm assuming they are just imported and resold, hence the low price. £85 versus £290 for MB OEM online.

https://m.autodoc.co.uk/abs/15274344

Any views on this? I am generally a right fussy bugger especially when it comes to NVH so I'm very wary of cheap parts.

Finally, do I want to change the upper control arm as well whilst it's all in bits?

 

[Petrol Pete]

Not quite understanding you . Do you want to press the bushing out ? your link shows the whole arm.

 

[Petrol Pete]

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[Petrol Pete]

Forgot to mention . I replaced mine with Febi from autodoc , said 'Febi Germany' on the boxes . the cone pivot ends are showing wear at 19K miles. The rubber bits look fine.

 

[molgrips]

Not quite understanding you . Do you want to press the bushing out ? your link shows the whole arm.

I tried to press the bushing out but I can't, therefore I need a whole arm.

Quality Febi bushings are available, but not whole arms. So what quality options do I have for whole arms besides MB?

 

[Petrol Pete]

You need the tool shown in my post , or a decent press. Most don't bother , they just buy the whole thing.

 

[molgrips]

Yes that's what I said I'm doing. The question is which brand of control arm is worth buying? Febi/Lemförder etc are not available.

I don't have a hydraulic press and I'm not likely to get one.

 

[Richteo]

Please check, but if you do go down the bushing route in the end I believe the correct Lemforder part is 37836 01, MB equivalent A2123330314.

It will come back as 'incompatible' but I was confident enough to buy a pair. Dimensions check out, and visually they are the same. I bought them around a year ago and they are the same as the 4WD model W212 bushes. I haven't yet fitted them however.

As you say there are no quality (Lemforder) aftermarket complete arms. Thankfully they do seem much more robust that the previous generation W211/W219 arms.

 

[molgrips]

Thanks. So how did you press them out and in?

 

[ray_hennig]

Quality Febi bushings are available

Are you certain? Many say that Febi is a lottery. You might be lucky, as I was with flex discs, and receive a quality part (SGF for my flex discs), but you might land up with cheap Chinese copies. And Febi Germany on the box just tells you where the Febi company is based; it says nothing about the origin of the parts inside the box.

RayH

 

[molgrips]

I'm not certain, but how would I be? The part looks identical to the OEM one which is quite intricate - some others do not. But I have no idea.

 

[ray_hennig]

I'm not certain, but how would I be?

I don't really know how you would be sure as I have never bought Febi parts. My flex discs were supplied in error.

Aside from looks, it may be a question just of trying them and hoping for the best. Especially as you already have them. And I do hope they'll be OK for you.

I had to buy MB original control arms for mine as it's Sportline. A costly venture but the originals had done over 400K Kms so I though it was justified.

RayH

 

[colinallcars]

To help ease your mind, I’ve used Febi parts often without any problems.

 

[Petrol Pete]

Please see post #3 and #4 .

 

[Richteo]

As I said in my post I haven't swapped the CLS bushes yet but I have used the kit in the pic to change W211 bushes previously with no real issues. I had a Febi W211 top mount fail in short order. I remember when fitting the pair they were visibly different, clearly from different manufacturers. I avoid if given the choice.

 

[molgrips]

That's the kit I used on my Passat, but I've essentially destroyed the M10 rod and nuts trying to get this bush out.

Anyway, I bought a cheap press, let's see how I get on

 

[Petrol Pete]

Thats what lets these cheap kits down , the thrust bearings and the threaded bar are often woefuly bad. I bought one to change bushings in my rear and the bar and bearings failed, luckily I had access to a proper workshop and a supplier of new thrust bearings to get the job done.

 

[molgrips]

Yeah. They sustained incremental damage which has eventually led to the retirement of the threaded bar, but I will probably still use the cups to press things in and out with my new press.

Slight issue is that they come in 74mm and 76mm, guess what size the bushing is? I've ordered a 75mm steel disc to use as a driver, but of course it's going to need some microns removing from the diameter, which will be fun.

 

[molgrips]

As per the other thread I managed to do the replacement, only destroyed the one new bushing. Good news is the Lemförder seem identical to the OEM which I also destroyed.

Ride is firmer and tighter, less of the jiggle in the car, the steering wheel vibration is gone along with mot of the rumble from road ripples.