Yet more creaky ABC suspension

[Teem50]

I've got a 2009 SL500 that I'm in the process of restoring to something nearer to rude(ish) health.

However, I've got a horrible creak from the front left suspension. In an attempt to fix it I've changed the top and bottom ball joints to no avail. I've also inspected the track rod end ball joint and the one on the end of the torque strut and they're all fine. I've looked at the rubber inner mounts and they seem fine too. I've not looked at the ball joint on the bottom of the strut though, as there's another symptom. This is that the creak just completely disappears if I raise the ABC suspension a notch. This makes me think it's actually the strut itself and something to do with the hydraulic jiggery-pokery that sits adjacent to the spring. (I really must find out exactly how these struts work... )

Before I invest many earth pounds in a recon strut and start an inevitably long fight with the "quick release" hydraulic connecter has anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks,

Tim

 

[giusepppe]

I've got a 2009 SL500 that I'm in the process of restoring to something nearer to rude(ish) health.

However, I've got a horrible creak from the front left suspension. In an attempt to fix it I've changed the top and bottom ball joints to no avail. I've also inspected the track rod end ball joint and the one on the end of the torque strut and they're all fine. I've looked at the rubber inner mounts and they seem fine too. I've not looked at the ball joint on the bottom of the strut though, as there's another symptom. This is that the creak just completely disappears if I raise the ABC suspension a notch. This makes me think it's actually the strut itself and something to do with the hydraulic jiggery-pokery that sits adjacent to the spring. (I really must find out exactly how these struts work... )

Before I invest many earth pounds in a recon strut and start an inevitably long fight with the "quick release" hydraulic connecter has anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks,

Tim

Buy a can of PTFE spray and spray everything that needs it

 

[W1ghty]

I've got a 2009 SL500 that I'm in the process of restoring to something nearer to rude(ish) health.

However, I've got a horrible creak from the front left suspension. In an attempt to fix it I've changed the top and bottom ball joints to no avail. I've also inspected the track rod end ball joint and the one on the end of the torque strut and they're all fine. I've looked at the rubber inner mounts and they seem fine too. I've not looked at the ball joint on the bottom of the strut though, as there's another symptom. This is that the creak just completely disappears if I raise the ABC suspension a notch. This makes me think it's actually the strut itself and something to do with the hydraulic jiggery-pokery that sits adjacent to the spring. (I really must find out exactly how these struts work... )

Before I invest many earth pounds in a recon strut and start an inevitably long fight with the "quick release" hydraulic connecter has anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks,

Tim

There is I believe a fix for this bottom ball joint on the strut . Don’t quote me but I think I’ve heard of Ian at Star Mercedes outside Reading doing it ?? The alternative is I believe a new ABC strut

 

[ToeKnee]

There is I believe a fix for this bottom ball joint on the strut . Don’t quote me but I think I’ve heard of Ian at Star Mercedes outside Reading doing it ?? The alternative is I believe a new ABC strut

I believe there's a Mercedes indy in Loughborough that does it too!

 

[Teem50]

Thanks for the comments. It was indeed a duff balljoint on the bottom of the strut. Pretty easy to change although needed a lot of urge to press a replacement in. (I have a garage full of tools and even my own car lift. The chance of me paying someone to fix this is pretty small! )

Cheers.

 

[Dickster]

Well done doing it yourself. I need to get one done. Did you remove the strut from the car? I have heard that the ball joint is a really tight fit. I’m not sure whether to tackle it myself.

 

[Teem50]

Well done doing it yourself. I need to get one done. Did you remove the strut from the car? I have heard that the ball joint is a really tight fit. I’m not sure whether to tackle it myself.

It is spectacularly tight. However, I've got a super-duper Milwaukee impact wrench that that pushed the old one out easily. Mind you, I had to cut the end off the ball joint to get the extraction tool on. (I bought a specific for Mercedes ball joint press tool kit on eBay for about £50 or so.)

I didn't have to take the strut out. All you need to do is to separate the ball joint from the lower control arm and then lift up the suspension out of the way; you can then get at the balljoint easily. Breaking the balljoint off the control arm isn't easy. There are videos on line of people using a pickle fork for this but I used a C type ball joint separator. (One of these: Clarke CHT702 3 Piece Ball Joint Separator Set - Machine Mart - Machine Mart) I had to grind that a bit to get it into position and I also had to loosen the ball joint on the track rod end to get access to the ball joint separator with the same impact wrench.

Getting the new joint in was the trickiest bit as it's hard to keep it square. But I just took it really slowly until it was half way in and then zapped it with the same impact wrench. This video is a decent summary of the whole process, albeit delivered in a slightly idiosyncratic manner!

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Hope that helps.

 

[Dickster]

Thanks, that is great information

 

[BlackC55]

Buy a can of PTFE spray and spray everything that needs it

Please dont do that. It wont get rid of any noises and will just cover the suspension in unnecessary grease.