Front suspension 88 300e - Benzworld.org

venemoux · 12-14-2006, 10:29 AM

Nice site! I'm not new but I had to change my name ID since my other e-mail was jacked!
I am hearing a squeaking sound coming from the left drivers wheel when I turn left. Everyone tells me it's the ball joints. It has 136,000 miles on it and they are original. I'll replace these very soon. Any suggestions as to what other components I should have replaced at the same time? I do not want to have to pay for labor again down the road if I can get the parts cheaply and installed while they replace the ball joints.

Muchos Gracias!

augapfel · 12-14-2006, 11:52 AM

I wouldn't condemn the lower balljoints on your car until you found play. My 88 260E has the original balljoints at 187k miles and they're fine. It's much more likely that the tie rod ends are worn out. My 124s seem to eat those every 50k miles or so. The inner one mostly.

Remember, it's step 1) find source of problem and step 2) replace offending part. The "I'll try replacing this part" exercise can get expensive fast.

venemoux · 12-15-2006, 05:56 AM

Tie rod ends, eh? I just don't know enough to be able to rebuff the folks that are telling me. Sound advice.
So the tie rod ends can make that rubber-to-metal screech/squeek noise as well?

lee polowczuk · 12-15-2006, 07:20 AM

could also be an idler arm bushing..

most people will try to identify the squeak area.... spray wd40 in there and see if it stops..

the wd40 isn't a cure...it just stops the symptom until you can replace the rubber..

venemoux · 12-15-2006, 07:43 AM

I did spray the tie rod ends first, still squeeky. Saturated the joints, squeeky. didn't take the wheel off so i did not spray the idler arm. Car sat for a few hours and when i took it out for a spin the noise was gone.
I worked the WD40 in very well with the two applications. I guess it just took a very long time to seep into where the noise was. I'll have to ask the indie if he has the U-shaped tool to check the ball joints. Hopefully I don't get soaked.

redwood · 12-15-2006, 11:20 AM

If your front struts are original, replace them along with new strut mounts. Sway bar bushes also will cause a squeak. They are cheap and easy to replace. People on a serious budget can spay the bushes with a high quality silicone spray which serves as a sort of lubricant and will "sometimes" cancel squeaks for a month or two...

Do use O.E.M struts, I just bought a 420SEL that had some funky old Gabriel struts that were leaking big time. Bilstein or BOGE/ sachs only.