Hey, G, thanks for another great DIY. It looks like your first pic has a typo, hard to tell with the yellow font against the reflection but it looks as though it says remove "tie rod" and it's actually the link attachment bolt...isn't that the tie rod above it in the shot?
Take care and enjoy the ride,
Greg
__________________ If the only prayer you say in your life is thank you, that would suffice. Meister Eckhart
When you learn from your own mistakes, that's experience.
When you learn from the mistakes of others, that's wisdom.
When you fail to learn from any mistakes, that's government.
I just done this job and would like to share some experience with it. Unfortunately I don't have a big lift as G-AMG has and did that job on my parking lot. For that case you have to add floor jack as additional, required tool.
When you remove torx bolts from the links (picture 1), then you have to support sway bar by floor jack at middle point before then you start unscrew bracket's screws. Don't forget to put some piece for wood between jack cap and sway bar (you don't want to leave any scratches there).
Jack support takes out any pressure from brackets and bolts will go a way much easier. For my case it was critical. I have torx bracket screws there and didn't want to cut their heads (Don't ask me how I know that ).
One more thing - ensure that you put right head shield on bracket. They are Right and Left side.
As Bansai said, make sure you check the kind of bolt heads you have on the brackets. Mine were also the torx type and without the proper socket the chances that you'll round them off and end up with more problems is pretty good. Make sure you've got the proper socket before starting. BTW, the new bolts are hex head, so Mercedes must have figured out that some folks had some problems with those torx types. Also, I found it very easy to pull off the old links while the sway bar was still attached to the car. Just give a good pull and off they come. To reinstall I stood the sway bar up on several thicknesses of cardboard, set the new sway bar in place on the bottom end, lifted the sway bar with the new link in place and gave it a good rap or two on the cardboard and it popped right into place.
Do you realize how timely your diy is?See below post
"Help with identifying a sound."
Had him checking the drop link and bushings and there you are with the diy.
Saved my fingers a whole lot of typing.Besides I have never figured out how to put text on a picture,so all anyone ever sees is my finger pointing to the part
NOW IF HE COULD BORROW YOUR LIFT HE'D BE IN FAT CITY
I replaced my mashmellow front sway bar bushings and end links this weekend. Not too hard of a job. I spent more time on the phone arguring with Eibach than it took to do the job.
Here is the scoop: I replaced my stock swaybars with Eibach sway bars back in 2003. The car ran great until recently. Clunking on both ends of the car. I called Eibach to inquiry about their bushings. Simple question, are the bushings rubber or otherwise. After a lengthy conversation they finally stated that they were rubber. Ok, what size? More lengthy dialogue and finally they give me the sizes. 29mm for the front and 20mm for the rear. I took these sizes and went to Energy Suspension for their polyurethane bushings. The front is part# 9.5170G and the rear is 9.5156G. I also got end links from AutoHauz.
The job for the front required a T50 torx bit for the end links and a E10 six point socket for the sway bar brackets. Unbolted the end links then the brackets and removed sway bar. Had to do the removing and installing parts in the house (too cold for that). To remove the old end links I took a razor and cut the outer rubber lip off the end link bushing and then just slid the end link off the bar. Then I just cut remaining bushing off the bar. Slid off the old sway bar bushings (marshmellows) and slid the new bushings with grease fitting brackets on the bar. I used the supplied lube on the bar and inner bushing. To install the new end links I soaped them with Dawn dish detergent and using one of the old end links with the rubber bushing removed. I placed the old one on the floor and placed a new on on top of it. I then placed the sway bar on top of the new link and just pushed it into to place.
Now don't do what I did and install the wrong end link to the incorrect end. You will not realize this until you go to install the bar and the end links are facing the wrong way. That was good for a laugh!!! To remove the new snug fitting end link I just placed the end link on the floor and placed two jack handles on the end link and stood on them with one foot on each side of the link. I then pulled and worked the sway bar and it popped free. Don't forget the Dawn before you try this. Once the end links were correctly installed I reinstalled the sway bar bolting the sway bar brackets 1st but not tightening all the way to insure play when lining up the end links. Tightened the end link bolts, then tightened down the sway bar brackets. Now the front is complete and the rear is next. Can't do them until I receive the rear stabilizer links in 2 days.
Sorry to hear of your "misadventure" of mixing up the links. Ha! I was afraid of doing the same exact thing!, which is why I did one at a time, and posted my "warning" (4th pic).
The Meguires Rubber and Vinyl cleaner worked Ok at getting the links back on.
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