Hello all my 08 S550 has developed a very annoying consistent front end clunk / rattle. It doesn't consistently even on the slightest Road bumps including going over road reflectors. I thought it could possibly be the sway bar so I actually completely removed the end links and drove the car and there was absolutely no change the noise was still there so I'm 100% positive it is not the sway bar end links. I did replace the struts about a year-and-a-half ago with cheap after-market Chinese ones and although they are not leaking I suspect the noise might be coming from the internals of the strut. Has anybody had any experience similar to this with this noise or with aftermarket rebuilt struts? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I guess my next step is to just replace one of the struts with a new Arnott and see if the sound goes away. Thanks in advance.
2008 S550 Front End Clunk-Rattle
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Sorry for the typo...I meant to say that the noise does it consistently even over the slightest road bumps and even road reflectors. I don't think it's subframe mounts and I don't think it's motor mounts because I don't have any vibrations related to those issues but I am open to any and all suggestions.
2015 S550, 2010 E350 P1/P2, 2002 ML320
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There are a number of joints up front, upper/lower ball joints, control arm bushing, thrust arm bushings, tie rod ends, etc. It would be good to inspect the suspension unloaded (air released via SDS from the struts.) Hard to tell what is wrong without some hands-on diagnostics.
Well I am happy to report it was in fact the ball joint on the left lower front control arm. It was so loose I'm surprised it didn't pop out of the socket it had over 3/16 inch of play in the ball and socket! I switched it out this morning and the car rides like brand new again. I will eventually do the right side as well as I had already purchased all of the components for both sides just to have in stock. These components are very inexpensive. The job was moderately difficult but not too bad I actually did it with the car on jack stands the hardest part was breaking the ball joint loose using a ball joint separator it was very very very scary how hard and tight I had to tighten it before it would break loose. Thanks for the advice all.
I've had a clunking sound coming from the front driver's side for a while now. There is also a creaking noise when pressure is applied either up or down on the front end.
I suspected that it was one of the lower control control arm ball joints. So, I put the car on jack stands and took a look. I found that the upper joint on the sway bar is leaking. The lower control arm ball joints look good, but I can feel vibrations going through the rearward lower control arm when the creaking sound is made. So, I've decided to replace the sway bar and the rearward lower control arm. While I'm in there, I'll just go ahead and replace the forward lower control arm as well.
Konigstiger, any chance you could hook me up with some of those step by step instructions again?
Thanks,
Jack
I suspected that it was one of the lower control control arm ball joints. So, I put the car on jack stands and took a look. I found that the upper joint on the sway bar is leaking. The lower control arm ball joints look good, but I can feel vibrations going through the rearward lower control arm when the creaking sound is made. So, I've decided to replace the sway bar and the rearward lower control arm. While I'm in there, I'll just go ahead and replace the forward lower control arm as well.
Konigstiger, any chance you could hook me up with some of those step by step instructions again?
Thanks,
Jack
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I had the same problem and it was the chinese struts
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