(Let me preface this by saying that I just bought this car -- '92 190E -- 4 months ago. I know very little about its service history. I DO know that the previous owner had it serviced by a "friend" who was a mechanic at a neighborhood garage. I've found a few minor things that were not done properly -- but nothing major)

So here's my problem: I just got my '92 190E back from the alignment shop, and they said the ball joint on the passenger side is partially pulled out of the steering knuckle. They said they've never seen this before, but admitted they have limited experience with MB cars. I checked, and sure enough, there IS an extra centimeter of rod between the knuckle and the ball joint on the passenger side -- but it doesn't look like it's being pulled out. I looks like the wrong ball joint is on there. One with a longer shaft.

QUESTION #1: Does the ball joint from a similar car (say a 300E) have a longer shaft but the same size ball joint. (So that it would fit, just not properly?

QUESTION #2: Has anyone else encountered this problem before?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Jeff Pierce

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Jeff Pierce

Current Vehicles:
'92 Mercedes 190E/2.3 (247K miles/my daily driver)
'93 Volvo 940 Turbo Wagon (263K miles/a family truckster with spunk)
'99 Kawasaki Concours
Gravely 8120
Previous Vehicles:
'85 Jeep CJ-7 w/ Fisher plow (226K miles)'93 Volvo 940 Turbo Wagon
'53 Willys-Overland Pickup
'85 Honda 750F Interceptor
'93 Nissan Quest
'89 Toyota Camry Wagon
'89 Dodge Raider
'81 Honda CB 750F Super Sport
'88 Toyota Celica
'95 Toyota Tacoma
'74 Honda CB 550F