The naming of the struts (5 of them) can be difficult. By any name the strut I was talking about and the Arthur is noting are the same.

It is really pretty easy to explain which is which. Lets start by the easiest to ID: #1 would be the toe adjusting "tierod". Tis is one of three struts hooked to the top portion of the bearing carrier. Because it is the adjustment one can hardly confuse it. #2 would be the lower control arm, it has a rubber cover over it and goes from the bearing carrier to the center of the car. #3 is then easy because it is the only strut left on the bottom and goes toward the front of the car. That leaves us with two top struts which I would call the "camber" strut and the "thrust" strut. I'll make #4 the camber strut because with the wheel off it is easy to see running off the top of the bearing carrier to the center of the car. It is the strut that is made into a turnbuckle to adjust camber when folk lower their cars. That leaves #5 which is now easy because it is the only one left.

While this strut is not adjustable I do not agree that it can be changed without alignment. Whether worn or just weak the strut will deflect under loading and alter camber. Camber changes always make significant toe changes so even if the car has never been aligned since new it will now have a stiffer joint with less deflection and less camber change and thus some toe difference.

While all this is nice I really think if the thrust strut were the cause you would notice the problem more when getting in and out of the gas. The feeling of the car steering itself proves my point about toe change with varying stiffness struts.

The 124 chassis is one of few MBs that have the front shocks as a load bearing member of the suspension. As a result they fail way more often than most MB shocks and play a multiple part in drivability, since they are both involved with dampening and geometry.

One other thing I might mention is that one of the most disturbing driveability situations comes about when any of a number of pivoting members of the front suspension get bound up. Most cases involve a ball joint. I see these quite often and the only sure way to notice it is on the turntables of an alignment machine. On the turntables the wheels should have a uniform resistance to all movement. The condition occurs when there is a noticable difficulty getting the wheel to start its turn while being easier if the movement is continuous. If you again stop it will again be firm in resisting the start of movement. It sticks!

On the road it feels like one is constantly chasing the steering position. I also see tis when people adjust their steering box too tight.

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Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician