I went to my indy today, to get his opinion on my right front squeaky ball joint, and to have him look at the rest of the system(he looks at it for free for me ) what i got back was what i expected, but not what i wanted to hear-at all. It turns out, almost everything in my steering system has play. Drag link, tie rods, ball joints, and the big killer-the steering box itself. I'm thinking I may just replace the right front ball joint only now, as unless i spend close to 1k on the front end of this car, i wont ever have tight steering. So 'm seeing it pointless to replace all sorts of other rubber parts when i wont even get the results i want out of it. Does my thinking sound logical to you guys? any other options i'm forgetting?
thanks
Ryan

__________________
83 300SD.......sold
96 integra SE....sold
99 a4 quattro....sold
2001 IS300.......sold
2002 330i.........current.
2004 highlander limited....current.

Well, it sounds like you're going through the same thing I went through in December. A grand on the front is normal . I think you'll find though after you have everything done (including adjusting the steering box) that the car will ride and handle like new. . Make sure your indy mechanic knows that the steering box CAN be adjusted for wear!


BTW, I'd take your Benz over a Break My Wallet (BMW) any day!

nice acronym however, after you've driven a 528i or other late model bmw i think your views would change.. granted, i've never driven a NEW e-class or s-class, but i can't imagine anything much better...
Ryan

__________________
83 300SD.......sold
96 integra SE....sold
99 a4 quattro....sold
2001 IS300.......sold
2002 330i.........current.
2004 highlander limited....current.

i think i forgot to insert the main problem in my original post, i dont' have a grand to spend, not even close. I'm already goign to be doing all the work myself if i can help it, and just getting it aligned after. I think, sadly, very shortly this car is gonna get past the "fixer upper" status it's at now, and just get driven into the ground.........
Ryan

__________________
83 300SD.......sold
96 integra SE....sold
99 a4 quattro....sold
2001 IS300.......sold
2002 330i.........current.
2004 highlander limited....current.

I replaced these parts in March...

2 Tie Rod Assembly M3000-16063 $26.10 $0.00 $52.20
1 Tie Rod Assembly M3000-16114 $32.14 $0.00 $32.14
1 Idler Arm Repair Kit M3030-27108 $23.13 $0.00 $23.13
* *
SubTotal: $107.47

Last year I replaced the upper ball joints and the steering damper. The above parts took 98% of the play out of the steering, the other 2% was a steering box adjustment AFTER the parts were replaced. Total front end parts including the ones put in last year were about $200.00. Everything up front with the exception of lower ball joints has been replaced now. Since there is no play in the ball joints I didn't replace them. PO did about 60k miles ago. Front end parts are inexpensive, labor will kill you. It's mostly grunt work to replace this stuff so anyone can do it. Alignment is something to pay the pros to do. Just count the number of turns when you take it all apart and when it goes back together it should be close.

Greetings,

Most all of the work you speak of can be done by yourself and I'd take advantage of the fact that your time is worth about $90 an hour at about the same pace that the shop will do the work. If you're picky like I am, it will take longer because you'll do more than the shop on a clock will to ensure perfection. I'd spend the hundred plus dollars and order the parts and do it myself. If you don't have the knowledege or gumption to do it, you've picked the wrong car to own unless you've got a endless checking account to back you up, which you said you don't. As mentioned, it's not the parts that's gonna get you, it's the labor, so become your own mechanic and just make it happen. Trust me, you can do it, and we'll guide you if you come to a head scratching point.


Charles

__________________
"Tell me and I will listen, Teach me and I will learn, Show me and I will accomplish, Involve me and I will succeed."
'84 300SD 256,000 Gold on Brown (Mileage Award)
'86 300E 246,000 Blue on Tan

looks like i'm renting the tools and doing this myself!! do any of the parts i mentioned need the springs to be compressed??
Ryan

__________________
83 300SD.......sold
96 integra SE....sold
99 a4 quattro....sold
2001 IS300.......sold
2002 330i.........current.
2004 highlander limited....current.

The tie rods are the easier to change than ball joints. I am replacing all my tie rods and idler arm kit this week-end. I am contemplating ball joints in the near future but haven't decided if I will do them myself yet until I study the proceedure. It looks like a spring compressor might be needed. You will need a ball joint tool. As mentioned in a previous reply make sure you measure the left and right tie rods and set them to the same lenght as the old ones. This will keep your alignment.
I noticed on my car no one single tie rod is completely bad, but the accumulative effect results in considerable play.

When I did the work in March it was because the alignment was off and the shop said to much wear in the drag link to fix. That part number (300d) is M3000-16114. Since the tie rod ends had split rubber I figured I may as well do them as well. I called the parts order in as I needed some help on exactly what parts to buy. Phil told me the idler arm was also a suspect wear part and I should get the rebuild kit for that as well. No springs need to be compressed to replace what I did. All you need is the pickle fork to beat the old parts apart, bolts will pull them back together. Took me a good 1/2 a day, couple of gallons of ice tea (don't drink booze when doing car work anymore) and lots of "special words" as the kids tell mom about what daddy is doing. Also did this work right before fixing the turbo drain seal so I was covered in that fine "benz black" that took a good week to come all the way off.

alright, so going over things in my head this is what i need to be replacing

tie rods(2)
ball joints(2)
idler arm(where/what is this thing?!??!?)
drag link
rear subframe mounts
rack dampner screw
rear tranny mount
diff mount

what am i missing? i added the last four pased on what i know needs to be replaced

__________________
83 300SD.......sold
96 integra SE....sold
99 a4 quattro....sold
2001 IS300.......sold
2002 330i.........current.
2004 highlander limited....current.

The idler arm is the right side counter part to the steering arm. It is stricktly a slave device. It connects to the passenger side of the drag link(aka center tie rod) You mentioned the trans mount, if you have vibration problems the motor mounts would be a good bet also. And I believe there are upper and lower ball joints.

The control arms also have bushings, fixed uppers and eccentrically adjustable lowers. You would need a spring compressor to replace these.

Front ends have four specs- in a nutshell

Toe-in- pigeon toed- tie rods
Toe-out - duck feet- tie rods
castor and camber- bow legged or knock-kneed- lower arm eccentric bushings for adjustment but bad ball joints can affect this

this is not Gospel but a rule of thumb. If there is anyone more knowledgable please chime in.

The gear box adjustment is an easy fix, did mine (85 300D) a couple of days ago. The lock nut is 17mm and the allen screw is 5mm, I think. Loosen lock nut, turn OUT, not in, adjustment screw 1/2 turn. Test drive. Repeat if necessary about 1/2 turn only. Made my steering feel like new.

__________________
Gary
85 300D Ivory, 202,000
Beatus exsisto Jesu, verus et Deus verus Vir

A 300SD that belongs to a friend of mine just had all that stuff done, and it makes a HUGE difference! Drives like a new car. I need to get my front end in shape...Not sure if I want to tackle it myself, but it sure is a LOT cheaper to do it that way!

Mike

__________________
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1979 300 SD
350,000 miles
_____
1982 300D-gone---sold to a buddy
_____
1985 300TD
270,000 miles
_____
1994 E320
not my favorite, but the wife wanted it

www.myspace.com/mikemover
www.myspace.com/openskystudio
www.myspace.com/speedxband
www.myspace.com/openskyseparators
www.myspace.com/doubledrivemusic

well i'm definately tackling this one myself, i simply can't afford to pay someone to do it. I'm a bit confused now though, i went to fastlane and they had a center tie rod, and tie rod ends, and the tie rod ends were left/right hand screw?? what? can someone please make sense of this for me, I'm thinking i can get all the parts for under 200, is this reasonable??? any other bushings that will make a big differance in the ride of the car, that i might as well do? Do the lower ball joints require a spring compress tool? Fastlane also does not carry the drag link, so i'll have to get that from performance products, or the $tealer. any insight appreciated, and thanks for all the help thus far!!
Ryan

__________________
83 300SD.......sold
96 integra SE....sold
99 a4 quattro....sold
2001 IS300.......sold
2002 330i.........current.
2004 highlander limited....current.

Ryan,

I called FastLane to order as I was confused like you. The drag link is the center tie rod, they should have it. Get the vin number of your car and give them a call. From the vin# they will know what you need. $200.00 is about right with the lower ball joints.