Busy day cleaning the engine bay. Came out pretty good! After degreasing/cleaning I used "Black on Black" on all the plastic and make it all look new again. After spraying I buffed all the various parts to give them a better appearance than shiney!

 

My new steering linkage , AKA drag linkage, arrived this afternoon. It's been a long time since I worked in my driveway, laying on my back under a jacked up car. When your 73 it's just not as easy as it used to be. And of course there was no one around to hand me tools that were needed. Had to rent a tie rod breaker and it made life a whole lot better as I wasn't making any headway with my acetylene torch. Finally got it installed about an hour after dark. Tomorrow I'll get an appointment to have an alignment.

As a side note, I noticed the two jacking pads, on the driver's side were not there. Gonna see if I can find a source for theml.

 

I have the almost the same problem , getting under the car laying on my back isn't as bad as trying to get up !!! and you know your old when your on the ground because you start to look for other things you can do while your down there.

 

That's funny but your right! Gravity will help you get down but gravity will fight your knees and back when you want to stand up! Ha Ha

 

73
On your back swinging wrenches

Thats fire trucking awesome. I’m 56 and there are some days.....

You are today’s inspiration

Great work
Im guessing it’s beer o clock right about now

 

Sorry my bad, I should have added this to the previous post

Jack Pads are available at Needswings
https://www.needswings.com/search?q=Jack+pads

 

Thanks for the info. I checked with Needswings and they want $62 for a pair of jack pads. "They also want $46 shipping!" I don't know what their smoking but that's just getting too deep into my pocket! They get a "premium" price for their products and then want to rape you on the shipping! I'll find some hard rubber and make them on my milling machine!

 

They’re $22.45 a piece here

https://www.chryslerpartsoverstock.c...5099715AA.html

 

Thanks! I added Chrysler Overstock and Needswings to my bookmarks. I ordered two for $53 shipped. Much better price and shipping from Chrysler Overstock.

 

Shipping is a bit much, is that what you call padding the bill?

I think I could ship those for less than US$20 to anywhere in the States.
A lot of companies charge for packing materials and labour and that can get ridiculous.
I would have purchased more from NW but shipping is a killer, the USPS is the cheapest to Canada, UPS and FedEx are rip off artists.

 

Couple days ago my brakes started squealing when backing out of the driveway. I pulled the front wheels, when I replaced the steering linkage, and found the front pads to be like new condition. I thinking it's the rear brakes that may be needing replaced. I'll check them next after I get the alignment. Slowly but surely I'm getting the bugs out of my car. Things still left to do are as listed below. Haven't seen anything else that needs attention "yet!"
1. Change the transmission filter and fluid.
2. Replace the two hatch struts. (Ordered)
3. Replace two jack pads on drivers side. (Ordered)
4. Right corner of dash missing support screw. The plastic support extension, for bolt hole, has a small crack that will need some epoxying to keep it from breaking off when screw is securing it.

 

"BAD NEWS" for me anyway! Took it for an alignment and the wheel bearings are no good even though not making noise. They told me they were not adjustable an the hubs have to be replaced before an alignment can be done. They move about a 1/4" when tire grabbed top and bottom. "$489.00" with alignment. Welcome to the wonderful world of Mercedes. Guess I'll get used to it though. Be fixed by this afternoon they said.
Two new motor mounts came with the car that the seller said he ordered because he thought they were bad. He said it turned out they were ok and he didn't need them after all. Hmmm, I wonder!

 

Ref Brake noise. After parked overnight I often get a squeal from the brakes while backing from the parking spot, which in my case is from the ceramic pads. Once they clear the rust from the over night exposure all is well. You may not need new pads.
I hope you saw the rims on your wheels move when wiggled by the alignment shop and I would want to look at the bushings on the control arms while they are wiggling. I wouldn't trust them on a telephone conversation. My 2005 has 138,000 miles with no problems as to bearings.
PS the hub bearing end play is adjustable by tightening up on the hub nut.

 

Yes I did see it for myself. I / we did look at the control arm bushings and they are good. The mechanic told me the hub nut was not adjustable!! That is what I thought was wrong initially.

 

Let me try this cut and past, Directly from the service manual;CAUTION: Do not turn the wheel hub while taking the measurement.

7. Adjust the wheel bearing end play by turning the hub nut (4) in stages while pushing and pulling the rotor firmly back and forth. Adjust end play to 0.01–0.02 mm.

1. Tighten the hub nut bolt to 11 N·m (8 ft. lbs.) and recheck the wheel bearing end play.
   
2. Remove the dial indicator.
   

10. Install the wheel hub dust cap (2).
11. Remove the wheel bolt from the rotor.

12. Install the front wheel and tire assembly.

 

I hope you saw the rims on your wheels move when wiggled by the alignment shop and I would want to look at the bushings on the control arms while they are wiggling. I wouldn't trust them on a telephone conversation. My 2005 has 138,000 miles with no problems as to bearings.
PS the hub bearing end play is adjustable by tightening up on the hub nut.[/QUOTE]
They
I downloaded and printed the front suspension pages and took it to them. They had already taken the driver's hub off and ordered new bearings. "They were bull shitting me." They said they had tightened the nut down as far it would go and still had play. I told them to take the passenger's side off and show me. Well guess what? The nut, after loosening the lock, went from the 11 o'clock to the 1 o'clock by my fingers and took the play out of it. I looked at the bearing and races on the driver's side and there was no scoring and were fine. I told them to clean and repack the bearings, adjust the nuts properly and do an alignment. I think someone wanted to made some labor money.
Thank you for sparking my interest about the adjustable nuts. It was not as they had convienced me!

 

I'm glade it will work out okay for you and saved some money as well; It is just a crying shame as how unethical most repair shops are.

 

There were three young guys and I don't think they knew what they were talking about and were bull shitting they're way thru it. But when I got into the manual I knew something was amiss. I've not seen a car that you can't take up bearing wear by the spindle nut. I hope they weren't trying to scam me!

 

Express Oil Change & Tire Engineers, S. Dale Mabry, Tampa
Here's what happened.
​​​​​​11/18/2020 I went in to get an alignment and really feel that I was scammed for work that did not need doing! First the manager told me that the bearings were bad and needed replaced. He showed me the movement and was about 1/4 or less movement top to bottom. I asked him about the adjusting nut. Manager said Mercedes didn't have one and the unit had to be replaced before alignment. I, not knowing about Mercedes, said ok. $489 estimate to do the work. When I got home I looked on line at the repair manual and indeed they "do" have an adjusting nut. I printed the pertinent pages and went back. The mechanic had already pulled everything off the driver's side spindle. I looked at the bearings and were fine. No scuffing or scoring on the bearing or their races. They were laying in a dirty rag. I told the manager to clean and repack the bearing and put it back together because they were doing work that wasn't needed! They did that as well doing an alignment. ($89) When I picked up the car the alignment was not correct. He indicated his mechanic didn't know why it was "digging" hard in the turns. Manager said he'd put it up on the rack and show me it was correct. (2nd alignment.) Well wouldn't you just know it that the alignment was way out and he said he didn't know what happend. Now my steering wheel is at the 8 o'clock and 2 o'clock position. When I got the bill it was ($321), which I had to pay if I wanted to get my car back. "The labor for their "mistake" ($230) when it just needed a slight adjustment on the spindle nuts. I complained but he said he just did what I asked him to do. The manager lied to me on several points and denied saying anything. (Of Course) I believe I was scammed so they could make the labor money. ($115 an hour!) I can't let this slide. I intend to take them to small claims court because it's a matter of principal. If they didn't know what they were doing they should not have accepted the work. Now my steering wheel sits at the 8:30 o'clock and 2:30 o'clock position.
"They should just stick to oil changes!"

 

Is there another way for me to reset my steering wheel without going back to Express Oil Change for another alignment? Maybe just take it to a place where all they do is alignments and pay again. "There was a heated discussion. Mostly me."