Hi,
With my limp-home mode resolved - for now at least - I'm on to the next problem with my old Merc (wish I'd bought an Audi, even my old Xantia cost me less per mile). Driving home today I noticed a metallic clunking the o/s/f suspension. A quick inspection in the dark found the o/s/f of the car to have dropped - the wheel is up into the wheel arch, I'm surprised the tyre wasn't rubbing on the wheel arch when parking. It's 1 - 1.5 inches lower than the n/s/f.
I'll jack it up in the morning and have a look for any obvious damage, loose components. It's not been kerbed or over and harsh pot-holes, so I assume something has given out through wear (156k). Any suggestion for what to look for?
Thanks
Simon
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Probably broken spring. The rears break quite often - the fronts less so, but its not unusual. Don't drive it if its broken!
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It's broken in 2 places - booked into the garage and not being used!
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I got the car back in time for last weekend - it needed new front shocks too, they were leaking. It is now awful to drive - surely Mercedes never intended the suspension to be this harsh? I've had the car (99 T, 220 CDi Esprit) for 2 years and have covered 50k in it, had the suspension been this stiff on the test drive I wouldn't have bought it. For the first time, I now prefer the ride in my wifes R reg 1.8 Vectra. Bouncing on the wing I get next to no suspension travel on it. Any thoughts?
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I suppose it depends what springs and shocks they fitted if they were some cheap spurious make then the set up could be all over the place but if they were sourced at GSF then it should be like it was at new.
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They didn't come from GSF (not sure there is one close enough) - am I allowed to say where they came from on here? They had tried Mercedes initially but they could not supply in time for me to have the car back at the weekend. The shocks were £75 each, so that doesn't sound 'cheap' to me.
Am I now stuck with an uncomfortable ride? I assume that if I took the car back and complained I wouldn't get much joy...
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It may be that the shocks were that worn before you had got used to a sloppy ride now its back to how it should be its a bit of a change and will take some getting used to.
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I had wondered if that was the case (in which case the rears may need doing as they're definately not as harsh as the front). I was expecting it to feel a bit stiffer, but good stiffer i.e. more GTI-like, this feels more like a Citroen that may soon be needing new front spheres. I keep telling myself it's how it's supposed to be and I'll just get used to it... Surely if I rock the front of the car on it's suspension as hard as I can it should rock a couple of times then settle? This just feels rock hard.
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Springs are likely OK, its more likely the shocks that are stiff. Can you get a brand and part-number off the shock? Its possible they fitted the wrong spec (there are several different fitments). The C-class ride is 'firm' but not harsh. New shocks will be a little stiffer for a couple hundred miles until the seals wear in etc., but its not usually very noticable.
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I'll have a look for brand & part numbers on the shocks. I've covered about 800 miles since I picked the car up last Friday, so they should have settled in by now.
Thanks
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