Mercedes-Benz W211 rear control arm bushing replacement
How do you check the condition of the rear control arm bushing on a W211?
The bushing is the outermost joint of the rear lower control arm. Lift the lower control arm off the ground and rock the wheel. Play can be hard to detect, so if you suspect wear, the bushing is worth replacing. A clunk over bumps can also come from the anti-roll bar ball joint.
Can the bushing be replaced without replacing the whole control arm?
Yes. On the saloon the bushing is pressed into the arm and is replaced as a separate part. The S211 estate's control arm is two-piece and is split, so the bushing is replaced separately. On an air-suspension or estate control arm the replacement method depends on the car's construction, so find out before starting.
How is the bushing removed and installed?
Release the control arm end on the body side and, if needed, the ends of the stabiliser and lower control arm. The bushing comes out with a puller or by driving it out with a long pin, and the new one is pressed in the same way; take care not to damage the rubber boot. If the bushing will not go in, the hub or support bushing is often seized and has to be driven out with a drift first. Forcing it in breaks the bushing. Leave brake caliper and SBC work to a workshop and have a specialist workshop check the result, because wheel control is safety-critical.