Front and Rear Subframe rubbers

[WGB]

As part of an ongoing program of improvement I am working through my 6.9's ball and rubber joints.

The front and rear subframe rubbers are relatively inexpensive and I will probably import them over the year but wonder how easy they are to replace .

I have all the necessary lifting gear but would appreciate any comments on level of difficulty and any tricks or techniques.

Bill

 

[Styria]

Hi Bill, I have often seen comments regarding the so called 'additional complexity' of 6.9's compared with the other models in the 116 range. I have always held opposing views on this subject and the front end of the 6.9 is a case in point.

The immediate foe of any mechanical work on steel sprung cars are the springs themselves. Again, from what I have read, removal and replacement are no easy task. You'd probably know more about this than I would. On 6.9's, springs are no issue.

When contemplating disassembly, it would pay to mark the position of the concentric adjustment bolts - this will enable you to revert to the previous wheel alignment settings, although you would want to do it again once reassembly is completed. If all goes well, you should just be able to undo nuts and bolts, but in order to replace all bushes, both bottom links and the cross member will have to be removed as one unit, still partially assembled, from the car.

One can strike problems with the bolts welding themselves to the inner metal part of the bushes. This may, in fact will, necessitate the use of oxy to cut them out. It has to be done carefully so as not to damage the metal parts of the body to which the cross member and lower links are attached to. Purchase of bushes themselves is relatively cheap - but when you have to purchase them as kits with new bolts and locknuts, the purchase cost can shoot up quickly, and ready availability. or lack thereof. will have to be factored into the job and the time the car is off the road for.

Just a bit of skill and good tools are required to refit the new bushes to the various components, and the front end will have to be partially re-assembled before it can be refitted to the car.

BACK END ? I will have to look into this to give you an accurate assessment. Regards, Styria

 

[Michel]

One can strike problems with the bolts welding themselves to the inner metal part of the bushes. This may, in fact will, necessitate the use of oxy to cut them out. It has to be done carefully so as not to damage the metal parts of the body to which the cross member and lower links are attached to. Purchase of bushes themselves is relatively cheap - but when you have to purchase them as kits with new bolts and locknuts, the purchase cost can shoot up quickly, and ready availability. or lack thereof. will have to be factored into the job and the time the car is off the road for.

I can vouch for the expense and the rarity of those unique bolts as I had to change a few on my 690SEL

 

[WGB]

Thanks for the comments.

I am poised to add the correct spring compressor to my list of "owns" so the springs are not an issue on a non-6.9.

My plan is to collect all the necessary bits and pieces over the year and do a final attack on the summit at the end of the year.

I have replaced all the worst bushes and my car now handles as well as anyone could probably get it but having driven new 116's and 126's I know there is another level of precision above this but as usual the last 10% is always the hardest.

Bill

 

[Michel]

Thanks for the comments.
I have replaced all the worst bushes and my car now handles as well as anyone could probably get it but having driven new 116's and 126's I know there is another level of precision above this but as usual the last 10% is always the hardest.
Bill

I wonder..... Can one ever recreated the 'original' factory feel on any car?
I have done body off the frame restorations (albeit not on any Benz yet) and have used every single factory shim and rubber bush, etc..... and it feels like a recreated vehicle and not an original... A nice recreated vehicle nevertheless

 

[WGB]

I'm not sure that you can recreate the original feel or would ever really want to but I do enjoy getting the best with what I've got for a reasonable cost and then using my own brains and brawn to make it work.

If I wanted an exemplary drive I'd drive a new car - as I usually do.

My ML500 is faster, quieter and handles better but on the 1 or two days a week I drive the 6.9 I appreciate the difference and part of that difference is what I've done myself to improve it.

But then again I will never be happy so I'll keep improving it.

With the ML 500 I will simply sell it when time or opportunity presents but there will be nothing visceral in it.

Bill

 

[Styria]

Whilst owning an old car is a constant exercise of repairing/restoring as you go along, that is not only part of the challenge, but also you can set your goals to aim for over a period of time.

For me, a new Benz is out of the question, therefore I have to make the most of what I have. There are any number of items that my 'Gleaming Beauty' requires, and as I attend to them, I derive a great deal of satisfaction and sense of achievement.

Whenever I read Bill's posts, I have to pinch myself when he talks about the various projects he has on hand, and the methodical manner in which he constantly endeavours to improve his 6.9 to get it to his liking. Now, here's a man that has absolutely no need to get his hands dirty, and to play around with 'old relics', yet he obviously derives a great deal of satisfaction from a job well done - and that plays a major part in the overall context of what we do with our cars. Regards, Styria