Unlike when I did this job on the 560SEL back in 2021, the genuine upper control arms are now NLA.   This this job is all labour time, I was quite deliberate with the parts I chose.   I would have used the genuine upper control arms had they been available.  Since they were not, I went with TRW.

The parts I ordered from Pelican Parts were as follows:

• Upper control arm – left: 126 330 06 07 (TRW)
• Upper control arm – right: 126 330 07 07 (TRW)
• Lower control arm ball joint x2: 116 333 09 27 (Genuine)
• Control arm bushing (upper outer) x2: 116 333 40 14 (Rein)
• Control arm bushing kit (lower outer) x2: 123 330 14 75 (Febi)
• Control arm Bushing kit: 126 330 00 75 (Lemforder)
• Front Shocks: 126 330 08 30 (Bilstein B4)

However, when I got them, I found they had substituted 116 333 40 14 and 123 330 14 75 with Uro parts and not told me.   Uro is not a brand I will use unless I have no other choice, so I had to order those parts again from another supplier!  This is hugely frustrating as Pelican could have notified me of this.

The feedback I had from the job was that these parts had been on the car for a long time, certainly during its time in the UK.   From the outside they looked ok, but the various bushes were corroded internally.  As the car was imported between 2004 and 2005, they were well due to be changed.

The car also needed a wheel bearing along the way.   The front suspension feels a whole lot better, although I am still getting that vibration during steering, which must be related to something else.

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The front suspension rebuild included new upper control arms and associated bushings, lower control arm bushings and sway bar bushings.    I went with genuine for the upper control arms and Lemforder for the lower control arm bushings.   The genuine parts are expensive, but they are inexpensive compared to the labour required and I am confident they will last the distance.

As well as the sway bar bushings at the front suspension there are also a set on the firewall.   Replacing these was a big job.   One of them is under the battery tray which is quite easy to get at.   The other required the removal of the brake booster and fuse box.    Having removed and replaced the brake booster on my old W111 250SE, I’m glad I didn’t have to do it on the w126.

While I was having this work done, I also had the brake hoses replaced.   I had experienced brake fade on a long downhill stretch, and I wasn’t sure how old they were.   I am glad I had them replaced as they were swollen inside. The picture below shows some of the old parts.

At the same time, I also had a couple of o-rings replaced in the transmission.   This was the cause of a transmission leak.    After all this work you can tell the front suspension is far more supple.   Since I re-installed the rear self-leveling suspension, and not fixed the front suspension this car rides really well.

Prior to this work being carried out, I also had the flex discs replaced.   I had noticed some minor cracking in the discs when inspecting the underside of the car.   I probably could have left them for a while longer, but it is better to be safe that sorry with parts like this.   There are plenty of stories of major damage and accidents from failed flex discs.

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As well as the front suspension, the the brake lights are now working – I had them repaired in 2011 when I still lived in Michigan, but the switch was again faulty – Tony from All Classic Cars in Brookvale showed me the switch and it looked poor quality as the terminals were all loose.    With a new switch, all is working again.

Since the last time I had the car registered, I had done about 850 miles in the year.

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