Front Suspension

[bpossel]

Hello All,

I have a question...
Has anyone ever had their front suspension completely apart?
If yes to the above question, did you ever have the a-arm inner bolt/pins in your hands and screw the end caps on?
Then, if yes, when you screwed the end caps on the pins, did you wiggle the caps and was their a small amount of play in the pin/end caps (without any grease installed)?
I purchased new upper and lower end caps and still have a bit of play in them as I screw them on the pins.

Please refer to the picture and the arrows showing the end caps.



bpossel  (Memphis, TN.)
'71 280SL  /  '97 E320

[ja17]

Hello Bob,

Yes these parts are designed with a slight amount of clearance. The threaded bushings going through the king pin tops are the same way, having a little slop even with all new parts. It leaves room for grease!

Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio

[bpossel]

Hi Joe,

Thank you!  Now I feel much better!
I thought that I may also need to buy new pins.
New pins are a bit pricey!
Thanks again!
Bob

bpossel  (Memphis, TN.)
'71 280SL  /  '97 E320

[Naj ✝︎]

Caps 12 and 32 screw onto the pins (female threads) and also into the 'A' arms (male threads).

Is there some adjustment or rule on how this should be done?

Confused  



68 280SL

[bpossel]

Hi Naj,

You want to make sure that each side is screwed on equally and that the carry pin is centered between each respective a-arm.

Since I have my entire front suspension apart, this is easy for me to do on the bench and garage floor.

My concern was with a slight amount of wiggle, play, when I had the carry pin in my hand to "test" screw each end cap on the pin, prior to assembly of the pins to the arms.  Clearly there is no wiggle, play on the caps when they are screwed into the a-arms....  just a bit of play between the caps and pins.  And, as Joe stated, this bit of space is needed for the grease.

For assembly, I installed the pin in the arm (centered); installed the rubber protective sleeve on each side over the pin; carefully screwed each end cap on, ensuring the pin stayed centered.

Bob

bpossel  (Memphis, TN.)
'71 280SL  /  '97 E320

[Naj ✝︎]

Thanks, Bob,

You'll be surprised to find how 'world famous' you are!!! :mrgreen:

Achim and I were talking to a Pagoda owner on the Pagode Club stand at Essen, who was showing us his restored car (With sunroof!).
They were also showing slides of his restoration on a screen.
I asked him if we could have a copy CD of his pictures. He said there were better pictures on a site on the web and gave us the web address of your restoration pictures!!

Small world....

naj

68 280SL

[Peter van Es]

quote:Originally posted by naj

...his restored car (With sunroof)

And here's the picture...




and



Peter

1970 280SL. Also known as 'admin@sl113.org' and organiser of the Technical Manual.

[Naj ✝︎]

quote:Originally posted by vanesp

quote:Originally posted by naj

...his restored car (With sunroof)

And here's the picture...



Peter

1970 280SL. Also known as 'admin@sl113.org' and organiser of the Technical Manual.

Note the water drain on the C pillar of the hard top [:p]

(Close up to follow)



naj

[glennard]

Bob, Had a few apart.  All looked like the threads were worn-designed that way?  Those A arms(upper and lower) are continually rotating on the threads on up and down road bumps-eh?  It is more fun putting together on the car-rubber washers et al.  What about the '30' stamp on the upper arm?  Or is it 30 something?   P.S.  The lower arm is Euro 1200!!!

[Longtooth]

Bob,where (what web-site?) did you find the parts explosion view?  I recall there's a site that shows the explosions of all the asm's and sub-asm's but I can't recall what site it was (and I changed computers in the meantime so forgot to transfer my links).... dumb.

Longtooth
67 250SL US #113-043-10-002163
'02 SL500 Sport

[bpossel]

Hi Glennard,

On each inner a-arm (top and bottom), one side is marked with a "31".  You need to match the sides with the "31" to each of the end caps that have a groove in them.  Basically, each side, and end cap, has a different diameter.

--------------------------------------

quote:Originally posted by glennard

Bob, Had a few apart.  All looked like the threads were worn-designed that way?  Those A arms(upper and lower) are continually rotating on the threads on up and down road bumps-eh?  It is more fun putting together on the car-rubber washers et al.  What about the '30' stamp on the upper arm?  Or is it 30 something?   P.S.  The lower arm is Euro 1200!!!

bpossel  (Memphis, TN.)
'71 280SL  /  '97 E320

[bpossel]

Hi Longtooth.
SLS site.
B.

quote:Originally posted by Longtooth

Bob,where (what web-site?) did you find the parts explosion view?  I recall there's a site that shows the explosions of all the asm's and sub-asm's but I can't recall what site it was (and I changed computers in the meantime so forgot to transfer my links).... dumb.

Longtooth
67 250SL US #113-043-10-002163
'02 SL500 Sport

bpossel  (Memphis, TN.)
'71 280SL  /  '97 E320

[glennard]

Yah!  The olde 31/groove combo----- Wonder how many are put together right(rite, wright, write)

[hands_aus]

Hey Bob
Are these bushes like the upper outer bushes that do not get grease from the nipples?
If so what are you using to lubricate them?

Bob Smith (Brisbane,Australia)
RHD,1967 early 250 SL, auto

[bpossel]

Bob, are you referring to #32 bushes (end caps)?  These do get grease from the nipples in the pin on each side.  If you look at the pic I posted for my reply to Glennard, it shows a hole on the end of the pin.  This is where the grease that you squirt into the nipples is pushed out to the inside of the end cap and also around the pin.
Bob

quote:Originally posted by hands_aus

Hey Bob
Are these bushes like the upper outer bushes that do not get grease from the nipples?
If so what are you using to lubricate them?

Bob Smith (Brisbane,Australia)
RHD,1967 early 250 SL, auto

bpossel  (Memphis, TN.)
'71 280SL  /  '97 E320

[hands_aus]

quote:Originally posted by bpossel

Bob, are you referring to #32 bushes (end caps)?  These do get grease from the nipples in the pin on each side.  If you look at the pic I posted for my reply to Glennard, it shows a hole on the end of the pin.  This is where the grease that you squirt into the nipples is pushed out to the inside of the end cap and also around the pin.
Bob

quote:Originally posted by hands_aus

Hey Bob
Are these bushes like the upper outer bushes that do not get grease from the nipples?
If so what are you using to lubricate them?

Bob Smith (Brisbane,Australia)
RHD,1967 early 250 SL, auto

bpossel  (Memphis, TN.)
'71 280SL  /  '97 E320

Hey Bob,
I can now see the nipples shown.
Thanks

Bob Smith (Brisbane,Australia)
RHD,1967 early 250 SL, auto