I had all new links, new diff and axles and a new subframe, so I replaced the lower carrier bearings then assembled the whole shooting match on a table, then lowered it onto a dolly and slid it under the car with the car on blocks. Then I put a jack under the diff and lifted the whole thing into place. Lined up the front bolts each side first, then the rear bolts, one bolt at a time. It takes a bit of fiddling to get the whole mess balanced over the jack point; I used a 2x6 under the diff andtried several slight movements of the jack on the 2x6 until it balanced. The new swaybar, upper sway link bolts and upper sls strut bolts were installed before the subframe went in, then attached.
The link tightening is far easier to do on the bench than on the car and it is easy to position the carriers properly before tightening, to avoid too much bushing torque at final ride height. Same with the axle bolts, outer axle nuts, and diff mount bolts front and back. You can also eyeball the toe links and adjust the eccentric bolts to similar positions to get it in the ballpark for the drive to the alignment shop. I left the inner main control arm bushings loose, then after bolting the subframe in put the springs and new pads in and gingerly with appropriate trepidation and arms length gently jacked the arm up until the main spherical bearing bolt hole lined up with the carrier bearing, adding some blocks under it as I went. Once that bolt is in you can relax a bit and fit the lower sls shock and swaybar bolts by adjusting the height of the jack and wiggling the swaybar links, and tighten the inner main control arm bolt. The first side took 30 minutes. The second side took 5 minutes. Remount the brake calipers. Put the wheels on. Mount the new flex discs and driveshaft/center bearing. Hook up the new parking brake cables and adjust the length. Hook up the ABS sensor wire and any of that traction control stuff if the car has it. Exhaust will need to go back on eventually, and splash shields, but not needed for shakedown. Everything else is already torqued, so test the brakes and take a ride. Dont forget to add hydraulic fluid and or brake fluid if any was drained out, and check for leaks. Check the diff fluid level or change it out while the subframe is out of the car. On Tue, Jan 7, 2020, 8:31 PM Brian Toscano via Mercedes < mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote: > Yes that's more correct Max... it has been a while since I have done this > and I mis-spoke. Jacking up under each side so there's even pressure gives > you more room to work when you're laying on your back. I want to say I had > a more clever approach to it at the time that was even easier but I can't > seem to recall what it was. I think I was able to tighten everything just > laying on my back under the car. It's far easier to assemble the 5 link > with no load on it outside the vehicle and then tighten for road worthiness > later. > > > > On Tue, Jan 7, 2020 at 9:16 PM Max Dillon via Mercedes < > mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote: > > > > > Jacked up the spring link until even with the other side (ready to drive) > > and then tightened up the links. > > > > Max Dillon > > Charleston SC > > > > Jan 7, 2020 11:13:48 PM Max Dillon <dillonm...@gmail.com>: > > > > > > > > I was able to tighten all the links with the subframe mounted in the > > car. I think I removed a tire, jacked up the spring > > > > > > Max Dillon > > > Charleston SC > > > > > > Jan 7, 2020 10:59:17 PM Brian Toscano via Mercedes < > > mercedes@okiebenz.com>: > > > > > > > > > > When I worked on 124/201 I would assemble the subframe next to the > > vehicle > > > > and then put it on a transmission jack and roll it into place and > > secure it > > > > to the unibody, connect driveshaft, and brake lines, etc. The 5-link > > > > suspension can be tightened once it's installed under the vehicle by > > > > jacking up under the differential. Just don't drive it far without > > getting > > > > an alignment. The key point with any suspension work is to tighten > > > > bushings with the weight of the vehicle on the bushings (NOT with the > > tires > > > > hanging in the air). Using this method my ride height was within 1 mm > > of > > > > factory spec according to the dealer's alignment printout. :) > > > > > > > > > > > > On Tue, Jan 7, 2020 at 8:27 PM Curley McLain via Mercedes < > > > > mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > What is the best way to install the rear subframe? Who has BTDT? > > > > > > > > > > i'm thinking to install the links and wheel carriers to the > subframe > > > > > first. a straightedge across the top should line up with the > centers > > > > > of the outer end of the top link. so that solves the problem of > > trying > > > > > to tighten links you can't get to with the subframe installed, with > > the > > > > > weight of the car on the subframe. (book method) > > > > > > > > > > I can tighten all the links, then install the subframe with > springs. > > > > > The weight is in the wheel carriers. > > > > > > > > > > then install the axles and diff. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > as an alternative: > > > > > I could try assembling diff, axles and subframe, then raising it > up, > > > > > with a series of blocks, left, right, front and rear. It would be > > > > > harder to get everything in place and hard to list by hand to push > > into > > > > > the final place for bolts. > > > > > > > > > > I am not ready yet. Have to patch holes in the body, weld up the > > > > > subframe mounts, replace brake lines, fuel hoses, etc before > > > > > installing. Then assemble the links and wheel carriers to the > > subframe. > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________ > > > > > http://www.okiebenz.com > > > > > > > > > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > > > > > > > > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > > > > > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________ > > > > http://www.okiebenz.com > > > > > > > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > > > > > > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > > > > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________ > > http://www.okiebenz.com > > > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > > > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
