2011 E350 Estate S212 - Front suspension too high

[Candellara]

After several years of the car needing nothing, the front suspension control arms (two each side) needed doing as the bushes were heavily perished and also the notorious oil cooler oil seals had started leaking.

So, car booked in at well respected independent and upon collecting the car I noticed that the car was sitting very high at the front. I put this down to the fact that it'd probably just come off the ramp so guessed it might settle after a few miles but after 50 miles, no it sits like an off roader at the front :-(

Any idea's? I haven't called the garage yet but will do on Monday. A guess maybe that the car was repaired on a 2 post lift and that the control arms were torqued up in this position with the suspension fully extended. In my relatively limited experience, i'd guess that the arms shouldn't be fully tightened up until the car was sat under it's own weight and then the appropriate bolts torqued up? This potentially would make the car sit high? Road to wheel arch lip measurement is now 69.5cm - seems very high?

Can anyone input?

Edited by Candellara on Sunday 1st March 16:28

[Candellara]

Well, thought i'd have a look at it myself today and it's exactly as I suggested in my first post

Backed off the securing bolts for both control arms a small amount, drove round the block, heard a small clunk as the bushes unloaded / untwisted and voila, front suspension settled to where it should be - about a inch lower than when it came back from the Mercedes specialists (now 68cm to be precise)

Poor workmanship on their part. I now need to go and get the car re-tracked (more expense and hassle). Pretty pissed off as I was not expecting to have to re-do a job that I've paid to have done.

[Sheepshanks]

Is it a Mercedes specialist? Bit odd they’d get it wrong as Mercs eat front arms so they’ll be very experienced at changing them.

Shouldn’t need alignment as everything is fixed position unless you’ve had adjustable camber bolts fitted.

[Candellara]

Sheepshanks said:

Is it a Mercedes specialist? Bit odd they’d get it wrong as Mercs eat front arms so they’ll be very experienced at changing them.

Shouldn’t need alignment as everything is fixed position unless you’ve had adjustable camber bolts fitted.

You'd think so. I've gone back to the specialist today and they say they tighten everything when the car is on the deck but will take a few days for the springs to settle as it's been on a ramp for two days.

Don't buy it personally. If the car's been on a 2 post lift for a couple of days, 20 miles will see the car back to it's normal ride height. I don't doubt they've changed hundreds of suspension arms in their time but it's impossible to account for the fact that the suspension dropped nearly an inch after the bolts were backed off with a short drive round the block and a "clunk" as the bushes unwound. Anyway, car is at it's correct ride height now, so took it for a wheel alignment check locally - tracking out. Doh!

I

[Sheepshanks]

Candellara said:

You'd think so. I've gone back to the specialist today and they say they tighten everything when the car is on the deck but will take a few days for the springs to settle as it's been on a ramp for two days.

Don't buy it personally. If the car's been on a 2 post lift for a couple of days, 20 miles will see the car back to it's normal ride height.

I'd expect it go back instantly once the car is moved - I've seen the MB 'instructions' and the last step is to recheck the ride height.

I suppose if you did just drop the car and then tighten them, then the suspension isn't going to be in the right place. I've heard of garages either supporting the hub while the bolts are tightened or else leaving them loose and moving the car onto a ramp to tighten them.