[W126 Coupe] Repair estimates

[Mike Ramay]

Anders,
Where are you located? Everything you've listed is reasonably easy, much
more so if someone can show it to you.

Lower ball joints will need to be done by a shop with a hydraulic press and
it's a fair amount of work to get them out. Front shocks are easy, as are
the PS return lines. You'll need a rather good (snap-on or equivalent) 17mm
flare wrench to get the lines loose. Where is the leak on the steering box -
from the seal around the shaft out the bottom?

Motor mounts aren't too hard either, with a floor jack and the right allen
wrenches.

A write-up on all this work would take a lot of words, but about ten minutes
to show you. I don't know if anyone on the site has written the descriptions
of this.

Later,
Mike Ramay
cell: (702) 494-8056


-----Original Message-----
From: mbcoupes-admin@mbcoupes.com [mailto:mbcoupes-admin@mbcoupes.com]On
Behalf Of Anders B
Sent: Sunday, January 09, 2005 9:24 AM
To: mbcoupes@mbcoupes.com
Subject: [W126 Coupe] Repair estimates


    My 91 560 SEC (106K miles) has developed vibrations in the front
beginning at 65-70
MPH. I am not an MB mechanic, my mechanical experience is so far limited to
my 1967 and
1970 Chevy's, they fit my own age.. I asked an MB dealer-shop to check wheel
balance and
other reasons for the vibrations, plus whatever else they would recommend
while checking,
and their estimates are below. After that, I checked WEB-pages from ADSIT
and Active Auto
Parts what the parts would cost, and I am more than surprised, and ask
myself if the work
to do it is so complicated, are the dealer estimates really reasonable for
each item?
What's your take?

(1) Front lower ball joints(2) $700 (part is $30 each)
(2) Front shocks $470 (Bilstein is $54 each)
(3) Resealing steering box $1025 (rebuilt is $625)
(4) Power steering return lines $200 ($22)
(5) Motor Mounts (collapsed) $380 (Web says $35 each)

I plan a second opinion from a non-dealer MB shop, and I look forward to you
comments and
advices,
Thank you,
Anders









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