300E Tie Rod Question

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Chuckyg - 01 Dec 2006 16:32 GMT

Hi Everyone... Ihave posted here many times in the past and found the site
to be great help. I have a 1989 300E. The car had a few bugs that I have
been able to get fixed over the past several months. Yesterday I had to
get new tires. I got Falken 205ZXs...I thought 300 bucks was pretty good
for new tires. The guy said I should have the tie rods replaced soon.
They have never been replaced before. He said to allign the car right,
the rods should be replaced. He said it would be 260 dollars for the rods
and labor and allignment. It seems like a fair price to me, doe sit to
anyone else?

-Regards, Charlie, Monmouth County NJ, Mercedes 300E 140K

Reply to this Message

T.G. Lambach - 01 Dec 2006 23:50 GMT

Aligning a car with worn parts is a waste of money, IMHO so the shop is
correct IF the tie rod ends are, in fact, worn and loose. Are they?

Does the car need to have its front wheels aligned?

How did the tread look on the old tires?

Does the car pull?

Does it track well or wander?

Reply to this Message

Chuckyg - 03 Dec 2006 02:32 GMT

TG:

Tires were worn and cracked in front... The car does not wander at all...I
took a look at the tie rods in the garage and he said they are worn...To
me, they did look tired...What a difference the new tires make
though...Car rides a lot smoother...-Chuck

Reply to this Message

T.G. Lambach - 03 Dec 2006 23:27 GMT

I bet it steers a lot better too! Worn tires seem to catch tracks in the
road surface and pull the car this way and that.

If there's any looseness in the tie rods they're history, otherwise
don't bother.

Reply to this Message