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Hello everyone,
I have a 1972 280SEL. It has had AccuAir for about 2 years, and sits about 1.5" lower than factory ride height when driving (position 2). It has recently started making a rather alarming noise from the rear end on hard acceleration, and occasionally when shifting into Drive.
When I hit the gas hard, I hear one loud "Clunk" from the rear end, as if the differential is hitting the underbody of the car. Same clunk is heard when shifting into drive. It seems to me like it's happening when a sudden amount of torque is delivered to the rear end.
The MB swing axle is not super ideal for quick changes in ride height...the Driver axle tube is connected rigidly to the center dif, The right axle tube pivots at the bottom of the dif.
When you deflate the bags to lower the car, the rear axle tries to raise up into the body, but this can't happen with these cars. The center dif is attached to the body of the car by "the thing" I point out in the video that is rising into my trunk.....no, it is not supose to do this. When you lower the car, you are transfering the stress normally carried by your springs to this center dif carrier.
The rear end is positioned front to rear by the trailing arms under the axle. It is kept from rotating (torquing) by this "no longer functional" bushing. It is positioned right/left by a pan hard rod from the dif to the right frame.
Two things are happening when I lower the car because of this shot bushing....the dif is being pushed into the body and it is being pushed to the driver side (by the panhard rod). When you apply torque to the rear end (accelerate or put into drive) you are likely slamming the dif support that goes into this bushing into the surrounding framing since there is no longer anything to take the torque.
I'm curious how other Bagged W108-ers have compensated for this, as it is something we have all either encountered or will encounter. I can't find the name or part number for that particular bushing, and I suspect that even if replaced, it would wear out very quickly when the car is dropped low.
Here's why it's important to keep on top of this bushing and replace it when it fails...old vs new!
I have a 1972 280SEL. It has had AccuAir for about 2 years, and sits about 1.5" lower than factory ride height when driving (position 2). It has recently started making a rather alarming noise from the rear end on hard acceleration, and occasionally when shifting into Drive.
When I hit the gas hard, I hear one loud "Clunk" from the rear end, as if the differential is hitting the underbody of the car. Same clunk is heard when shifting into drive. It seems to me like it's happening when a sudden amount of torque is delivered to the rear end.
The MB swing axle is not super ideal for quick changes in ride height...the Driver axle tube is connected rigidly to the center dif, The right axle tube pivots at the bottom of the dif.
When you deflate the bags to lower the car, the rear axle tries to raise up into the body, but this can't happen with these cars. The center dif is attached to the body of the car by "the thing" I point out in the video that is rising into my trunk.....no, it is not supose to do this. When you lower the car, you are transfering the stress normally carried by your springs to this center dif carrier.
The rear end is positioned front to rear by the trailing arms under the axle. It is kept from rotating (torquing) by this "no longer functional" bushing. It is positioned right/left by a pan hard rod from the dif to the right frame.
Two things are happening when I lower the car because of this shot bushing....the dif is being pushed into the body and it is being pushed to the driver side (by the panhard rod). When you apply torque to the rear end (accelerate or put into drive) you are likely slamming the dif support that goes into this bushing into the surrounding framing since there is no longer anything to take the torque.
I'm curious how other Bagged W108-ers have compensated for this, as it is something we have all either encountered or will encounter. I can't find the name or part number for that particular bushing, and I suspect that even if replaced, it would wear out very quickly when the car is dropped low.
Here's why it's important to keep on top of this bushing and replace it when it fails...old vs new!
