Spring perch failure

[Allgonquin]

Not on my 036. On my '95 E300D, unfortunately. Today on my way to work, left front. Just venting a bit. All things considered, it could have been much worse, had some warning and it happened going about 35, was able to limp to a parking lot. Car is already at a body shop with experience doing the repair. Hopefully work done within 3 days, including a day and a half to get the repair perch piece from MB.

Ah well, be careful out there, those of you whose cars have been in the salt ! Next time you have it on a lift, do a little banging with a hammer around the perch. The corrosion goes on under the undercoating and you may not see a thing.

Rgds,

 

[gsxr]

Yikes! Glad you were OK. Can you post any pics of the carnage?

 

[alabbasi]

I had no idea that W124's have spring perch problems. Mine failed in 2004 on the W210. MB fixed it FOC

 

[gsxr]

I had no idea that W124's have spring perch problems. Mine failed in 2004 on the W210. MB fixed it FOC

The W124 spring perch failure is very rare and only occurs with significant rust/corrosion problems.

The W210 spring perch failure was much more common.

 

[Allgonquin]

Missed my opportunity to take pictures, should have grabbed some with my cell phone but just forgot to. The pressure of the spring forced the perch cup up and forward, it sort of pivoted around some still-good metal where it was still attached at the forward end and wound up with what was the inner surface which should have been horizontal facing downwards, tilted at almost 90 degrees facing aft. Flexible brake line was ripped, but not all the way through. ABS and pad sensor lines appear intact, lucky there. I will swing by the shop later tonight and see if they have done anything. Last night it was on jackstands outside the shop, I think they like to do the cutting and welding outside... but they may have moved it inside, in which case I won't be able to see it with the shop closed.

Edit, stopped by and they had not started yet. That brake disk is only a week old...

124 perch failure is rare, as Dave says, but you can still see quite a few reports of it on peachparts and here and there on other forums and the web. Interestingly, the shop says my right front perch is solid, just fine.

Rgds,

 

[samiam44]

right side is fine b/c you are spending most of your time in the fast lane=0) Slow lane drivers would experience more RHS failures.

 

[195910]

Damn, But how will they fix this? weld new one in ?

 

[Christian_K]

Damn, But how will they fix this? weld new one in ?

Yupp... quite common on W124, W202, W210s in germany.
There is a repair "Blech" available at MB, first your cut the entire area out and then your rivet (no joke) the new one in with a few hundred rivet-points. No welding needed, even if that would be probably even better/cleaner.

 

[195910]

Yupp... quite common on W124, W202, W210s in germany.
There is a repair "Blech" available at MB, first your cut the entire area out and then your rivet (no joke) the new one in with a few hundred rivet-points. No welding needed, even if that would be probably even better/cleaner.

Rivet ?! Really ? Would that be strong enough

I would have though Spot welding is required to do it right.

 

[Allgonquin]

There are two patch panels available from MB. One is the perch itself, which parts.com has for about $90, and another which has the perch plus "wings" which can be riveted in place, which sells for about $250. Fastlane will sell you the rivets, there are 11 per side.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-parts-reference-library/182374-w124-spring-perch-%3D-front-spring-bracing.html

As I looked at this I thought hmmm, maybe.... Then I looked up the price of that rivet gun (the peachparts link is dead, but you can still find the gun) which lists for about $1100. "Maybe" turned into "Not so much", as they say. If I had a body shop in Germany and was doing lots of these cars, sure, but not a one-off! They will weld in my patch panel.

Rgds,

 

[samiam44]

I just noticed this thread..

Yes if you use the proper pull rivets which are mechanical locking- it will be strong. Higher strength than a spot rivet, but adequate quantity of either will work. You don't want to use cheap bulb stem pop-rivets- aluminum ones will give galvanic corrosion and fall apart.
THe mechanically locking ones can be used with a cheap tool- but it's difficult. Another option would be bucking solid rivets- some alloy which will not cause a galvanic issue. You can wet install with some MIL 8802 pro-seal either rivet. You can fay surface seal the parts also so no moister will get between them.


Michael