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Garage => Mechanicals => Topic started by: Mattr on 21 May 2022, 10:02 PM

Title: W116 Cross Yoke (?)
Post by: Mattr on 21 May 2022, 10:02 PM
Hey Folks,

One of the bushings in my upper lower control arm is shot (both sides are pretty beat). I suspect that I'm going to spend the winter pulling the engine, and replacing all the rubber components in the suspension. I also want to replace the springs/struts, so this seems like a good time to do all of that.

This raises a question, though: I noticed that my cross yoke.* has been ground in order to clear the bolt for the idler arm. That seems a little unusual. How much clearance is normally there? I know this car was hit in the front right (passenger side) in the past, but I didn't think it was bad enough to justify things like that.


* The body manual referred to the part as "cross yoke". It's the piece that mounts to the frame, and then connects to both upper control arms. If there's a better name/number to refer to it by, please tell me.
Title: Re: W116 Cross Yoke (?)
Post by: rumb on 22 May 2022, 07:57 AM
The center - idler arm is different on a 6.9.  Not sure the exact differences.

PS, I think I have a spare cross yoke if you need it.
Title: Re: W116 Cross Yoke (?)
Post by: daantjie on 22 May 2022, 10:26 AM
Robert I think you mean the drag link, right?  If so indeed yes the 6.9 has a bespoke drag link slightly longer, I think 515mm pin to pin length.
Title: Re: W116 Cross Yoke (?)
Post by: UTn_boy on 22 May 2022, 03:39 PM
The only things that connect to the upper control arm are the sway bar and spindle.  How are we getting on the subject of drag links and idler arm bushings? 
Title: Re: W116 Cross Yoke (?)
Post by: rumb on 22 May 2022, 05:03 PM
Quote from: daantjie on 22 May 2022, 10:26 AMRobert I think you mean the drag link, right?  If so indeed yes the 6.9 has a bespoke drag link slightly longer, I think 515mm pin to pin length.

yeah, brain was slow this morning...
Title: Re: W116 Cross Yoke (?)
Post by: Mattr on 22 May 2022, 07:20 PM
Quote from: UTn_boy on 22 May 2022, 03:39 PMThe only things that connect to the upper control arm are the sway bar and spindle.  How are we getting on the subject of drag links and idler arm bushings? 

It's definitely not the sway bar. It looks like I confused upper and lower control arm, since the lower connects to the yoke. The bushing in question can be seen in the Mercedes Source video below. The question about the yoke stands, though. :)


https://youtu.be/ifNHnRL7_Wg?t=227

Assuming this link still works, it's item number 62 in this photo that I'm referring to:

https://www.picclickimg.com/d/w1600/pict/203784265355_/A1163330177-Mercedes-W116-Lower-Control-Arm-To-Frame.jpg
Title: Re: W116 Cross Yoke (?)
Post by: daantjie on 22 May 2022, 08:11 PM
Matt  think maybe you mean "63"?  The lower control arm bushing is composite but the yoke itself has a long solid bushing where it connects to the frame.
Title: Re: W116 Cross Yoke (?)
Post by: Mattr on 22 May 2022, 08:52 PM
Quote from: daantjie on 22 May 2022, 08:11 PMMatt  think maybe you mean "63"?  The lower control arm bushing is composite but the yoke itself has a long solid bushing where it connects to the frame.

Nope. I meant part "62," in reference to this question:

This raises a question, though: I noticed that my cross yoke.* has been ground in order to clear the bolt for the idler arm. That seems a little unusual. How much clearance is normally there?
Title: Re: W116 Cross Yoke (?)
Post by: UTn_boy on 24 May 2022, 10:24 AM
There should not be anything ground off of the cross bar to allow for clearance of the idler arm control bushing bolt.  It sounds like the idler arm bushing housing and/or the frame rail has been severely bent in the previous wreck. 
Title: Re: W116 Cross Yoke (?)
Post by: Mattr on 22 January 2023, 09:15 PM
Quote from: UTn_boy on 24 May 2022, 10:24 AMThere should not be anything ground off of the cross bar to allow for clearance of the idler arm control bushing bolt.  It sounds like the idler arm bushing housing and/or the frame rail has been severely bent in the previous wreck. 
One move later, I'm finally getting back to this.

I know the frame rail on the front right is damaged, and is off, but it wasn't overly bad, according to the body shop that looked at it? Enough so that they didn't think it worth my money for them to put it on a frame machine and try to fix.

Still haven't sorted out precisely what part it is that I need. I think that these are the bushings I need, but I'm not certain. Once I've my lift fixed, and can get the car back onto it, I'll take photos to upload.

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/mercedes-suspension-control-arm-repair-kit-280s-280se-300sd-450se-450sel-1163300175a#warranty