Mercedes fails MoT !! Shock Horror.

[billyboy406v6]

As title car has failed MoT on rear subframe mounts being rotten. Do I buy a welder, learn to weld and save the love of my life. Or scrap the pile of crap and get a new love interest. All replies will be answered promptly and discreetly, except the silly ones ?

[Kiltox]

Find a cash in hand welder type to do it for you?

[5speedracer]

Oh, I think you know !

 

Sent from my X17 using Tapatalk

[SiC]

Sign up for a welding course at the local college? Then after learning how to do iy properly, it should be a bit easier to know what kit to go for.

[Jifflemon]

How badly? Got pics?

[legasoil96]

I'm in exactly the same place at the moment my MK1 Master Van has 7 bits to weld up. All the garages just look at it say yeh it's totally fucking fucked mate could be a grand maybe more. buy a new one. Can't do it best vehicle i've ever had . 

Weld it up if you get a dry day in the next six months.

[billyboy406v6]

The welder at the mot garage said its a lot of grief because the subframe needs to be dropped and could be lots of sized bolts etc, which I agree is worst case scenario. Bit of research shows it a common fault on these, so MB supply repair bits. Subframe can be lowered but no need to disconnect pipes etc, just prop shaft( perhaps hang it on threaded bar and nuts for max clearance) ??. My main problem is no garage just on street parking for weldage marathon ! Lol.

[EssDeeWon]

If its a PITA for him then it'll be a right pain for the novice welder by the side of the road.

 

I would get some quotes then make a decision on how much you love the car.

[billyboy406v6]

Seen one of these local Grand cherokee laredo td £ 320.00

[richardthestag]

flog merc spare repairs etc on the bay, use proceeds to run pug coupe

[Dave_Q]

Buy a P38, they're made of (mostly) aluminium.

 

Problem solved.

[richardmorris]

My local merc specialist says it's not too bad or difficult but a bit time consuming.

[billyboy406v6]

flog merc spare repairs etc on the bay, use proceeds to run pug coupe

Good idea, but need car with larger boot to carry tools to work as and when I move sites.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

get some pics up of the rot!

[Tickman]

Everything is doable, the main issue is learning to weld lying in the street during winter will not be fun.

If you are up for a challenge and pick stuff up quite well then there is no reason why not.

 

The obvious answer is to buy something else and fix this at a more leisurely pace which in my hands would be never!

[oldcars]

Autoshite = fix 

[Supernaut]

Autoshite = remove OEM subframe and replace with an entire drivetrain from an XUD Peugeot / Citroen then run it on veg 

 

FTFY

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

If the rest of the car is tidy and the repair is £500, it's money well spent. W124 wagons are going up in value.

[Bear]

Flog E220 to me. Obvs.

 

Actually, get it fixed, but check the rest of the bodywork at the back behind the bumper etc. - once the subframe mounts are going, an S124 is going to be rotting in a lot of places unless you're very lucky.

[billyboy406v6]

Jeep is no go as its full of rot. Currently seeking a shed and looking at welders on evilbay. Really want to try and keep the old girl going.

[billyboy406v6]

Pics !!!Rot is on the rear subframe mount, front passenger side. Anti roll bar clamp is buggered as well !

[billyboy406v6]

Another pic, showing antiroll bar rustiness.

[cort16]

That subframe rot looks pretty bad. I'm not sure I'd tackle that unless I could chop the corresponding bit out of another car. I can see why they wanted 500 quid now!

 

If the strength or position of the repair isn't bob on then the subframe might not sit right. The subframe will need to come out the car to repair it properly unless it's a lash up, which probably won't be safe.

 

The ARB bracket I'm guess you can buy, if not it should be easy enough to make one up.

[Snipes]

If it's the subframe that's rotten, rather than the car itself, I'd be inclined to get another subframe from a breaker, fix it up, then swap them over. In fact that's what I did with my s12 Silvia. You could store the car as it is and repair the replacement 'frame in your own time. If it's a keeper I would look to introduce some form of camber adjustment too. Maybe an adjustable upper arm or something. I was working at a garage at the time so did it all myself but swapping a complete frame must surely be easier than trying to repair a rotten one in-situ.

[cort16]

The subframe looks okay there I think it's the bit it attaches to on the body that's the issue. My 5 series rotted out all it's rear subframe mounts. I only found this after spending a fortune getting the chassis rails welded and was having new rear subframe bushes fitted when I had that ominous call from the garage when they say "you'd better come and look at this". 

The was harder to fix than this though. I ended up up selling it as is and taking a crushing loss. 

[billyboy406v6]

As cort16 said, subframe is scabby but not rotten. Its the mount that's welded to the chassis that is gone. Just had the carpets out and the inside of the sill/chassis looks brand new with a lovely skin of waxoyl type stuff sprayed in there. Shoved a screwdriver in the general area and all appears sound from inside. Repair part is £66.00+vat from MB. Other side has underseal peeling but seems solid could be fairly straightforward. !

[brickwall]

Subframes aint a bother for me, it's the mounts on the monocoque bit that's the prob. If you do all the prep, then the weld might not be too expensive.

 

I'd need more pic, though.

[cort16]

You know what it's like with rot though, how deep does it go?

[billyboy406v6]

 

 

Hi folks, I have the mount and the bolt that fixes the subframe to it from Mercedes, but as you can see there is no captive nut to achieve this, parts guy was not able to advise. Any suggestions ( no raffle numbers please !) Thanks, Bill.

[richardmorris]

Is it totally encased or can you get to the back? If you can, is it possible to weld a nut to the plate?