Rear Suspension

General Repair Information

When installing waxed components, contact surfaces must be cleaned. Contact surfaces must be free of wax and grease.

Torque specifications for unlubricated bolts and nuts are given.

Always replace self-locking nuts and bolts.

Always replace the bolts and nuts, which are tightened with an additional tightening angle.

Welding or straightening operations are not permitted on load-bearing or wheel-controlling components.

Always avoid the following actions with coil springs: Hammer stroke, welding beads, applying color identification later.

Do not perform any welding or grinding (separating work) in coil spring or suspension strut area! Cover coil spring or suspension struts if necessary.

When loosening, removing or installing hydraulic, pneumatic or electrical line, always make a sketch or take a picture. Doing so records the original installation locations.

If the cable ties, brackets or mounting elements were removed during the repair procedure, they must be installed at their original location.

Do not let the drive axle hang down. The inner joint could be damaged if it is bent too far.

Vehicles without a drive axle must not be moved, otherwise the wheel bearing will be damaged. If vehicle does have to be moved, always note the following points:

- Install an outer joint in place of the drive axle.

- Tighten the threaded connection between the drive axle and the wheel hub to 200 Nm.

Bonded rubber bushings can only be turned to a limited extent. Only tighten threaded connections at control arms if vehicle is in curb weight position or control position.

• Lifting wheel bearing to curb weight position, refer to => [ Wheel Bearing with Coil Spring, Lifting to Curb Weight Position ] Rear Suspension.

As a running change in MY 2010, aluminum coupling rods were replaced by plastic coupling rods. It is not permitted to mix different tie rods on an axle; allocation refer to the Electronic Parts Catalog (ETKA).

If the vehicle must still have an wheel alignment, every bolt and nut that must be loosened for adjustment must be tightened to the tightening specification. Tighten the bolts and nuts to the specified additional tightening angle after the alignment/adjustment is complete.

If vehicle will be driving on the streets, all bolts and nuts must be tightened properly!

Danger of personal injury caused by the engine starting automatically on vehicles with the Start/Stop System.

• When the Start/Stop System is on (recognizable by a message in the instrument cluster), the engine may start automatically.

• Make sure the Start/Stop System is off whenever working on the vehicle. Turn off the ignition and turn it back on only when necessary.