Mercedes Vito W639 Control Arm / Bottom Ball Joint ( Sprinter, Viano, Vito, Vito taxi)

Full how to replace a Mercedes Vito W639 Control Arm / Bottom Ball Joint. Clunking and banging investigated and diagnosed as a worn bottom ball joint. Full video of how to remove the control arm and replace it.
This is the control arm I purchased:
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164375654537

[@FoxADV]

Thanks again. Looks like I'm following in your footsteps! (last 'thanks' was from one of my other accounts)

[@shaunaddy6543]

Mine is a 2014 Vito with 105k, the clamp bolt was an absolute a-hole to get of, needed a 2ft beaker bar and had to drift bolt out and then wedge the clamp open with a specially ground wedge to get lower joint off. Thankfully I attempted this at work as we have machine shop. Appreciate the video but it was a bit more than nuts and bolts. Also had to go and buy 21mm open ended and ring spanner’s which are not on many tool kits and also make sure you have double hex 18mm socket. Several hours in so far and only just got to fitting first arm.

[@ar04azr]

You can get control arms from Meyle which have ball joints bolted on n easily changed. They're more expensive but worth in long run and overall much better quality

[@edwardmsp]

Why did you take the whole hub off? I've not done this on a W639 yet, but normally you just wedge a flat screwdriver horisontally into the clamp for the all joint, and give it a few light taps so it comes out.

[@fixitfallows]

Hello, as ever when editing these things some footage sometimes gets left out for a variety of reasons.
I had tried to loosen the joint as you have suggested but in this instance I couldn't manage to get it to budge, hence I ended up removing the hub so as to be able to use the extra force as depicted in the video.
I agree with you and previous comments that ideally the hub can be left in position and that way the camber and track angles are preserved.
In retrospect I should have made some reference to all of this, but in any case, at least hopefully the worst case scenario has been covered and if you can manage to get it done in a more simple way then that's a bonus.
Thanks for your comments I'm always happy to receive guidance and pointers. As you can see from the fairly broad array of things I tinker with I'm no expert in anything particular..... I just enjoy having a go at stuff and learning on the way.
Good luck

[@mydc2200]

Is viano air suspension comfortable for rear passenger?

[@fixitfallows]

I'm sorry, my Vito does not have air suspension, so I would not know.

[@cransaftvalve734]

What year is your van?.

[@fixitfallows]

2014..... It's a 113, but by then I think Merc had moved onto the 114 for most variants of the w639. As mine is configured as a London Taxi I think the coachbuilder which did the conversions to the taxi were using the previous generation model at a much later point.

[@cransaftvalve734]

@@fixitfallows OK, thanks.

[@user-zq9qt2kx3n]

Do you know the tightening torque?

[@fixitfallows]

I'm sorry to say that I do not. For each of the nuts, which were all removed and finally tightened manually by spanner and or breaker bar, I tightened them back up based upon feel and recollection of the force required to undo them. Suffice to say they were all very tight, as you would imagine in these high stress locations
Whilst you will have seen me using a torque gun during the filming, this model is of insufficient power to have loosened these nuts initially, it is not of professional spec.

[@user-zq9qt2kx3n]

@@fixitfallows thank you. exchange is complete.

[@paulroman7587]

wheel bolts for van 140nm, wishbone all three bolts 95nm, drop links 45nm, track rod ends 65nm

[@user-zq9qt2kx3n]

@@paulroman7587 thank you so much!!

[@shanefaulkner7848]

You don't need to take off the Hub assembly or track control arm so you won't upset the camber setting