Mercedes-Benz A-Class Front Suspension Strut: Specs, Fitment & Common Faults
A genuinely important finding: a modified top bearing for the front struts genuinely exists and has been fitted by Mercedes to cure this exact knock, also stiffening up the suspension and improving handling — plus an honest account of a dealer struggling where an independent specialist succeeded.
Illustration for editorial purposes
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OEM Part Number: confirm via VIN — front struts (aftermarket) Bilstein 22-220103 / KYB 3348061
| Front strut / shock absorber (aftermarket) | Sachs 315 267 (LH) and 315 268 (RH) (twin-tube gas, SFE36X167A); Sachs 315 859 (LH, SFE36/22X150A) with partner 315 860; KYB 3348061 (Excel-G, LH); KYB 3348060 (RH); Bilstein 22-220103 (LH) and 22-220127 (RH) (B4 twin-tube gas); Meyle 026 623 0021 (LH) and 0022 (RH) (fits sports and standard suspension) |
|---|---|
| Front lower arm / wishbone (aftermarket) | LH febi bilstein 175452; RH febi bilstein 175397 (aluminium, with ball joint); LH Meyle 016 050 0072; RH Meyle 016 050 0073 (with ball joint); LH TRW JTC2783; RH TRW JTC2784; RH Mapco 54842 (with ball joint) |
| Top mount / strut bearing (aftermarket) | Lemförder 36747 01 (mount without bearing, 2 per axle); Lemförder 33503 01 (bearing, 2 per axle); Sachs 802 671 (mount) and 801 040 (bearing); febi bilstein 47323 (elastomer mount); febi bilstein 29475 (plastic bearing); Meyle 014 641 0003 (bearing, 82 mm inner) |
| Genuine (OE) numbers quoted | Mercedes A 246 323 00 20 (top mount, Lemförder 36747 01, Sachs 802 671, febi 47323); A 204 981 00 25 (bearing, Lemförder 33503 01, Sachs 801 040); 204 320 00 73 and 204 981 00 25 (AMG Sports Package repair kit, Original Imperium 32124) |
| Fitment notes | Mostly standard; Meyle states fit for both sports and standard suspension, and Original Imperium 32124 is for AMG Sports Package cars. |
Mercedes-Benz A-Class Front Suspension Strut: The System That Quietly Does All the Work
On the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, these components absorb every pothole, bump and cornering force before any of it reaches the cabin, which is why deterioration here rarely announces itself with one obvious symptom. Working through it methodically finds the actual cause faster than guessing ever will.
Mercedes-Benz A-Class Front Suspension Strut: What It Does
The Mercedes-Benz A-Class's front strut does two jobs in one unit — damping the suspension's movement and providing the coil spring's mounting point. Wear here shows up as excessive bounce after bumps rather than a quick settle, and left long enough, uneven tyre wear tends to follow.
Mercedes-Benz A-Class Front Suspension Strut: Watch: Replacing It
No W176 strut video found; CLA shares the MFA platform
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A Genuinely Important Finding Worth Knowing — Mercedes-Benz A-Class Front Suspension
If a knocking or creaking noise has developed from the front suspension, particularly noticeable when coming off the accelerator or over a slight dip in the road, this is genuinely worth knowing: a modified top bearing for the front struts genuinely exists and has been fitted by Mercedes to address exactly this fault. In at least one documented case, this didn't just cure the knock, it also stiffened up the suspension and noticeably improved the car's overall handling — worth asking a dealer specifically whether this revised bearing has been fitted to your car, or whether it's available to address a persistent knock.
It's also genuinely worth knowing a useful diagnostic technique: with the road wheel removed, checking whether the gaiter and attached bump stop are loose rather than securely fitted at the top of the shock absorber's piston is a simple test worth trying.
Mercedes-Benz A-Class Front Suspension Strut: Warning Signs, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice
These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Front Suspension Strut Guide for symptoms of worn bushings and ball joints, confirming fitment against your VIN, and rubber vs polyurethane guidance.
More Mercedes-Benz Front Suspension Strut
The same part, covered across other Mercedes-Benz models.