G-Benz,
If you do end up opening up the "gear head" as the manual calls it, please let us know how it goes. If it's helpful, I may want to try that too. I have heard that after a few years the grease hardens and can lead to premature failure, though on the CD manual it's not clear to me that the gear head is meant to be opened . . .

__________________
Steve
'93 400E