Originally Posted by disqo

I just did this job two weeks ago on my '85 300TD and I needed a few extra steps. The manual advises disconnecting the parking brake cable and supporting the transmission from below in order to remove the transmission support. I took both of these steps. The parking brake cable can probably be worked around, but I did find it necessary to remove the transmission support to get better access to the bolts on the front flex disc. Also on my '85 there is no snap ring on the drive shaft. On the later year models there is another ring in it's place that is held on by friction and it requires the use of the bearing puller to remove the carrier bearing and the ring at the same time. I also had the car in neutral most of the time so that I could rotate the driveshaft by hand from underneath in order to access all of the flex disc bolts. Just be sure to use sturdy jackstands under the car. Overall it was not a difficult job, but it did take me a while and I had to spend quite a bit of time rolling around on my back under the car.