I think we're talking about two different things.
Mine doesn't look anything like what you guys are describing. Which probably means I've inadvertently posted this in the wrong section (but my driveshaft sure sounded like what was being described by the original poster).
My specific driveshaft is from an '85 380SL, but the description and the part I found indicated they were the same as in the 300D... not surprising since so many MB parts interchange
So I pulled out the "seal" this morning. It kind of crinkled when I pulled it out and the consistency of the "seal" is more like Bakelite than rubber. The black residue behind the seal is kind of like a crusty glue. The white "insert" feels like plastic and behind it is just void. The dark outer portion seems welded to the yoke and it seems like there's nothing to drill and pry off like described above.
There was nothing "leaking" behind the seal into the void, so this leads me to believe that this is not a seal
per se, but rather as the original poster reasoned, some kind of a "dust seal".
So my questions now are
- what is this thing?
- do I need it?
- where can I get it?
- should I re-post somewhere else?
