Save yourself some time and frustration! Unbolt the bracket securing the wiring loom to the switch, pull the white lever and disconnect the switch's wiring connector get it out of the way. Remove the shifter rod clips and the rod itself. Count the number of threads exposed after the nut and make a note of that number somewhere. Get some of your favorite lube and get the nut and the locknut free, off the rod and the rod's threading cleaned up, reassemble to the original position.

If you have the plier tool used to install the new bushing use that after putting the bushing in boiling water for a minute to heat and soften, a spray of WD40 on it and install it into the tranny's shifter lever opening, it will take some moving it back and forth while twisting to get it fully seated.

Repeat the same process to the shifter's lever.

If you don't have the plier tool, remove the switch (two 8 mm bolts), then you can remove the tranny's shifter lever (one 10 mm bolt), use a long bolt/washer/socket ad hoc puller to squeeze the bushing into place if you can't get it in by some other method. With the shifter lever still off the tranny, get your nice clean easily adjustable shifter rod and attach it to the lever with a good clip. Put the shifter lever back on the tranny; put the switch back in place making certain that the protruding stud is positioned in the hole in the shifter lever. You might have to adjust the switch position basically rotating it a little one way or the other so that is functions correctly as an "in gear cut out switch/neutral safety switch" preventing an in gear start. Re-attach the switch electrical connector and the wiring loom bracket.

The shifter's lever allows more room to get the bushing installed but, if you can't get it done in place get into the center console and unbolt the shifter and get the bushing installed by whatever method works best.

Get the stud on the shifter rod's adjuster nut into the new bushing and check to see that the shifter rod is adjusted to the proper length by looking at where the interior shifter lever is located in relation to the shifter gate. Because you cleaned and lubed the shifter rod adjuster threads you can easily pop the stud out of the new bushing, loosen the locknut, turn the adjuster stud either longer or shorter and recheck the length. Once you verify that the rod is adjusted correctly tighten the lock nut and use a good clip on to secure the stud into the bushing there. Sometimes you will have to use a pair of pliers to squeeze the stud into the bushing and to compress the new bushing enough between the rod and the lever to expose enough of the stud to get the clip into the groove in the stud.

I then spray the threading on the shifter rod with white lithium grease or wipe some grease onto the exposed threads, this prevents it from getting too rusty if I ever need to make a later adjustment and allows me to do so without completely removing the shifter rod. Getting the clip back on the tranny shifter lever end in situ can be a royal pain so this helps avoid that!

Thanks Billybob,

I'm not sure which procedure I'll use. I may order the tool or clean everything up, remove the switch, and do it that way. Thanks for the response - I was stumped. I'll take pics and post them for the next member who wants to make this repair.

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Jim Condax
1999 E320-167K
1985 300SD-160K
1986 Porsche 928S-98K

Check the local non chain auto parts stores in the area, the independent stores get their stuff through a distributor, when you go into the indy store they usually have a large multi-page monthly flyer. The local independent store distributor sells the plier type bushing install tool for about half of what it's listed for on eBay, I got mine for $18!

On a w124 300d the bushing at the lever is it on the 1st leftmost hole or on the second rightmost hole, reason i am asking is there were no bushings in the car and i dont want to have a shifing problem.
I wander why 2 holes?

Billy can you send me the info on how to order the tool? many thanks, i had the very nice plyers from V8 tools but TSA made me throw it away at the airport.

After driving around for some time with no bushings in either the front or the rear of the shifter rod, I decided to tackle the job today. I did not remove the brackets from the shifter or the transmission. I followed Billybob’s advice and heated the bushings in boiling water to soften them and then used the bushing installation tool to insert them in the brackets. I had difficulty using the tool because it was hard to align it properly with the holes in the brackets. Although I didn’t do it, it would have been helpful to lubricate the bushings prior to installing them. Rotating the tool while applying pressure helped to seat the bushings. Access to a lift would significantly reduce the time it takes to do this job, but it can be done with the front wheels on ramps. On a scale of one to ten, this repair rates as a five.

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__________________
Jim Condax
1999 E320-167K
1985 300SD-160K
1986 Porsche 928S-98K

I have done this to three of my benz's now. I didnt use a special tool for any of them. One I did in the drive way jacked up behind the drivers front tire and set on a jack stand.

I didnt use the special tool, but simply a pair of pliers and a prybar. Two of them I did in the winter and used the boiling water softening technique. The other I set on the black top in the driveway when it was 90*F ambient temp. In all cases I used light lube to aide in insertion. In one case (W126), I had to adjust the length of the shift rod to get the shifter back into the correct gate. Doing this also made my reverse lights work again ! So much for the new neutral safety switch I purchased!

This is an easy straight forward procedure that most newbie owners can tackle. Expect to take about 30-60 minutes depending upon skill and preparation.


Oh, and did anyone else notice the link to the tool above mentions "Sefely installs"..... LOL. Does anyone proof read anymore?

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85 300D 3 pedal. Current project.
83 300TD (need rear wiper assembly dead or alive)
84 300SD Daily driver
85 300TD almost 400k miles and driven daily.
98 E300D *sold
86 300SDL *sold and made flawless 10 hour journey to new home.

1980 and can feel the 1-2 shift? I thought the NAs started out in 2nd gear

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1977 300D Lost coolant while someone else was driving
1983 300D Can't run without oil
1985 300SD (gone but not forgotten)
1990 300TE 4matic Sold
1991 Yamaha Venture
1975 Kawsaki 250 triple
1974 Honda 200CL
1951 8N Ford
2008 Wildfire 650C

the 123 has the vacuum switch that places the tranny in 1st gear when you floor it---then shifts to 2nd. can do with the shifter lever too. usuall starts in 2nd when in Drive but will down shift to 1st when you get anxious.

Sparky