A record of my trial and error approach to removing the dashboard of my '87 300SDL, Sybill, so that I can replace a leaking a/c evaporator.

Observations:
The 126, while a lot more complicated than a 123, is still a Mercedes-Benz™ so, if you've ever done a 123 dash you'll find yourself on familiar ground. A lot of the engineering and manufacturing techniques are similar.

Sybil the SDL has had a hard life. A lot of her plastic is in bad shape so I take extra pains when removing trim and other items to avoid breaking things that I've never had to worry about on my 123s.

Also, some of the dissasembly pictures will be added later (as I reassemble the dash). FWIW, I already had removed the kick valences and some other trim while replacing the a/c expansion valve. It wasn't until later I discovered that the evaporator was leaking, necessitating the dash removal.

Procedures 83-110, 83-536 and 83-538 from the W126 FSM are helpful too.

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Before going any further...

If you have a telescoping steering column, fully extend the column, then...


Now, remove the kick valences on driver and passenger sides.

Pictures to be added....

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Remove metal crash tube/ducting from above the driver's footwell. Remove stiffening brace from drivers footwell and disconnect wiring in the footwell.

Disconnect bowden cable from footwell flap.

Remove support bolts and allow steering column to drop down.

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Remove speaker grilles and the cap head screws from speaker boxes on the right and left sides.

Remove the instrument cluster.

Remove the cap head screw in the center of the dash, between the defrost vents. This screw is underneath a plastic trim and the trim may be quite fragile. To remove it, reach in the opening for the instrument cluster and to the left of the support screw, you should be able to feel the tab on the plastic trim where it sticks down through the dash. Push it up and inwards to release. Be careful! There are plenty of sharp edges to be cut by in that dash...

Attached Thumbnails

       

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Remove 10mm nut from lower attachment/adjustment points on the left and right sides of the dash.

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Remove radio and pull CCU panel. The CCU will be in the way so, you'll need to remove it completely. Next, remove the two screws directly above the CCU panel that attach the dash to the console. And, with the long phillips screwdriver, go in through the center venetian blind vent and unscrew the actuator arm from the center vent flap.

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Okay, guys. HOW do I remove the metal crash tube???

I did this about 6 weeks ago in the boneyard, but I need to REUSE my metal crash tube. I am in the middle of my dash replacement.

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daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
No longer selling Cluster Needles Paint
No longer selling New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

The bolts are on the driver's end, and tucked under the forward side, standing on your head in the driver's footwell helps.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Well, I did manage to get it off. I knew about the bolts on the end. I stood on my head so much yesterday that today, my world is upside down. The bolts on the end were not the issue. To the left of the steering shaft, there is an opening in the metal crush tube....there is a 10mm (it's always 10 or 13, right?) bolt that supports the MIDDLE of the tube. Hard to see, too.

Pics coming.

__________________
daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
No longer selling Cluster Needles Paint
No longer selling New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

The problem with these writeups is that everyone is eager to tell you how to do the simple stuff of removing your dash... but none of them actually detail the heater core removal which is less intuitive... The problem on top of this is that the procedure in the W126 manual is also missing. 86-100 if I remember correctly.