Interesting note for manual tranny upgrades.
 

When I pulled the drive shaft from my 200D there was atleast 1" of spline at the joint with the rear drive shaft. Someone has mentioned that they found that the std auto tranny shaft was just about 1" to short for the 5spd but was going to use it anyways. I just wanted to point out its probably within MB spec since my 200D had more than 1".

Also my 300D euro has a special drive shaft balancer, anyone know where to get their hands on one other than MBUSA?

That same rubber donut balancer at the front of the driveshaft is used on 124 manual transmission cars. It would be difficult to find one. It is also VERY commonly removed. It is general consensus that it is unnecessary. I have one in my shop somewhere that came off my 124 manual transmission car.

Good luck,

The balancer is called a 'vibration absorber' and is a Euro part (PN 123 411 17 47). I do not know for sure but, I don't think it can be acquired through MBUSA. I'm going to call the dealer today and see. FYI: There's a discussion of this issue currently going on here.

I was the party that pointed out that the auto's driveshaft was just a shade too short...I didn't use it but had another fabbed.

Like Larry says, the general consensus is that it doesn't do much and is frequently removed with no ill effects but, from what I can tell, that is pretty much confined to 124s and a few 616-engined 123s that have had the absorber removed. As far as the world of vibrations caused by 617/manual combinations go, we're still in uncharted territory.

How much more than 1"? 1.25"?...1.125"?

I really should have measured it. It was more like 1.5" however. Figure its metric so 3-3.5cm? This weekend I'll be back out there and measure the tranny (I think it was 21") and the difference to the spline base.

Thanx. The overlap on the auto 300D shaft when mated to the 5-speed was right at 1". I elected to fab a shaft rather than risk something catastrophic happening at speed, just to the right of my soft pink body.

Had it been 1.5" I would now be using the auto's shaft.

Prop-shafts....
 

Just curious, as Im putting a 617 with manual trans into a 280TD Auto wagon,
The front portion of prop-shaft that has the splined end fitting into the centre-bearing. Would I need to change the section rear of the centre bearing As Well as the front piece.--I have both prop-shafts at the moment, although the 300D manual prop centre-bearing rubber mount is stuffed........

Although All bolts are out of the differential flex-coupling, as well as the two holding the centre bearing, the rear half of the prop-shaft refuses to part company from the differential input pinion shaft on the 300D...Any ideas?:dizzy2:

Take a long pry bar or big flat bladed screwdriver and apply pressure between the flex coupling and either the prop shaft flange or the pinion input flange. Now, take a machinist's hammer (ball pein) and beat on the outer rim of the flex coupling. The coupling should pop loose from either the shaft or the differential...you may have to rotate the shaft, repeat applying pressure in a different position and whack it in a couple of different locations. This usually pops it loose from the flex disk.

Good luck.