W116 steering coupling
 

Does the steering box need to be removed to replace the coupling on the W116 SD?

No. IMO, much better to loosen coupler, remove steering wheel, loosen bolts under it ,pull up shaft to get clearance to remove coupler. I don't remember all the steps. There was a recent thread on the SL forum that outlined it better on W107s, but W116s are similar.

And , I just ground off the rivets on one of my old couplers, rebushed with rubber hose, inserted grade 8 bolts with lots of locktite and reused.

Rick