First, I'd just like to say that posts like this make me a believer in the power of the internet. Thank you Dave for all the work it took to do this.

After doing this job myself, I'd like to add a couple things:

1. Do make sure you actually have all the tools you'll need. A 14mm allen socket is not a common size, and none of my local auto parts stores carried them. I had to get it through Harbor Freight. Also, I didn't have a 22mm socket and had to use a 7/8" :rolleyes:

2. Mine is a 300TD, which has a differently shaped fuel tank, making the room behind the differential bushing even tighter. My wrench wouldn't fit in the space, so I had to use a breaker bar, which was slow going! I noticed that in the re-installation procedure, the steps are reversed, so I would like to suggest doing step (photo) #13 before #11 & 12. Then you can drop the differential a bit to make getting at those bolts easier.

Good luck!

Hi Marshall,

Did you use the Advance Auto Parts´ Axles?

I have a 1982 300D that needs a new rear axle.
I would like to hear people´s experiences on aftermarket rear Axels. At AAuto they offered me the #NCV 48998 ($86 lifetime warranty) instead of the SKU # 20870644 posted by Dave. Does anyone have experience with the NCV 48998 on their car?

Thanks,

jarce

I have used three of the axles from Advance Auto, the first one about 15 months ago and I probably have 15,000 miles on it and it is doing well. I sold the 84 which I put 2 axles on but sold the car. I know he is putting plenty of miles on that car and I know i would have heard from him if an axle failed.

Do those advanced auto parts axles fit on a 1985 300SD? Thanks

I put AA axles on my 240d about 4k ago and other than having to custom grind the axle shims in order to get them to fit I have had no issues with the axles and @ $140 for the pair I can't complain

I have a set of GSPs from AA that I got 2 years ago and I may install them after I remove my half shafts which I am in the process of doing. Although at present my plan is to just replace the cv boots of the existing axles.

This thread is good since it talks about the problem I am encountering which is not being able to clear the hub with the outer axle.

Quality concerns
 

First, this is an excellent tutorial, so thanks to Dave and those that have followed up with more details/suggestions.

I purchased the AA GSP axles (Part # NCV48998, $69.99/each), cognizant of the quality concerns raised by some posts. They seemed solid enough, and others seem to have installed them without issue so I went ahead and installed them this weekend.

The driver's side went in fine (I did have to remove the spacer ring that was present with the original axle). After I got the passenger side axle installed (this one required a slightly "sanded down" spacer ring to fit correctly), I gave the tire a spin to make sure everything felt right and I heard a "CLUNK-CLUNK-CLUNK". The axle shaft wasn't turning at all; the outer joint had separated!

Because the joint was separated the axle was now too long to remove straightforwardly, but after wrestling with it for an hour or so I got it out. I cut into the boot to see what had gone wrong. Apparently they had not bothered to install the C-clip on the outer joint, so in the process of bolting the axle to the hub I had just pulled the axle shaft out of the joint!

I suppose I am glad it happened when it did (with the car still on jack stands), rather than when backing down the driveway or driving down a crowded street, but I'm pretty shocked by the lack of quality control. Now I'm stuck without a daily driver until I can get a new axle.

Steven

Axle Removal for '85 300D
 

Dave,

I followed your procedure with one modification. With the 300D I found the axle could not be withdrawn from the wheel hub far enough to swing clear. I inserted the car jack into its jacking point, and after cranking it up a few turns was able to obtain a little more vertical separation between differential and wheel hub. I was then able to withdraw the axle without unbolting the caliper.

Scott

It help if you place the jack slightly off to one side or the other of the diff when jacking the differential up. This will gain you some extra clearance on the side the jack is positioned on which really helps when installing the axles.
It will push the differential slightly to one side or the other.

Axle spacers
 

Great how-to thread. I am replacing both rear axles with new and have not had any problem until attempting to put the axle retaining clips back in. Both the old axles had spacers, both 1mm thick. Both new axles need about half that amount. The clips will not go in. Leaving the spacers out leave too much play. Question is, where can you order different thickness spacers? I have not been able to find them on parts sites.

Getting axle out of wheel hub
 

As a note, my Chilton book stated to remove the upper shock absorber nuts to allow the wheel hub to drop lower in order to get the axle out. I did have to do this for one side. With the vehicle supported, use a jack under the wheel hub to lift if up slightly, remove the shock nut and lower the jack to allow the hub to drop lower.

here is what I did removing a Diff from a 300TD.
There really isn`t any room between the fuel tank and the head of the wrench to get to the 22mm bolts that holt the mount to the snout of the Diff.
that is the TD fuel tank the wrench is bumping into. with a 300D the fuel tank is in the trunk, so not a problem

So I removed the 4 13mm bolts that holds the mount to the body.
then lowered it down with a jack.

I used a lug bolt in the rear rotor, stuck my prybar in a hole on the mount to the lug bolt. then used my breaker bar and a 22mm socket to remove the mount. worked very well, and had no problem with it slipping, and I really had to crank down to break the bolts loose.

Charlie

I suspect all the cheap 'new' axles are Chinese. Last summer when I needed axles for my '82 240D, Advance Auto no longer listed the $99 ones, but a local import parts place had them for $105. The price was very tempting, but based on reports of quality problems with those new Chinese axles, I decided on rebuilt OE axles from CVJ-Denver for $160 + core. I reused the shims and no problems so far.

Happy Motoring, Mark

One question on this - i thought you needed to support the body, not the subframe in order to raise/lower the diff to do this job or the diff mount job.

Any comment on this? I'll be dong my diff mount first and foremost, with axles if needed. However, I want to be able to have flexibility to do both from the start. That said, I prefer the subframe as a sturdy place to jack from, with less chance of harming the body...

Thanks!

bump - any comment on my question? I intend to start this soon.

Thanks a million - never done this before!