If there's no play, I'd say yes. I replaced the original axle on Betsie a few months ago, and that one did not have a spacer either. So the new axle didn't get one, 'cause I didn't have one.

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"The MB W123 is so bulletproof, you can drive them forever. Which is a good thing as it takes that long to get anywhere."
Betsie: 1984 W123 300D (hobby, 280k miles)
Myrla: 2001 Mazda Protege 2.0 ES 5spd (daily driver, 130k miles)
The Turd: 2007 Toyota Camry (wife's car, 118k miles)

My apologies. I had started a thread some months back when I got a bad banging noise from the rear that I assumed is my right side axle shaft. I thought I was replying to a post from that thread.

- Peter.

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2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

My thoughts exactly.

This is exactly why I replaced both of my axles. I had an intermittent banging that was awful ! It has been over a year since the last time it made noise. Should be never at this point. The right shaft had some play that was not easily evident when installed. I am glad I did the swap.

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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.

I am replacing the axles on my 1983 300D. The first old one came out easily (it was pretty mangled) but I cannot get the new one into the wheel hub; it is as if it is too long. The new are the DSS brand; the part number on the box matches the correct one in this catalog. I am reluctant to do other side since the one is not happening.
I did swap the old spacer on to the new one, but that seems to regulate the slop at the differential; nothing to do with overall length.
One of the posters here mentioned that a manual recommended dropping the hub by undoing the top of the shocks. This did not make the hub/arm lower. Neither does undoing the sway bar end. I do have the differential as high as it will go, to provide maximum clearance.
Looking at how the rear suspension is put together, I am reluctant to use some sort of hydraulic spreader as has been suggested; seems like it could do other damage.
Lowering the hub seems like the best option. Is there something which would keep the arm/hub from lowering, so I can get clearance? Or is there something else I am missing here

Put a jack underneath the differential and undo the bolts for the differential mount. Then, lower the diff with the jack, and that should create some clearance to get the new axle in.

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"The MB W123 is so bulletproof, you can drive them forever. Which is a good thing as it takes that long to get anywhere."
Betsie: 1984 W123 300D (hobby, 280k miles)
Myrla: 2001 Mazda Protege 2.0 ES 5spd (daily driver, 130k miles)
The Turd: 2007 Toyota Camry (wife's car, 118k miles)

Thank you, Cersitimo. But I already have the differential detached from mount, and pushed up as far as it goes, but I still am not getting the clearance needed.

Another thing which seems odd, is undoing shock had no impact on clearance; nothing seemed to lower, even though axle is off

Ping .

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

The shafts "telescope." Do you have them fully compressed?

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When cryptography is outlawed, bayl bhgynjf jvyy unir cevinpl.

These aftermarket(China stickers and all) homo axles from the previous owner have been tanking on this car. I didn't know the basic distinctions of this specific job so I acquired a new pair of OE Mercedes W123 annular axles and of course I lack flanges. Are German made flanges critical for this particular hunk of metal? The majority of used flanges on eBay, for example, are going to be aftermarket. I'm about to just buy whatever there is.

This helped a bunch.. Getting ready to change out to a 3.07 or 2.88,still debating this, and the pics are awesome!!

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

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Brad

Bunch of old metal, trying to keep it on the road....

Probably the most likely source for the flanges is going to be used. EBay or Pick n Pull, look for 87-89 420SEL or 500SEL. I managed to get the entire differential and axles from an 87 420SEL. (2.47 ratio)

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Sam

84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )

Thank you. There are several of those diffs on there with flanges. I could get one, pull the flanges, and resell/reship that heavy sucker.