How about a redneck cruse control. A VERY HEAVY BRICK...

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Current Garage
2008 Mercedes GL320 CDI 188k mi Repair/Work in progress
1994 S350 160k mi Garage Queen & prepping for repairs
2005 E320 CDI 203k mi Healthy & Daily Driver
1994 S350 357k mi Retried as parts car
1984 300TD 214k mi Blown OM617 Poss OM603 Swap??

Sold
1987 300SDL 200K+
1994 S320 181K mi
2008 E320 Bluetec 127k mi
1999 S420 130K mi
1980 240D 360k mi
15+ Others that has come, stay and gone

GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
1995 E320 SE 220k mi
1984 300SD 350k mi

I have a '83 300D as well, but after three hours my butt hurts,

Should I change to boxers ? ? ?

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Gary
Experience is something you get, Just after you needed it....
'99 E300 295K, '83 300D 220K, '75 240D 185K sold
'80 MCI Bus Conv DD 6V92TA, w/4 cyl. Kubota diesel GenSet 12.5KW

I don't think that has happened to me since I was in primary school.


[quote=cessna5354;2112329]I have a '83 300D as well, but after three hours my butt hurts,

Should I change to boxers ? ? ?


Commando!




And on a more serious note; Yes, the pedals in these cars are rather "stiff." I actually enjoy having a large stiff pedal with a lot of range, since my feet are kind of gigantic and heavy. It almost seems to me like it's easier to relax my foot while cruising due to the heavy pedal being able to resist falling to the floor when I relax my entire leg. In many modern vehicles, if I relax my leg on the highway, the pedal just goes to the floor, so I end up keeping my leg stiff the entire time I am driving, and it gets to be rather uncomfortable.

And on a slightly different note, but entirely related note; what lubricants have people found success in using to lube the linkage joints? I know that ATF works fine, but maybe there is something out there that doesn't attract so much dirt in between applications of lube.

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- K.C.Adams

'77 300D Euro Delivery
OM617 turbo / 4-speed swap
404 Milanbraun Metallic / 134 Dattel MB-Tex

Current status:
* Undergoing body work

My '77 300D progress thread

I just use a stick

regarding the stiff pedal thing

I borrowed a friends mustang to run to the store and I kinda drove it like I do the 300D.. I buried it off the line... lol lots of squealing and rubber flying

I end up doing the same thing whenever I get in my Passat. Brakes too

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1985 300D cali 190K

http://mercedes.thatchermathias.com/mw300d.jpg

lol the SDL has nice brakes in it and the lightest touch will stop the car... Got used to that quick... oh.. ABS works too lol

Isn't there 2 or 3 different holes in the arm connected to the horizontal (bell crank) bar on the fire wall, to connect the return spring, closer to the bar=less pull=pressure needed on the foot feed. I'd go out an look but its cozy by the fire

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

I've only seen one failure like this in over thirty years of driving these cars, and that was on a 268K mile 83 300SD shortly after I bought it.

These pedals appear to be interchangeable from at least the W115 through the W124. Early versions had a swivel pivot for a hinge, later cars had a plastic hinge (like a GM console lid) that does not look as robust.

Jim

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14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles
95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles
94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles
85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles

Over Christmas I drove my 300D nonstop from San Diego to Houston (1500 miles, 24hr + driving). No cruise...feet fine never noticed. Also seat was VERY comfortable. Much more comfortable than my $78,000 JAG! Only thing sucked driving the trip was red and watery eyes (leaking exhaust downpipe "fixed now") and freezing my ASS off in 20 degree weather....(Fixed...failed Monovalve!)

Maybe you should look into getting your cruise fixed....I am! Not for comfort....just to keep speeds constant for optimum fuel economy.

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Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about........

1985 Mercedes 300D
2007 Mercedes C-350
1980 Mazda Rx-7 (SA22C)
2005 Jaguar XJR
2007 Jeep Wrangler

I dont know man.. the newer jag seats are pretty nice.

They were in my XJ8. When I upgraded to an XJR. With stiffer seats, air ride suspension tuned to "handle good", 20 inch tires, 15inch brembo brakes, 400HP supercharged engine. The comfy ride suffered. They tried to achieve a "4 door corvette" with Jag refinement. Now I overall love the car....just a little tough on your butt and not forgiving over rough rodes!

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Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about........

1985 Mercedes 300D
2007 Mercedes C-350
1980 Mazda Rx-7 (SA22C)
2005 Jaguar XJR
2007 Jeep Wrangler

Ha, try driving a tripled carbed Chevelle, all mechanical with four return springs and three acellerator pumps AND and 40 yr old foam in the seat 1000 miles each way to Nashville. Tendonitis and buttitis.

I walked ten miles thru blizzards to school in the morning too!

I popped each ball and socket one at a time, wiped both halves clean with tissue paper, lubed with a drop of ATF and popped them back together. It's hard to tell if peddle effort got lighter since I have not gone for a long drive after the clean/lube. It feels to me (as I popped each ball/socket) that most of the peddle resistance is coming from the IP, and not from the ball/sockets . I will try to hook up a "helper" spring to the IP and see if that helps more.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

Since all I've ever driven as personal cars since I've held a license is Mercedes-Benz (lol, the car I was trained in was a '92 400E) Porsche = one exception...All other cars' pedals seem way too soft.

I like the stiffness because I find it easier to rest my foot on a particular pedal position when cruising.

The squishy W210 pedal, with it's electronic linkage implementation, was always painful for me.

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1987 300SDL (324000)

1986 Porsche 951 (944 Turbo) (166000)

1978 Porsche 924 (99000)

1996 Nissan Pathfinder R50 (201000)