I've been working on moving my Yakima roof rack over to my 83 300D for the past 3 weeks. This is the third time I've installed a rack and I've never had problems before. I am using the Q Towers with the appropriate clips according to Yakima but there just seems to be waaay too much gap between the clip and the door jam. I'm talking like half an inch of gap here.
Has anyone successfully installed a Q Tower Yakima rack on a W123? Has anyone encountered similar problems? I even took it back to the Yakima dealer and they couldn't figure anything out either. Yakima customer support is convinced that thier measurements and clip choice is correct so they think that I'm just an idiot.
Someone please help-I need my rack by Friday!

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1983 300D TurboDiesel

I have a Yakima rack on my 123 and I use the A1 raingutter towers.

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Where are you located? I believe I have a set of rain-gutter towers that I don't need, can check if you're local.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

I'm in Florence, SC.

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1983 300D TurboDiesel

I use Yakima rain gutter towers on my 123 TD.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I have Q Towers, not rain gutters. I'm sure the rain gutter attachments work just fine but that's not what I have. The Q Towers work, at least they do according to Yakima, and I would like to use them so I can move my $500+ rack from vehicle to vehicle instead of buying two $500+ racks.

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1983 300D TurboDiesel

Around here, there are typically lots of rain gutter Yakima racks available on Craigslist for about $40-60.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I'd prefer to use the Q Towers that I already paid for and that are supposed to work.

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1983 300D TurboDiesel

I'd call/email yakima's tech support. They are most helpful

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1985 300D cali 190K

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

I did-they are nice, but helpful is yet to be seen.
I've been in contact with them since this problem first started. They thought my measurements were wrong so they had me take it to a Yakima dealer to look at, which I did-still not fixed. I called them back (about 50 times now) and all they can tell me is, "well my sheet says it fits." I sent thier support department pictures of my car and the Q Towers-nothing. Truth is they don't know what the problem is other than it's not a correct fit. They haven't owned up to that one yet but I'm thinking that they will soon. I found another post on a different forum from someone with an old 300 with the same problem.

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1983 300D TurboDiesel

would the local dealer be willing to open up some other clip packages to give them a whirl. I used to sell Yakima years ago and did that sort of thing all the time.

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1985 300D cali 190K

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

Not sure about the Yakimas, but I have Thules on my '83 300 D and they fit fine. Probably a cross reference chart (I'd guess) between the two. On the off chance that you are going to the Gauley Fest this weekend, then send me a PM and we can compare notes. I'll have my 300 there w/ racks on.

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John Schroader
bio burnin' 83 300D, '83 300 SD, '79 240D
"I've never met a man who was good at making excuses who was good at anything else" Ben Franklin
"You cannot permanently help a man by doing for him what he could and should do for himself" Abraham Lincoln

I used raingutter towers on my 123, switched to Q-towers for the 124 and the 210. If you can't get the Q-towers to work, you don't have to throw the entire rack away, just buy a set of raingutter towers and cut your losses by selling the Q-towers.

I still have my raingutter towers left over from the 123 and would be willing to sell them to you if you choose to go that route.

Jeremy

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

So what would you like us to do about it? Sounds like everyone here is using the 1A raingutters. You'll need to get your local Yakima installer to assist you, or work it out with their telephone tech support.

FWIW I've owned 3 or 4 different old european cars that have metal rain gutters along the sides of the roof. On every one of those cars, I've only used the 1A raingutter towers since those were the only thing Yakima said would fit....

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'98 E300 turbodiesel

I also use the A1 towers. I'm positive that is what is spec'd for this car by Yakima, not the Q's.

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Michael LaFleur

'05 E320 CDI - 86,000 miles
'86 300SDL - 360,000 miles
'85 300SD - 150,000 miles (sold)
'89 190D - 120,000 miles (sold)
'85 300SD - 317,000 miles (sold)
'98 ML320 - 270,000 miles (sold)
'75 300D - 170,000 miles (sold)
'83 Harley Davidson FLTC (Broken again) :-(
'61 Plymouth Valiant - 60k mikes
2004 Papillon (Oliver)
2005 Tzitzu (Griffon)
2009 Welsh Corgi (Buba)