I've been dreading this job for a long time. The window brushes were old and cracked on both my '83s. A couple of years back I had paid a local body shop to replace the brushes on the front of my 300D. This involved removing the inside door panels and outside mirror. I could only do the front doors because, at that time I wasn't quite certain which brushes to purchase for the rear. Time passed and I bought a second '83(SD this time). Cracked window brushes on this one too. Found a couple of sources of brushes, but neither supplier was sure which brushes fit the rear door. Finally bit the bullet and ordered from the MB dealer. Well - they sent the right ones for the SD but the ones they sent for the D were way too long. Hoping that I could manage to somehow figure how to do a respectable job of removing parts and then replacing them (couldn't find anything in the archives here), I had a long talk with myself and began work. 30 minutes later, all 6 doors were done and done well. It was a piece of cake. A couple of plastic trim tools, a dremel with a cutter wheel, and a pair of 4" channel locks were all it took. No door panel removal. No destroyed parts, no fits of anguish over screwing up a perfectly good part. It was easy. I'm loving it because, all too often, just the opposite occurs. Life is good.

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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

How about some pics?

Should have taken some. Wasn't really expecting it to go so well so didn't snap any shots. Of course I could remove them again and photo the process but don't think I'll press my luck. Process was:

• use plastic 90 degree trim tool (< $5 / set from Harbor Freight)
• lift chrome straight up to reveal 3 clips on D and 4 on SD (on SD I left one end connected, but plenty of wiggle room w/ no damage)
• use small channel locks to grasp old brush
• pull brush straight up about half way, then pull back to release the clip where the chrome was still attached (mirror and rear wing)
• replace clips
• insert new brushes
• push into clips with hand pressure
• push chrome straight down
• gently tap chrome with small rubber mallet
• Smile big time

__________________
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

Somewhat related, but hopefully funny story: I replaced the window brushes on my 74 Ford truck about a year ago. On the Ford, the clips are attached to the brushes and just snap into holes in the sheet metal of the door. The ones I ordered were the right length but a few of the clips were in the wrong spots. I got annoyed and ending up having to modify them a bit to get them to install.

Turns out I was installing the passenger brush on the driver door and vice-versa. The clips would have lined up perfectly out of the box had I not been a bonehead. Oops.

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84 300D 255K "Mr B" ("Mr Becker")
79 300D 265K "Mrs B"
85 300TD 175K "Mali" (Sold)
74 Ford F-100 74K "Bonnie" (Sold)
67 Jeepster Commando (Sold)

Considering that this thread contains a nice write-up, I want to note that it is waddling into potential removal territory due to mentioning of sources that compete with the sponsor.

Sev, I know you are a bit of a rabble-rouser, but I'm just saying that directing people to alternatives to the links at top (regardless of whether the sponsors have the part or not) will lead to thread removal - we lost a great AC thread last year because of this.....


just saying.....

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Current Mercedes
1979 maple yellow 240D 4-speed

Gone and fondly remembered:
1980 orient red 240D 4-speed

Gone and NOT fondly remembered:
1982 Chna Blue 300TD

Other car in the stable:
2013 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI / 6-speed MT

Sorry about that, wasn't thinking about the fact that I was encouraging bad behavior when I asked for the link.

__________________
84 300D 255K "Mr B" ("Mr Becker")
79 300D 265K "Mrs B"
85 300TD 175K "Mali" (Sold)
74 Ford F-100 74K "Bonnie" (Sold)
67 Jeepster Commando (Sold)

Just to be definite, these were the outside rubber parts?

How do you protect the paint when removing the chrome?

Thanks!

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Current Diesels:
1981 240D (73K)
1982 300CD (169k)
1985 190D (169k)
1991 350SD (113k)
1991 350SD (206k)
1991 300D (228k)
1993 300SD (291k)
1993 300D 2.5T (338k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (265k)

Past Diesels:
1983 300D (228K)
1985 300D (233K)

About a year ago I purchased a set of plastic trim removal tools at Harbor Freight. Cost between $3 and $5 for the set. Figured I'd need them someday. The one that served me best for this job was the 90 degree offset one, kind of like a small version of a carpenter's cat's paw. Slid it under the chrome trim and gently torqued it 'till the trim slipped out of its clip. Scooted down to the next clip and repeated. Painless and no damage to paint.

__________________
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

So was the dealer the only source you found for these? What was the cost? Thanks.

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If it ain't broke take it apart and find out why.

1983 300SD, 4 speed
1994 C280
1987 300TD wagon
1996 HD Road King

Ride in Peace Eric Peterson, Harley of Macon

Did you masking tape or put cloth under the one side of the tool, or was there zero contact?

It is good to know that the outside brushes can be replaced without messing with the window!

__________________
Current Diesels:
1981 240D (73K)
1982 300CD (169k)
1985 190D (169k)
1991 350SD (113k)
1991 350SD (206k)
1991 300D (228k)
1993 300SD (291k)
1993 300D 2.5T (338k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (265k)

Past Diesels:
1983 300D (228K)
1985 300D (233K)

I simply slid the plastic bar under the trim and torqued it a bit. Relatively soft plastic and little pressure. No damage at all to paint.

__________________
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