123 vs 126 vs 116 axle shaft interchange - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

ROLLGUY · #1 11-28-2009, 08:07 PM

I would like to know if the axles on a 123, 116, and 126 are the same. I suspect that the 116 and 126 may be the same, but maybe not the 123. I have been seeing newish axles on some cars at the wrecking yards lately (mostly on 126's) and have been tempted to pull them. Not knowing if they will interchange, I left them alone. Thanks in advance for your input.....Rich

2dieseljohn · #2 11-29-2009, 12:30 PM

The 123 shafts are shorter than the 116. You can tell the difference in length as the longer ones have 3 raised rings cast in the center of the shaft. Don't know about the 126- but I would guess they are also longer than the 123s. Hope this helps.

t walgamuth · #3 11-29-2009, 12:38 PM

I believe the 123 126 are interchangible. Check for parts numbers on our parts vendors here.

charmalu · #4 11-29-2009, 01:00 PM

I seem to have read the 126 is wider in the wheel track and the 123/126 axles won`t swap back and forth.

check the part# in the buy tab above. they should be different.

the Differentials will swap back and forth, up to the 85 126.

Since the Clunker progran, there are a lot of good axles and other 126 parts showing up at the yards. act fast, they only keep them about a month.

Charlie

ROLLGUY · #5 11-29-2009, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charmalu

Since the Clunker progran, there are a lot of good axles and other 126 parts showing up at the yards. act fast, they only keep them about a month.

Charlie

That is why I am asking. There are lots of 126's at my local self serve auto wrecker, so the axle pick'ns are pretty good.
I still need to know if the 116 and 126 will interchange. I don't want to remove one from each car to compare. There isn't too many 123's in the yard, but at least a dozen 126's. I have a 116, so I would like to get an extra axle for it if a 126 one will fit.

DeliveryValve · #6 11-29-2009, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROLLGUY

....
I still need to know if the 116 and 126 will interchange. .....

This says yes, same part number. They will interchange with your 300SD.

1979 300SD

1985 380SE

1991 420SEL

.

t walgamuth · #7 11-29-2009, 07:05 PM

The 126 has a wider front track but the rear is the same as the 123,IIRC.

ROLLGUY · #8 11-29-2009, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

The 126 has a wider front track but the rear is the same as the 123,IIRC.

I now know that the 116 and 126 shafts are the same. I will compare one when I pull it with the extra 123 shaft I now have.

charmalu · #9 11-29-2009, 11:50 PM

I did some searching in Google to find out what the W123 and W126 wheel track is.

W123 front 58.6 in rear 56.9 in

W126 front 60.8 in rear 59.7 in

I do know the trailing arms will work on either model, except for the aluminium arms. the Differentials will swap, but not from the 86 to 91 w126.

so it looks like W123 and w126 is a no go.

got my W126 info here http://home.concepts.nl/~vlimmere/index2.HTM

charlie

t walgamuth · #10 11-30-2009, 05:16 AM

Track will be listed to include wheel offset so minor differences will show simply by the fact that early 123s had 5.5" rims and later 126s have 6.5 rims...hence a 126 will show 1" wider rear track when mechanically the rear suspensions are in fact identical.

I don't think you have correct information on the tracks for the 123 and 126 there. They are the same excepting wheel width. I have crawled under the back and looked, having owned both models at the same time in the past.

Ok, I just looked in my reference books and find that the difference in rear track is 74mm which is about 3". I cannot understand that since the suspension arms, wheels and axles are interchangible as well as the diffs with slight modification.

That is more than wheel offset so I am perplexed.

Whiskeydan · #11 11-30-2009, 07:28 AM

I have both a W123 and a 1st gen W126 rear sub frames out at the moment, will try to check the difference today.

charmalu · #12 11-30-2009, 10:50 AM

Well the 126 and 123 may use the same trailing arms and use the same Differentials. But the 126 is a larger body car, and the arms might just be mounted a little farther out from the Diff by a small amount.

Charlie

charmalu · #13 11-30-2009, 12:47 PM

300SD vs. 300D A-Arm

Replacement Trailing Arm

charlie

neumann · #14 12-09-2009, 10:18 PM

so was there a final determination...will w123 rear axles interchange with w126?