Wow! That is very detailed and well written - thankyou very much. After doing my DV O-rings recently, that doesnt look anywhere near as intimidating as I thought it would. My dial indicator hasnt come yet but as soon as it does I will be doing exactly as you have and will report back.

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1991 W124 250D - 130k Miles

Ugh ... I just took it for a test drive (yeah, five days later) and there's definitely a ticking sound coming from the left. The bearings looked fine before I packed them, maybe one wasn't. This is just not my week; the bearings were the one thing I actually thought I got done on this car.

__________________
1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

Sometimes I just don't understand why people who are so concerned about taking care of their baby, don't just use the Mercedes lubricants. The MB wheel bearing grease (p/n 001-989-23-51-10) is $7 list price, and is exactly what MB engineers specified for the car. It happens to be a rather unusual neon-green grease, I've never seen anything else quite like it, although I haven't looked too hard either. You are supposed to weigh the amounts of grease per the FSM to ensure that it's not over- or under-packed, including inside the dust cap.

__________________
Dave
Boise, ID
Check out my website photos, documents, and movies!

Well, I doubt the bearing noise is because of using NAPA grease so much as some error I made along the way ... although I guess since I have to do it all over again I might as well buy the MB grease. I have no idea what's causing the noise ... maybe one of the bearings is just bad. I'm so discouraged with this car I can't even put it in words.
FWIW, I usually use the MB products ... which is why I asked. If NAPA grease was every bit as good as the MB stuff, I'd use it. Like I said, since the seed of doubt is there, I'll get the MB stuff. And new bearings, I guess ...

__________________
1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

Before you tear everything apart again, double-check the bearing clerance with the dial gauge. After adjusting the locknut, you also need to whack the brake disc pretty hard (making sure it's bolted to the hub), not just rotate the disc a few times. Getting the bearing clearance set just right is a real PITA. It's not likely the bearings are bad if they pass visual inspection, and the races are in good condition. You can usually tell if they're fried. I hate wheel bearing service, which is why I only do it when necessary. It's definitely not fun.

BTW, why are you discouraged with the car? Are there other issues too...?

I double-checked the play with the dial gauge and it still shows up within spec. I think I'm going to take it off and just try repacking them ... maybe I didn't do as good a job as I thought packing them. I have an extra wheel seal so it's worth a try. The bearings really looked fine, and they didn't make any noise before, so it seems odd. I spent forever setting the play ... bleh.

I should rephrase that it's not so much the car that's discouraging me, but all the stuff I messed up or didn't attend to in time (it's not the car's fault). I really need to do the flex discs (front one looks fine, but rear has very small cracks), and the subframe bushings look awful. I should have taken it to my indy to have him do that but I really wanted to do it myself ... all I ended up doing was putting it off because there was never a good time for me to do it. The car has also randomly started leaking coolant, which I think is coming from the t-stat housing, but can't really tell. And the trans cooler lines are leaking, slightly. The newest development is that one of the rear jackpoints is so rusted that it kind of popped off ... so I can't jack up the rear of the car in a familiar, easy way. And the exhaust is leaking. I want to do all this stuff on my own for the sense of pride, but at this point I'm thinking if I can get the wheel bearing fixed I'll just drive it to my indy and let him take care of the other stuff. It's not going to give me a lot of pride if the car ends up undrivable and a total mess.

__________________
1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

Not to yank your chain and I should say that I have not been following this post but it looks to me from the pictures that you did not pack the hub with grease.

You need to do this or the grease just gets squeezed out of the wheel bearing when you install it. If you pack the hub the grease in the hub can basically circulate back into the bearing as you are rolling down the road. The huge mass of grease that you commented on when you pulled the rotors is actually supposed to be there.

I have also found with re-packing old bearings that after reassembly it isn't always a guarantee that the bearings will find their old seat in the race. This can cause accelerated wear or noise. They may settle in and they may not.

I usually just install new races and bearings and call it good. That is just my preference.

__________________
1982 240D auto
1978 300CD auto
1985 300D auto
1983 300TD auto
1984 Porsche 944 5 speed
1973 Opel GT 1900 4 speed
1967 Chevy C30 350 Sm420
1973 Mustang Grande Convertible 302 C4
1981 VW Pickup 1.6D Turbo 5 speed
1983 Rabbit 1.6D Factory Turbo 5 speed
Plus parts vehicles...

I put some in the hub, but maybe it wasn't enough. When I pulled them off it was pretty much solid grease in the hub, and not very much in the bearings. The FSM said to put a dam of grease inward and outward of each race, so I did what I thought that described ... I probably was not liberal enough in doing so. I'll try again.

__________________
1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

if its just a tic noise I wouldnt be pulling it to pieces just yet.
I would first remove the pads & spin the hub/disk and listen.If it is definitely ticking still, maybe then remove the hub cover & spin.
I tighten up the nut until it has trouble turning, then back off & do the dial gauge thing. While it is tight you should be able to feel any bearing problem when you rotate the hub.
I have found once that the earth contact inside the hub cover sometimes makes a ticking noise if it is not centered.

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

Thanks. I can't really hear it while spinning by hand (when driving I could only hear it at about 25-30 mph and up). I had hoped when I took the wheel off I'd find a little stick stuck in there or something really obvious, but didn't notice anything. One thing I should check before I do anything is see if there's a rock or nail stuck in the tire ... it actually kind of had that sound.
I just hope I can fix it and move ahead. I really need a "feel-good" moment soon ...

__________________
1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

This is why MB specifies precise amounts of grease for the wheel bearings (click here). For your car, it's 70g total (55g for the bearings + hub, plus another 15g in the dust cap). Some people consider this to be silly German over-engineering, but it does prevent getting the wrong amount of grease in there. The main problem is how to measure out exact amounts - a rather sensitive scale is needed. This scale from Harbor Freight would probably work fine, and it's fairly cheap.

What I do is measure out the 55g into a plastic baggie, then put each bearing inside the bag to pack the bearing. When they are both packed, you scoop out all the remaining grease from the bag (and any from your hands) and make sure it's all placed into the hub.

I assume you have read the FSM procedures at these links...

Bearing replacement & re-pack instructions (note step 9) :
http://www.ps2cho.net/downloads/MB%20CD/W124/w124CD2/Program/Chassis/33-0320.pdf

End play adjustment:
http://www.ps2cho.net/downloads/MB%20CD/W124/w124CD2/Program/Chassis/33-0300.pdf

I suspect the bearings are ok... may just need to re-check your work. And yep, it does take a long time to get the end play set properly, if you're not doing this job frequently.



Flex discs are not fun to replace if you don't have access to a lift, but it can be done as DIY. A couple of barely-visible hairline cracks are not a big deal, but any more than that, it would be a good idea to replace the disc. The front is more critical, so if it's crack-free, that's good.



Yeah, that's a common problem on high-miles 124's. You can buy the tool and to them yourself. The ones on my '87 were totally shot. I installed Sportline bushings while I was in there. Photos are here.



If you're using MB antifreeze, it leaves a white residue at the leak source. It might just be the t-stat O-ring. Could also be the O-ring for the water pipe that comes out the rear of the housing, or the water pump gasket. The housing itself (which bolts to the block) doesn't usually leak.



Bah, that's practically normal. Takes less than an hour to replace both. Those stupid hoses don't last long for some reason. At least they're cheap. Photos are here.



Did the rubber jack pad just fall out, or is the hole where it plugs into rusted so it won't stay in place? I'd use epoxy or something to glue it up there, after applying some rust treatment to the area. (I know you blog says that you're not a sissy, but trading out for a west-coast car would save you a lot of headaches. Trust me - I grew up in NY (roughly the Albany area) so I know exactly what your car must look like underneath. There's an '87 diesel wagon for sale near me right now if you're interested... )



The usual NY cancer, I presume. Aftermarket exhaust items are relatively cheap, but if the pipes are rusty, you'll probably need to let a shop do this work.



It's worth doing it yourself for the learning experience, worst case if you *really* screw something up, then you can have the indy fix it. Things would have to be pretty drastic to render the car undriveable though. Usually if you stick to the FSM procedures, and ask for help via forums when stuck, you can manage without the indy. You may need to buy or rent special tools, but even then it often ends up cheaper than going to the indy!

Keep your chin up, though, don't let a little setback like this get you down...

It's all a learning curve. Don't get down because of it. Besides, this is your hobby, right? It should be fun to make mistakes and learn

__________________
1983 300 Turbo-"Nora"
1983 240D Auto "Lucia"-slowest on earth-1st love
1985 300 Turbo-Blue Goose-slowly plucking parts

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o...ly15/mbsig.jpg

Thanks gsxr ... it doesn't look as bad when you break it all down like that.
The latest on the wheel bearing: I did find a rather hefty pebble stuck in the tire, so I thought it'd be worth taking it for another drive without that, just to see. Unfortunately, the ticking resumed at 30 mph, so it wasn't the rock. But then it stopped, and hasn't come back. I'm not entirely sure it was coming from the wheel, but it sounded like it. I wonder if the grease heating up had an effect on the noise? I'm going to let it cool and try again. I love diesel, but the one downside is it sure is hard to make out wheel noises over the engine. Even if the noise goes away, you've got me sold on the weighing of the grease (and my mom's food scale works great ... shhh) so I may just do them over when it gets tad warmer out.
The flex discs, I did on my 240D, which wasn't that bad since you don't have to move the exhaust and such and there's more clearance. However, in my case the front disc exploded so that was a toughy to get off. And the image of that busted disc is what motivates me to get to the 124s sooner rather than later.
The dealer said they'd look for the diff bushing puller for me so I can buy one. That'd make it easier for me than trying to invent a tool and worry about damaging something.
T-stat ... I should probably drain all the coolant and replace it anyway ... I know it's had Xerex and MB coolant in it its whole life and has been changed regularly, but it's been three-ish years since it's been changed right now.

brownrice ... you're right ... usually when all is said and done, the mistakes and learning process are what make it interesting. I have a tendency to constantly worry about things (not just cars) at times when there is nothing I can do. Once I can come up with a game plan and get my hands on it, it's a lot more fun. It really helps that I have this forum to talk me down off the ledge ... and show me plenty of examples of the horrors folks have overcome with their cars.

__________________
1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

The tool to R&R the bushings for the subframe-to-body is different than the tool for the differential-to-subframe bushings. The tool for the four big subframe mounts is ungodly expensive from the dealer (two different tools, over $1000 for both) but there is an aftermarket tool (Klann KL-0356) available for much less.

For the diff mounts, you can buy that relatively cheap via aftermarket (again, the dealer tool is outrageously expensive), or I think it's also available via the forum tool rental program. Don't forget the rear wheel carrier support joint, at the outer edge of the lower control arm... if they are original, I guarantee they are shot. You guessed it... yet a third tool is needed for this, lol. It's also available via the rental program. Photos of that are on my website as well. Be careful though, if you invest too much time and $$$ into the car, you'll never be able to sell it! That's why I'm stuck with my '87 300D forever!

__________________
Dave
Boise, ID
Check out my website photos, documents, and movies!