Just an update to my chinese axle replacement job after driving for a couple weeks. To recap, I was worried that I had removed "too much" axial play from the axle to diff fit which meant I really had to force in the c-clip as the groove in the axle was just showing enough to bang the clip into place. After doing so, it seemed to me that rotating the axles was much more difficult than what I recalled before removing the old ones. I was worried that removing too much axial play and effectively making the axles fit more tightly to the diff gears could somehow affect gear to gear spacing in the diff. Anyway, apparently I worried for nothing. I buttoned everything up and filled the diff with new synthetic oil and everything seems perfect. I was worried I'd get a lot of noise or roughness from the diff, but all seems just fine. So, the moral of the story is, when figuring out axle to diff spacer thickness, as long you remove any play there seems to be no harm in making things too snug.....other than that getting the c-clip on is a pain in the arse when the fit is too tight.

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1985 300D 231K anthracite grey w/black int.

Thank you dmorrison for your excellent w123 rear axle wiki. The FSM reads like stereo instructions on this. Old splines came out w/ a big brass drift (harbor freight, $5) New splines needed no real coercion once lined up well.

Empi axles, assembly in the punkin seemed extra snug on 1. Filed burrs and bow out of the clip ring, fit OK. Had a pair of needle noses w/ a tiny hook on the end of one jaw (wal-mart fishing aisle) worked like a charm pulling off and putting on.

Had a little trouble w/ the bushing to frame bolts, took it back apart, the following worked:

Used M8x1.25 tap & die to chase threads in the frame & clean up the bolts
Lowered the diff & loosened the bolts to the diff to relax the alignment situation.

Used a longer (2" or so) M8x1.25 bolt in the 'forward' right and left positions to get the bushing lined up & draw it down to where I could thread the original bolts in the holes nearest the sway bar. Replaced 1 long bolt w/ original, left the other in as it felt tight & didn't want to lose alignment & start over. Tightened and torqued all bolts.

A punch also helps align holes.

If the hole is really stripped, you could drill & tap for M10x1.25, or drill the insert as a thru hole (9 mm / size T) and fasten a w/ a longer bolt and washer from the back side (this would complicate future disassembly).

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CC: NSA

All things are burning, know this and be released.

82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times

It's hard to

more likely to

concentrate on

have an accident

two things

when you're on

at the same time.

a cell phone.

www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?

Glad to hear the axles are working out, but a word of advice. I had put in a set of GSP's and within a few hundred miles several of the hex bolts on the axles started coming undone! If you have this style I would check them right away.

In about another 3,000 miles the gsp's started spraying grease on the underside of the car... I kept an eye on it and ended up putting in some quality axles. It's not a fun job and I learned the lesson of buying quality parts!