One time as I was coming up on a Bug on the freeway, I noticed a slight wobble to the left rear wheel. "Interesting," I thought, "he must have a bent wheel." I pulled out to pass. As I came alongside the Bug, the wheel suddenly achieved a new and exciting angle, and I heard shrapnel (lug nuts, probably) bounce off my car. I accelerated, he braked, and I think he made it to the side of the road before the wheel came off.

Toyota motorhomes for a while were infamous for breaking axle shafts and losing the shaft, brake drum, and wheel assembly. There was a major recall to retrofit 3/4-ton full-floating axles.

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1981 Mercedes 300TD, 1994 Honda Civic Del Sol
http://mefi.us/images/fuelly/smallsig-us/67195.pnghttp://mefi.us/images/fuelly/smallsig-us/103885.png

similar thing happened to me.
it must have been 92 or so, I was in an 87 astro van, and the spiders came apart, and launched the wheel with axle still attached to it, into the busy street.
I'm driving the service van in heavy traffic, and all of a sudden there is not any cars beside me anymore...
the van had gov loc differential, and the car happily was driving with one axle sticking out the side of the diff... until it went just a tad to far out, and I'm sitting at an odd angle, and my tire with a 3' steel bar gyroscopically spinning passes me as I grind to a halt on the road... no brakes, because the fluid dumps itself out the blown slave...

I'm watching the tire bouncing towards oncomming traffic, just KNOWING it's going to skewer some shmuck when it bounces onto the median... stays on the median for a while, and gently rolls back towards my side of the road all the way to the curb...
I've still got the van... it does not go anywhere anymore...

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

I was looking for a 4wd to push show with off my parking lot. I needed a cheap one. I went to a nearby small town and looked at either a bronco or a blazer I think. As I went around a right hand turn the right rear of the truck dropped down to the pavement. The axle had walked out. Fortunately I had not driven very far with it and simply walked back to the house and told the seller what had happened. He did not act surprised or anything. I drove home. That was not the first time that axle had come out!

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

If someone just arrived at this forum....and saw this thread first.....they might think we were a dangerous bunch to be around.... or driving in the same vicinity of....
Wheels and axles just coming off in every direction....

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1980 240d ,

chain elongation, cam marks reference:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/10414-help-i-need-check-stretch.html

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/305365-9-degrees-chain-stretch.html

evap fin cleaning:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/156207-photo-step-step-post-showing-w123-evaporator-removal-1983-240d-1982-300td.html?highlight=evaporator

A/C thread

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/297462-c-recommendations-mb-vehicles.html