Bad flex disk driving home
 

Friday night on my way home from dinner I started to feel a bad vibration at 70mph. I pulled off the road and looked under, could not see anything with a flashlight. I decided to try and limp it home but after hitting 35mph the vibration returned and I noticed the gear shift moving. I pulled over and called a friend to tow me home. After getting it up on a lift, I seen the damage. Front flex disk destroyed and the center bearing support gone. The disk held together long enough to save damage to the tunnel.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2010-2/1353273/IMG_20110724_111957.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2010-2/1353273/IMG_20110724_112020.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2010-2/1353273/IMG_20110724_112058.jpg

Yeah, you may get a few more miles out of it, but not likely:)

Which vehicle? and were they original?

If that let loose at speed it literally could have ripped through the sheet metal of the transmission tunnel and did some real damage.

Getting it towed the rest of the way was a wise choice.

Nasty :eek: :eek: still at least no harm done!... so glad I finally got round to doing mine yesterday!:cool:

Did you have any warning it was going or did it just let go out of the blue?

Mine was 'clunking' a little when going in and out of 'N', and a little bit on downshifts. All the steel inserts were loose but the rubber looked fairly good though....next time I'll replace them as soon as I notice anything at all!

cheers!

Dang 'ol. You're lucky it didn't give a way on the highway. I bought my 240 after the PO blew the front one out at about 30mph.

One the 123's the centering cone is a replaceable part. You drill a hole through the cone and drive a rod through then hammer wedges between the rod and the flanges of the shaft, it will come right out. Then you hammer or press in a new one.

Before
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...veshaft_01.jpg

After
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...epaired_01.jpg

With what looks to be worn out spots...
You may have a vibration problem going into the future..
and if those were there before...may have been what caused this failure.
That part needs to be balanced before putting it back in....

I hope you marked the ends before you pulled the splines apart...

It was the 93 300D and they were original with 189K.

The front shaft had what looks like a saw mark in it so I replaced the entire shaft from the parts car. I didn't pull the shafts apart, just replaced everything. The parts car had new disks and bearing installed by the dealer 2 years ago.

I didn't have or notice any vibration before this. I don't know if the dealer balanced the shaft I put in or not. Is there a way to tell ?

LOL. you did notice a catastrophic failure though... right ?
If that was wearing... and was off enough to cause the rest of it to wear enough then that thing with the three holes in it may have been the cause of this whole thing...
On your model car I have no manuals... and the shaft itself is not what I am referring to... since you did feel vibration before they probably did balance it... that is SOP...

THAT was a Catastrophic Propeller Shaft System Failure!
 

Howeveah, The Car Gods allowed you to ESCAPE the Results/Pain.
(Other than to the Wallet,of replacing the Driveshaft inToTal)

PaJon,

You are this Month's Most Lucky Mercedes Owner (to date) !

How BAD is the Suspension on that W124 ?
(That you couldn't FEEL that? Sooner. )

OR

Are your tire tread separation VIBRATIONS masking everything else except
the 350 Db Stereo output?

BD300TD,


The Vibration Dampner mounted on the Driveshaft is DESTROYED.

That amout of wear on the bolts had to be happening for a long time. Last time I wa under the car was back in Feb. and everything looked fine. I just can't believe that I didn't feel anything.

Hey I'm old and need the stereo loud to hear it :D
The suspension is good and tight, replaced almost all the rubber under it last year.

Yeah, Well
 

[Incredible AND Terrifying,If as you say, Calamity can Avisit with so little notice.]

Moi,

186K (Allegedly)
Both Flex discs and the Center Support Driveshaft Bearing System LOOK good.

BUT...

I've got Two brand New Flex Discs and a New center Support Bearing (In Boxes)
Eyeballing me right now.

I Does Believe we Be Removin the Temptation from The Lord High Murphy's Interest.