My trick for greasing cv joints: I use a small (1.25 in dia, 7 in long) one hand grease gun. I fill it with wheel bearing grease (like MBs stuff in a tube). I have a fitting for the grease gun that is basically a large bore needle with a grease fitting on the end. With the big end of the boot pulled back, I ease the needle between the balls and races so as to inject grease into the deepest part of the joint. Pump away! You can put in a fair amount of grease and with luck it will push out some of the old grease. Carefull wipe off the old grease. Wipe the old grease out of the boot. Coat the visible part of the balls races with fresh grease. Add a small quantity to the boot. Reinstall boot and use new clamp with proper tool if possible. Just be gentle on the old boot.

Just an update about on my c.v. joint saga................................

After pulling back the big end of the boot of my suspect cv joint, I found that there was no grease in the cv joint. It was damp & smelled like gear oil - but no sign of any real lubricant. I guess it was origionally filled with gear oil?

I repacked it with cv joint grease using the method suggested by BobK & put everything back together.

So far, the noise has disappeared, at least for now I plan to grease up the remaining joints probably this weekend using this same method. Hopefully it will extend the life of my cv joints at least for a while.

Thanks for all the help!!

Aivars

Be prepared for an oil bath when you take the bottom boots loose. I learned the hard way - dumped a boot load on the driveway.

Glad to hear you had some success. You probably have a small leak somewhere; the thicker grease will probably stay there until the boot fails completely.

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1976 240D
1987 560SL
2007 E320 Bluetec
1998 C280 (now son’s car)
1982 240D Manual - Sold

I have been getting the "clicking" sound for almost two years. 90% of the time my car clicks while backing up slowly. Sometimes(like after a long drive of several hundred miles) it will click while creeping foward from a stop. I never hear any clicking while driving any faster than 3mph. All is talk is making me worried. I would like to fix it. Is my sound the same as that of a cv joint going into failure mode? Or how about the bearings? any suggestions? thanks, andy

andy - If I were a betting man and if your mileage is way up there then I would say that the rear axle shafts are probably on their last 50k miles. I have never driven a clicking axle shaft till failure and had a friend that had a mid-80's Camry that finally replaced his clicking CV joints at around 285k miles. The worst thing that I think could happen is they could leave you stranded in the middle of traffic or on the side of the road. You may want to budget for it over the next six months or so.

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Jim

Jim, Thanks for your response. I guess I'll have to set aside money I don't have for new axles. So, if I get good ones like the GKN units for about $600+/-, What do you think would be a good price for an independant MB shop to charge to put them in? Any thing else that should be changed at the same time? I don't want to get stranded. thanks, andy

Hi Andy,I drove a shaft to failure where the ball bearings actually came through the metal casing,by taking it easy I managed to drive it 30 miles home.I didn't know about the free roadside assistance at the time but I did have my AAA card handy.

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Democracy dies in darkness, you have to kick at the darkness till it bleeds daylight

FreeRoadsideService??? You mean, that if my old 123 tank shudders to a stop one dark rainy night and won't restart, that MercedesBenz has a free roadside service, just because we drive behind the three-pointed star (er...Did - some #%$@&*punk ripped my hood ornament off last week. I got a used one at a boneyard on Mitchell Island. Still wasn't cheap)
Free - now thats a deal I want to look into. What can you tell me? Are there geographical restrictions? What happens if my car dies out on the way to Harrison HotSprings or somewhere out in The Kootneys?

Who do you call for this roadside service? The roadside service seems to offer protection against being stranded due to making a bonehead mistake. However, if a Sasquatch stomps my car, I'm on my own.

Ducati, You are in luck, I offer insurance for any mishap involving a Sasquatch, stomping, running into it, tears a door off getting to your picnic basket and beer cooler..... Even if it happens in the "Kootneys" which I assume is Canadaspeak for "boondocks".... The insurance papers and the movie rights agreement papers will arrive by Tuesday of next week....Please tell any of your neighbors that are also in danger from Sasquatch related incidents about my low cost service....Greg

Whooops, I have just been informed that Sasquatch are all teetotalers ( non alcohol imbibers ). I was not aware of that fact and in no way meant that as an ethic slur to their natural outdoor religion, their natural , if smelly, appearance, or an insinuation that the disappearance of local pets which seems to coincide with their family get togethers, is due to their eating habits.... their spokesperson ( spokesquatch ? ) has threatened legal and media action and I am just glad these people do not live here in Texas.... I will keep you up on the situation... but if you fail to hear from me I hope someone will inquire concerning my fate... Thank you, Greg

Like I said I am following this thread since I have the exact same problem. After my mechanic looked at everything 2 weeks ago and found nothing and the noise was gone it has now come back. On the way home last night from Orlando it went from a mild thump to a vibration and loud growl at speed to the thunk thunk thunk at 3-5 mph. Also noticed a lot of grease/oil around the boot and on the bottom of the car right above the inner boot. I can't find any tears or holes in the boot but it's to heavy to have come from the engine. Since this is a fairly new (less than a year) axel shaft it is under warranty so I will try and have it replaced tomorrow.

Well, I can't get anything right. My Abject Apologies to the relatives of Sasquatch who live in Texas..How was I supposed to know you were down here... you just look like Willy Nelson fans...If I have said anything to offend anyone in THIS post I apologize in advance.... Greg

It sounds like Rebootit's car also has Sasquatch problems.
Oh, and Greg - The Kooteneys are actually a place. They are a mountain range out in The Boondocks...

Down here we have the cousin to Sasquatch. It's called the Skunk Ape and is attracted to lima beans. (I'm not making this up)