Help. Broken Diff or Axel shaft? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Diesel911 · #16 01-17-2016, 12:05 PM

Nice Photos.

In the one pic I cannot tell if where the yellow arrow points is a Crack in the Flex Disc or not.

The Flex Dis had Germany on it.

The other pic of a Rear flex disc that looks older has the words JURID on it. That is the same as the Origial Mercedes Flex Discs that I removed from mine

what about the drive shaft mount and Bearing?

Stretch · #17 01-17-2016, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel911

You have Annular Rear Axles. If they are stock Mercedes Axles they are easy to replace the Boots on as you can take apart the end with the Bolts on it to slide the Boots over the Axle.
Annular Axle Taken apart
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/277503-w123-annular-style-axle-rebuild-2.html

If they are Chinese Annular Axles no one has posted anything about how to reboot them.

Good point - I didn't notice the type of axle!

Oh well - wood and trees and all that.

The main handy point about the annular axles is that you don't have to undo the rear cover on the differential so long as the bolts come out nicely on the flanges that stick out of the differential.

If you don't mind working on your back in the dirt you don't really have to jack the back end too high. The connection at the differential once undone only needs to be pulled away by about 2 cm to get clearance from the flanges in the differential so the axle doesn't have to be completely extended.

This make the job about 35% easier in my opinion.

For my W201 I can jack up the back end of the car and reposition it on the ground on the tyres in an artificially high stance and then get under there for this type of job. Not 100% ideal - very cramped - but possible if your axle stands happen to be somewhere else at the time...

Stretch · #18 01-17-2016, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel911

Nice Photos.

In the one pic I cannot tell if where the yellow arrow points is a Crack in the Flex Disc or not.

...

Might be a casting mark

pj67coll · #19 01-17-2016, 04:07 PM

I've spent some time going thru stuff in the garage. Its a hell of a mess at present as all my tools are dumped in bins because of a bad leak I'm trying to fix right now as well. $1600.00 to fix the roof leak, fortunately insurance paid for that, but I'm, having to do the damage repair to the walls and ceiling myself.

However, I think I have most of the tools folks have described in the various tutorials and threads relating to this. I do have jack stands and a jack. I actually thought I'd thrown them out but I just found them in amongst all my junk. What I don't have is a 14mm hex bolt but I'm about to go and see if I can find one at the local autozone. I have a set that goes up to 12mm of course!

So I'm leaning towards doing it myself now. Seems like something I should be able to accomplish from what I've seen in the various links folks have provided. Just a question of what axle to buy. CVJ in Denver may be the way to go if I can afford them.

- Peter.

Carpenterman · #20 01-17-2016, 04:38 PM

You may not have to remove them, but those screws on the diff cover are 22mm, if I recall correctly.

pj67coll · #21 01-17-2016, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carpenterman

You may not have to remove them, but those screws on the diff cover are 22mm, if I recall correctly.

The screws that hold the rear diff cover on? They looked very much smaller than that to me.

- Peter.

Diesel911 · #22 01-17-2016, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pj67coll

The screws that hold the rear diff cover on? They looked very much smaller than that to me.

- Peter.

No the 2 Bolts that go through the Differential Mount that item with the 2 red Arrows in the pic that I posted in the previous post.

Frank Reiner · #23 01-17-2016, 06:47 PM

pj:

It may be an illusion, but, the rear flex disc appears to be out of position by 60 deg.
Each bolt bushing has a flat side and an extended side; the extended sides are to go into recesses in the three-legged flanges. In the pic those extensions seem to have a washer and nut against them, rather than being in the recesses (where they would not be visible). An improperly installed flex disc can lead to quite a bit of noise, and it will be at driveline frequency, rather than wheel frequency.

pj67coll · #24 01-17-2016, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank Reiner

pj:

It may be an illusion, but, the rear flex disc appears to be out of position by 60 deg.
Each bolt bushing has a flat side and an extended side; the extended sides are to go into recesses in the three-legged flanges. In the pic those extensions seem to have a washer and nut against them, rather than being in the recesses (where they would not be visible). An improperly installed flex disc can lead to quite a bit of noise, and it will be at driveline frequency, rather than wheel frequency.

It's possible that someone goofed it up sometime in the past. However the noise I'm referring to, which has not re occurred since Friday, didn't sound like something that would go away if there was a nut or bolt out of place hitting something. I'm going to get under there again tomorrow to check out a few things. I'll see if I can get a better pic of that rear disc. Also see if any of the nuts/bolts appear to be loose/out of place.

- Peter.

JB3 · #25 01-17-2016, 08:47 PM

annulars are great as you don't have to screw with the diff or take the cover off.

just and FYI, if the axle is siezing, they can be a real bear to remove. This is more of an issue with the homokinetic variant which requires some serious flex to pop out of the diff and hub.

Ive had to cut a seized axle in half to remove it after one of the ball bearings distintigrated and parts welded to other parts on the highway. Could not be removed one piece.

Stretch · #26 01-18-2016, 04:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JB3

annulars are great as you don't have to screw with the diff or take the cover off.

...

Indeed - don't focus on the differential any more.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JB3

...

Ive had to cut a seized axle in half to remove it after one of the ball bearings distintigrated and parts welded to other parts on the highway. Could not be removed one piece.

Happy days!

pj67coll · #27 01-18-2016, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stretch

Indeed - don't focus on the differential any more.

So I understand. Because I have "annular" axles I don't need to take the plate off the back of the diff to remove the axle? That sound like a plus.

However seeing as I'll be "in there" anyway, would it not make sense to do that anyway and check that there is no problem in the diff? There's quite a bit of seepage around that plate and I'm thinking that the seal should be re-done.

Also might be a good idea to replace that rubber diff mount while I'm at it as it seems to be quite worn.

- Peter.

Happy days![/QUOTE]

Diesel911 · #28 01-18-2016, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pj67coll

So I understand. Because I have "annular" axles I don't need to take the plate off the back of the diff to remove the axle? That sound like a plus.

However seeing as I'll be "in there" anyway, would it not make sense to do that anyway and check that there is no problem in the diff? There's quite a bit of seepage around that plate and I'm thinking that the seal should be re-done.

Also might be a good idea to replace that rubber diff mount while I'm at it as it seems to be quite worn.

- Peter.

Happy days!

[/QUOTE]

There is no Gasket between the Differential Back Plate and the Diffrential housing.

When I changed the Differential Seals where the Axles inserted into the Differential Housing the Seal Lip Tesioner Spring popped off one of the one of the Seals. So after you knock the Seal in be sure to look inside and see if the Spring remained intact on the Lip of the Seal.

pj67coll · #29 01-20-2016, 10:50 PM

Thanks to all who have posted on this thread. After reviewing it and due consideration I am going to attempt this job myself. I have contacted CVJ Axles and depending on their cost will probably go with one of theirs. I expect to be in a position to attempt this sometime next month. I'll have to rely mostly on my truck between now and then. I might update this thread when I get started or maybe start a new one, depending on how long till I get to it.

- Peter.