Hello, I'm new to this forum but I have been lurking for a while and have found some great info. I have a 1984 300TD, it's fairly new to me, just got it five months ago. It has about 430,000km(canadian car). I have always worked on my own cars but this is my first Mercedes, I had a couple diesel VW's before this. Anyway here is my problem:

I decided to drive the car across the country, Vancouver to NYC, and my rear wheel bearing gave up outside of Chicago. I have looked around the forum and found some info on how to replace it, looks like a big job but not impossible DIY. I ended up leaving the car and taking a bus from Chicago to NYC I will be busing back to the car next week to get it rolling again. My thought is to buy the parts kit and possibly rent the Groove Nut Socket so that I can do it myself or tow it to a shop with all the needed parts.

Anybody in Chicago or NYC have a Groove Nut Socket I can rent?
Anybody know of a good shop near Joliet or Chicago to bring it to?

Any help would be much appreciated

Thanks,
Hank

Maybe to keep costs low buy the hub containing the bearing from an auto wrecker. You should be able to change it yourself when you get back a lot easier.

At least a lot easier than changing the rear bearing out. Also cheaper than getting a shop to actually change the bearing properly.

barry I don't know if you realize this, but that hub you speak of is attached to the whole lower control arm.

Depending on the tools and area the OP is working in, it may not be feasible for the OP to drop the diff, and/or sub frame to get the arm out. So focusing on a smaller job at hand with the proper tools maybe the better route to take.


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1983 123.133 California
- GreaseCar Veg System

By 300TD do you mean a Station Wagon or is it a regular Sedan.

The below applies to a Sedan
In your case it might be cheaper (if you need to pay someone a labor charge) and easier to swap on another used rear Control Arm then to deal with changing the Bearings.

I did that about 10 years ago and have had no bearing issues from the used rear lower control arm.

In fact I have hot read of anyone what swapped on a used lower control arm and had the bearing also go out on that arm.

Besides the special Socket you need a dial indicator to set the end play and the outer race can be difficult to get out sometimes.
I salvaged the hub from the old lower control Arm so I have some experience on removing the old bearings.

What every you do don't follow the part of Dormisons Wiki or internet instructions where you put a Punch on the inside facing part of the Hub to drive it outwards. That area of the Hub is thin and easily distorts/bends and a new Hub is like $350.

In fact since the New Hubs are so expansive if you keep the old control arm and salvage the hub and sell it.

Note on the East Cost and North parts of the US used un-rusted (no holes) Lower Controls arms are more difficult to come by.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Barry thats a good idea .And i would do just that .

Thanks for the input guys. I did think about just changing out the control arm. It is a wagon. will any w123 control arm work? any body know of a good salvage yard in nyc or chicago? Thanks again

Not a yard but try Willy's Auto in Great Neck NY, a Mercedes shop. He may have some leads. There's another fella, private individual, not a shop, in Long Island NY with lots of W123 Mercedes cars & parts. PM me and I will give you his phone number.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 167,870 July 2025
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

Call Hi Line in Downers Grove (630. 663-0044). Fully equipped pro shop specializing in old Mercs (among other exotica). Good work, honest pricing. (Downers is a suburb due north of Joliet)