But, that is part of the point. The product should have come ready to use.

Many people have some limited tools to work on their car and in fact limited skill and no torque wrench.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Eh, if saving hundreds means a tiny bit of extra work I'll take it. Pitty the fool who changes out their own axles but doesn't have the tools or skills to double check the bolts.

It's likely assumed that the flange has to come off to mount the axle shaft anyway. Standard practice for any garage, it is not a "single piece" unit.

If you don't have a torque wrench, rent one. The axle flange bolts have an incredibly high torque requirement. It isn't something you can just "guess". If the "home mechanic" doesn't have the tools or knowledge to do a certain job, pay someone else to do it who does, or get the tools and brush up on the knowledge required to do the job right and do it safely.

__________________
Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

Just my opinion:
From what i have read most W123s don't come with Annular axles.

Below is an attached picture of a Chinese Annular Axle.

If I remove my Homokinetic Axles (and that is what came on my Car) to replace them with the Chinese Annual Axles. There is going to be no flange present.
I would have to remove the Bolts on the Chinese Annular Axles and apply thread locker and the proper torque (and what would that be? Do the Chinese Annular Axles have the same grade of Bolts on them?) in order to prevent what some consider a catastrophic break down if the bolts come out.

If there was Mercedes Annular Axles on the Car already I would not expect that the Mercedes flanges would match up with the Chinese ones. Or I would be extremely skeptical on that.

And if I had real Mercedes Annular Axles I could easily change the boots and retain the original axles if they were not otherwise damaged.

Attached Thumbnails

 

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

And your opinion may it forever remain.

Your incorrect assumptions and shortcuts taken during installation are not the fault of the Chinese manufacturer of the replacement axle shaft. Mount the flange in the diff, then attach the axle shaft to it and torque the bolts. It's impossible to get the correct torque on the bolts without the shaft installed in the car and the brakes locked hard.

__________________
Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

So you can can't put the differential end of an Annular axle into a Vice with Copper or Aluminum Jaws and torque the bolts. I bet I can.

It might even be that the Annular housing can be held with a large strap wrench like we had where I used to work during the torquing. I don't know what my Boss bought it for but it had thick nylon straps and could accommodate something of like a 20 inch OD.

If your Parking Breaks are in good shape you could set the brakes and you could stick the wheel end of the axle shaft into the hub and torque away on the differential end.

Not to hard for me to think out of the box and be creative.

Why do it other ways then you suggested. If you don't have a lift you have limited space under the Car to use a Torque Wrench.

Any way that gets the bolts properly torqued and does not damage anything is a correct way to do it.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Still trying to defend your lame-ass cop-out I see.

The torque value given in the FSM for the annular axles is 70nm with oiled threads for 10mm bolts, and 125-145nm for 12mm bolts. I doubt very seriously that you're going to hold those axle shafts in a vice tight enough to generate that kind of torque without damaging the axle in some way. Disassembling the axle to install the flange in the diff and install the axle shaft into the car makes the entire process significantly easier than trying to install the entire thing as a single piece.

The thought about lack of room to swing a torque wrench under the car is cute. If you have room to take the diff apart to get the old axles out, you have plenty of room to swing a torque wrench. Having redone annular axles on a half dozen cars, space has never been at a premium.

__________________
Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

I've torqued them by hand using a l o n g flex handle and never had one come loose yet , no loctite .

About 45 years ago I re packed the CV joints on a VW Beetle, looked at the 8MM hardened bolts and thought "I guess standard torque (28 Lb.Ft.) will do"

That was a mistake I'll never forget ~ luckily for me the bolts loosened and I heard the thumping, jacked the car up and said " !? " ~ broke out the book and it said 37# or so, ever since then I've made damn sure CV joint bolts are bugger all tight .

If the inner end (that's where the bolts are of Mercedes' annular drive axles) comes loose whilst you're going quickly, I could see the inner end of the axle damaging the car beyond economical repair so take the time to do it right the first time ! .

I imagine most modern shop Mechanics use a pneumatic chatter gun to tighten them .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

You are welcome to your opinions but as I said the reality is any way that works and does not cause damage is good.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

You are entitled to your opinions, but you are not entitled to spread crappy information on the Internet that could damage someone's vehicle or worse - cause an accident. Anything in the driveline is a safety issue. If you aren't prepared to do the job RIGHT, don't do it at all. Half-assing things is better left for the American car crowd, they're used to it, that's how their cars left the factory.

__________________
Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

Whoa!! What's with all the trash talking (writing?). I only asked if using silicone RTV on a cracked axle boot would be a reasonable idea.

Opinions are like *******s...everybody has one!!

When all is said and done...more is said than done.

Yes, I posted that. I drove the car for several years with the cracks filled with that 3M 5200 marine sealant. Boots do need to be thoroughly cleaned before applying. I used detergent, then acetone then wire brushed (fine brush) and wiped clean. applied several thin coats while rotating. It takes a while to set (get the fast setting type), so I would go back and turn the wheels every now and then so it didn't run.

Things like that Flexseal spray may cure quicker, but not sure how long it would last.

My CV boots never did fail. But I decided to put in new GSP axles - at about $50 each at rck otto, they were cheaper than replacing boots! I have the old ones still and may at some time re-boot them- That was my plan - use the GSPs to keep car on road, but put the OEs back once rebooted, In reality, the GSPs seem just fine after a year and will only get replaced if they fail.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

I shouldn't butt in on your 'conversation'.

But, for what it's worth, I took my new annular axles apart on the bench and then re-torqued them to spec. This because of reports of those bolts sometimes coming loose. AS it tuned out, they were properly torqued (GSP axles) It was easy to do with the axle held in a decent vice.

We then installed the axles in one piece. Again no problem with the diff and hubs positioned properly.

There are lots of ways of skinning a cat

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

You actual experience is valued. And I would say that even of you proved me to be wrong.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

I stick with this forum and some others because I am also here to learn. That exposes me to procedures and opinions that I may not agree with. Sometime I comment on them and sometimes I don't.

It is always up to the reader to decide if what is suggested in the forum is reasonable for them. And when in doubt I suggest further research on what ever the issue is.

Another thing is there is the Factory Service Manual and other Manuals yet this forum exists in part to show ways of doing things that are not in the manual or take the place of the special tools that the Manuals show. That favors many ways to do something compared to there is only one way to do something.

Concerning the particular argument I was in (I am done arguing about it) if someone tells me something is a lame way to do something and the way I suggested actually safely works I cannot see the lameness to it.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel