w123 Half Shaft Flex Boot lifespan - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

vwnate1 · #31 12-15-2024, 11:35 PM

Okay ;

Like some here I've been adjusting wheel bearings by hand since the 1960's and never had one fail yet .

Claiming the Mercedes bearings are different some how means you don't grasp how they work and also that roller bearings are standard items if different for various applications, just look up the interchange on the bearings used .

As far as oil vs. grease, there are none so blind as those who refuse to see .

Oddly, one of the very best Mechanics I ever knew was a crazy old woman (she was NO 'lady' !) who insisted to her death the only non detergent oild should be used in older engines.....

The intentional obtusity (I made up this word) is mind boggling .

Yes, I agree oil may well be the better lubricant in CV joints but believe it or don't, the engineers who design things know more about auto repair than you ever will .

martureo · #32 12-16-2024, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vwnate1

Okay ;

Like some here I've been adjusting wheel bearings by hand since the 1960's and never had one fail yet .

Claiming the Mercedes bearings are different some how means you don't grasp how they work and also that roller bearings are standard items if different for various applications, just look up the interchange on the bearings used .

As far as oil vs. grease, there are none so blind as those who refuse to see .

Oddly, one of the very best Mechanics I ever knew was a crazy old woman (she was NO 'lady' !) who insisted to her death the only non detergent oild should be used in older engines.....

The intentional obtusity (I made up this word) is mind boggling .

Yes, I agree oil may well be the better lubricant in CV joints but believe it or don't, the engineers who design things know more about auto repair than you ever will .

And yet you won't provide any material which would cite those engineers.

vwnate1 · #33 12-17-2024, 09:11 PM

The simple fact that Mercedes no longer provides the obsolete spider oil in their boot kits tells anyone who has rational thinking ability what's what here .

When one comes to a tech help site then wants to argue that the manufacturer is wrong, well, I leave that to you sir .

vstech · #34 12-17-2024, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unkl300d

Good to know Vstech!
I searched your past postings but am not seeing the topic of internal axle shaft rust.

I know that you have better things to do, but if later you come across a link, it would benefit this thread !

Thanks

https://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/348451-ok-w124-rear-bearings-bear-replace.html

martureo · #35 12-18-2024, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vwnate1

The simple fact that Mercedes no longer provides the obsolete spider oil in their boot kits tells anyone who has rational thinking ability what's what here .

When one comes to a tech help site then wants to argue that the manufacturer is wrong, well, I leave that to you sir .

Ah, I'm still not seeing this citation you're touting.

"Obvious" means you can't support your claim.

vstech · #36 12-18-2024, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vwnate1

The simple fact that Mercedes no longer provides the obsolete spider oil in their boot kits tells anyone who has rational thinking ability what's what here .

When one comes to a tech help site then wants to argue that the manufacturer is wrong, well, I leave that to you sir .

Yes.
As with all things, the dollar wins.
It is cheaper and faster to use grease than oil in the cv axles.

I have opened up hundreds of 123 and 124 axles… look at the thread I linked above.

The greased axles RUST AWAY and fail.

I have NEVER SEEN THE SLIGHTEST CORROSION in any 123/126 oiled axles. Zero.

Dozens and dozens of 124 axles were rusty, and many of them the metal was so far gone as to be unsafe, and I have had 2 fail from rust.

martureo · #37 12-19-2024, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

Yes.
As with all things, the dollar wins.
It is cheaper and faster to use grease than oil in the cv axles.

I have opened up hundreds of 123 and 124 axles… look at the thread I linked above.

The greased axles RUST AWAY and fail.

I have NEVER SEEN THE SLIGHTEST CORROSION in any 123/126 oiled axles. Zero.

Dozens and dozens of 124 axles were rusty, and many of them the metal was so far gone as to be unsafe, and I have had 2 fail from rust.

I could understand it being a decision based on saving a few bucks or just easier to service, but I'd expect a service bulletin or some literature which advised the use of grease.

The idea that something comes in a service kit means I should use it is silly. There used to be several service kits for different steering boxes, now they are all superseded by a single kit. I can't use all the parts supplied on any one box and some of those seals aren't the best choice for some boxes.

I'm willing to be wrong about the appropriateness of oil for CV joints, I just want to be able to repeat the correct position with some way of defending it when someone asks me. There's no way I'm switching to grease and saying "yeah, some guy online said it was obvious."

Diesel911 · #38 12-20-2024, 02:35 PM

Well, who has access to the service bulletins? Also, I doubt if Mercedes has expectations of the car owners working on their own axles other than removing and re-installing.

Using stretchy boots over the axle cans is not in the Mercedes factory manual and beyond a hydraulic press who has used the actual Mercedes can cutting tools and the factory can crimp tools when they re-booted axles?

It is already known that the German language printed factory service manuals have more information in them compared to the English language versions of the printed manuals.

And I know for a fact the older manual on CDs had less information compared to what is in the English language printed manuals.

Obviously is nothing wrong with telling someone the factory authorized methods.