380SL Tension Rail Pin Removal - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

ewenjo · #1 02-07-2007, 01:20 PM

HELP! I'm into changing the upper slide rails and the tension rail. The slide rail pins were removed quite nicely with the 6mm bolt .and washer stack. When I removed the tension rail plug , I expected to find a simililar threaded pin. But no such thing! It is a hollow pin that is not threaded so how do you get it out? The maintenance manual says to use a screw driver> How does this work...there is nothing to unscrew or attach to, to extract the pin>. As usual thanks for any insight>

John Ewen

Strife · #2 02-07-2007, 06:18 PM

It's kind of tricky, although the people who wrote the manual didn't seem to think so. I used a hooked piece of very strong wire with only about 1/16" 90 degree bend at the end to hook the far end of the hollow cylindrical bearing and pull it. You need to wiggle the tensioner arm itself while doing this.

Putting it in is also a little tricky; I used a drill bit of very slightly smaller diameter to guide it in, also while wiggling the tensioner arm.

ewenjo · #3 02-07-2007, 07:42 PM

Thanks Strife. From what you are saying the pin is a slip fit and not pressed in like the guide rails. That's a good insight. Thanks

Strife · #4 02-07-2007, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ewenjo

Thanks Strife. From what you are saying the pin is a slip fit and not pressed in like the guide rails. That's a good insight. Thanks

Well, it's a pretty close-tolerance sort of slip...

Roncallo · #5 02-07-2007, 09:12 PM

I tried a hooked home made tool that strife suggests with no luck. Mine was really varnished in there. Then I used a 3/8" tap and attempted to thread it into the pin. It caught by less than 1/2 thread. Once the tap grabed a little bit it started to rotate the pin and I was able to gently sort of pull on the tap while rotating.

John Roncallo

ewenjo · #6 02-09-2007, 12:30 PM

Okay... I tried the bent wire...couldn't dislodge the bushing.
I then made a tool with a small 1/16 tooth and that didn't work.
I then tried the .375 tap, it just didn't grab but it rotated the bushing.

So off I went to the hardware store a got a 5/16 o.d. expandable concrete stud about 3 inches long. It just fit in unexpanded and after i tightened it up snug.. I pulled and "viola" it came right out.

Now I have two very stubborn upper rail pins that are refusing to come out.....I "power blasted"(penetrating oil) them for the last three days and still can't budge them with the 6mm bolt and washer trick.... or with a makeshift impact hammer. What do you think about heating the the casing??