Has anyone changed the shifter bushings.. - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Brnn53 · #1 10-03-2010, 04:12 PM

on a 107? I need some help changing mine on my 1984 500SL. Anyone done this?
Mike

sokoloff · #2 10-03-2010, 05:06 PM

Automatic or manual?

Strife · #3 10-03-2010, 05:09 PM

If yours are disintegrated, good, because they can be hard to remove.

They are even harder to install. The one for the shifter isn't so bad to get to, the one for the transmission, you should remove the lever by removing the clamping screw ENTIRELY (don't just loosen it) and do it off the transmission. You will be working under the car so take all possible measures including multiple support and backup systems to hold the car up safely and prevent it's rollling off of those supports. I, personally, hate working under a car under any circumstances unless it's on a commercial lift.

The plastic is VERY difficult to get reseated in the metal. There is a tool that is available from SIR or BAUM to do this with but it's about $40 and how often you do you do this. Here is what I did. I put the nylon bushings in the microwave. You have to be REALLY careful with this because the window between "not soft enough" and "too soft and permanently deforms the bushing" is small, but I did this in 5-10-second spurts until it was right, and I popped them in and they cooled. But note, I destroyed one of my new nylon inserts in the process of finding "the right temperature" - so I'd get a spare.

You MIGHT be able to do this by boiling them in water. Just putting them in hot water won't be enough.

This will make a MAJOR difference in the quality feel of the shifter. It's money well spent.

Brnn53 · #4 10-04-2010, 08:37 AM

Mine is an automatic. I have gotten as far as removing 3 of the 10mm bolts that hold the shifter mechanism but the 4th bolt (upper left ) is refusing to come out. The space is very cramped and I can only use a ratcheting wrench with about 3 inches of movement. I have turned this bolt for an hour but it will not come out. Also the mechanism will not budge. I thought I should be able to lift it after removing the 4 bolts to access the linkage and disengage it per this DIY from OZbenz http://ozbenz.net/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=7658
I kinda thought there would be a difference in the actual mechanics for my vehicle (107 vs. 123 models) but obviously the Euro version is much different. Is there something under the car that is keeping this bolt and the mechanism from being removed? I will get jack stands this week and crawl under for a look. Strife has this proceedure been this difficult for your 560? Any problems like I described? Thanks for any and all help fellas.
Mike

sokoloff · #5 10-04-2010, 09:07 AM

Mike - I did the bushings on my 560SL and the shifter mechanism came out pretty easily. Having the thing in your hand and doing it on the bench was a piece of cake. Not sure what's holding yours in place. Maybe that fourth bolt is stripped and needs a little upward force to help it come out while you're ratcheting it?

Brnn53 · #6 10-04-2010, 11:26 AM

Thats encouraging news Sokoloff. I would think that mine would come off easily too. I can see a gasket underneath it. Did yours have one? That one bolt is so close to the side of the center console that I even thought about removing the console but I bet that would be a real pain. BTW.. I'm in Johnston Co. NC. Thanks for the reply!
Mike

Strife · #7 10-04-2010, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brnn53

Strife has this proceedure been this difficult for your 560? Any problems like I described? Thanks for any and all help fellas.
Mike

I did it from underneath the car THAT WAS EXTREMELY AND REDUNDANTLY SAFELY SUPPORTED, with channellocks and the microwave technique, and, while not fun, was doable from underneath without removing the shifter assembly.

You have to get under the car to do the other one at the transmission lever anyway.

joselu43 · #8 10-04-2010, 08:55 PM

I watched mi indie do it. He had a variation on Strife's method: he just removed a small amount of plastic with a file and it went in easily. If I recall it right, he only did it with one of them. I guess the trick is in the filing, then again, the bushings are really inexpensive. Worth a try?

JimFreeh · #9 10-05-2010, 06:42 AM

Just did this on my 95 E320.

Boiled the bushings in water using the microwave, smeared a bit of grease on the bushing and popped them in with a needle nose pliers.

Jim

Strife · #10 10-05-2010, 06:26 PM

Water is NOT REQUIRED to heat these up. The plastic actually has a moisture content. Also, it's dangerous to boil stuff in a microwave because it can suddenly boil explosively when jostled (like, when you take it out of the oven).

Just being a worry wart.

RadioTek · #11 10-06-2010, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strife

Water is NOT REQUIRED to heat these up. The plastic actually has a moisture content. Also, it's dangerous to boil stuff in a microwave because it can suddenly boil explosively when jostled (like, when you take it out of the oven).

Just being a worry wart.

Unless you are doing this in laboratory conditions, you don't have to worry about the explosive boilover bit. You have to have an almost perfectly clean pyrex beaker and lab grade distilled water very gently put in to the beaker. It has to do with not having any imperfections or air bubbles to permit the bubbles from the heating process to occur. What happens is that in the "laboratory" conditions with super- smooth container and no bubbles in the fluid, the jostling permits superheated water to suddenly have a "bubble nucleus". Then you have the boilover.

Just going Mr. Science on everyone, sorry.

Scott

Brnn53 · #12 10-09-2010, 12:46 PM

Well I figured out why the bolt would not come out. Seems the welded nut underneath broke loose and the whole thing just spins. For the life of me I can't figure out how to get to it. Not sure if there is enough room under the car to get a tool on it. I don't have the car in the air high enough to see it. I thought about cutting the head of the bolt off but there is not enough room for even a Dremel to get in. Just my luck. What I thought would be a weekend project looks to be an expensive repair for someone else to tackle. I did get the shift mechanism loose but it does me no good with that @#**! bolt like it is.
Mike