Yes we did.

these guys that are teasing and acting superior are showing thier ignorance. i've run into several wheels over the years on Jeeps and one on a Suburu that were so stuck on they needed a sledge hammer to loosen them on the axle. you would have sworn they were bolted on another way.
someday when they get some experience they will understand.
no such thing as a stupid question

__________________
Current money-pits:
96 Passat TDI
78 300D 100k miles(60miles/day)FOR SALE
91 Jetta Diesel 250k miles (80miles/day)
82 Toyota Diesel pickup 150k miles; out of service for a little while with a valve problem.
All on BelenBioDiesel
Past diesels:
01 Golf TDI
81 Isuzu P/U
85 Jetta
89 KW 425 cat
85 Pete 400 cat (currently still running the west coast with over 1.5 million miles)
81 KW 400 Cummins
77 Freightliner CO ???? Cummins (Buttercup)
57 180D lots of miles(gone but not forgotten)

I agree 100% We all started somewhere. Remember, this forum is here to help, not to show off how smart you think you are. As my mother told me once, "everyone play nice in the sandbox"

__________________
-Randy Wakefield

1969 220D 4 speed (parts car)
1976 280C
1976 280S
1981 240D 4 speed (parts car)
1982 300D
1983 300TD (Ivory)
1983 300TD (gold)
1985 300TD (gray)
1987 190D 2.5
1970 280SEL (sold)
1977 240D 4 speed (sold)
1974 280 (rusted to death)
---
1927 Chevy 4 door sedan
1938 Chevy 2 door sedan
1950 Willys Jeepster
1955 Studebaker President 4 door
1977 Ford F250
1979 Glastron 17'
1948 John Deere A
1960 John Deere 2010
1979 Satoh S650G
--
2000 Bichon (Doby)

is quite normal.
It took two of us to get the front wheels off a 1980 W123 240D this morning.
Heavy corrosion was found on hub and wheel rim.
We used a 4X4 and twenty pound sledge to work it loose.
Oh, it took half hour for one wheel and fifteen minutes for the other.
This is why you need to clean and lubricate the back and center of each wheel rim.

These MBZs have so many over-engineered elements to them, I assume that I am going to run into something strange every time I do a repair for the first time.

And I sure am glad we all have somewhere to turn to for freindly help!

(man, I'll never forget that first starter...thought she was gonna be simple, got dropped off with my tools and starter, let my ride disappear, then found that allen head....Dooh!
went for a 2 mile hike.....)

__________________
Think Alternative Energy!
300CD '80 (now gone but not forgotten...)

I'm dead serious and honestly not taking a 'holier than thou' attitude. Working on cars is potentially dangerous...kicking at the wheel of a car that is improperly supported could kill someone.

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Where I live in extreme saltbelt rusted on wheels are common. My own favorite has already been mentioned. Back the lugbolts out about 1/8 inch. drive car around in a couple of circles and hit brakes. Back up and hit brakes. Travel about 10 mph before hitting brakes fairly hard. The main seizure point on mercedes seems to be the centre hole area and they can be pretty stubborn at times. The anti seize is a good ideal in fact you may want to remove all of your wheels and treat them. That way if you ever experience a flat while away from home it will not be traumatic to change. Not a stupid question at all. Some additional thoughs are in order though. The wheels I loosened by this proceedure where inflated and steel.. You may need an air pig to temporarily inflate the flat tire. A little heat seems to work as there is not much heat that is going to transmit through the oxide. If the wheel is alloy you cannot use much heat anyways even while the hub of the bearing is quite heavy and cast steel. The expansion coefficent is much greater on the alloy material and I think this may be a benifit but have yet to have the problem with them. Moderate heating seems to help without getting the bearing seals very warm. Even just a propane torch helps more than you would imagine. Use an old set of wheel bolts if possible keeping the originals non abused. Most of the wheels are metal on the earlier 123s and I have done far more of them as most my 123s are the earlier ones. Nothing really new as I have been dealing with this problem back in the sixties even.

i've had some lugnuts on pretty dang tight before and the only way i could get them off was with a cheater pipe. put your lugwrench on the lugnuts - car on the ground until you've got the nuts cracked, then jack it up. remember: righty tighty lefty loosey. if standing on the lugwrench doesn't work, you'll need a 4 or 5 foot piece of steel pipe (used for water or gas line - you can get it at home depot). use 3/4" it's more heavy duty and for sure won't bend. slip the pipe over the end of the lugwrench and use that leverage to crack those nuts loose. the "cheater" pipe will give you much more leverage than a short lugwrench.

__________________
Jeff
___
1982 300D Turbo 150K
PlantDrive Single tank WVO conversion
6000 veggie miles and counting!
-----------
1985 Ford F250 - 132K
PlantDrive Two-tank WVO conversion
15,000 veggie miles and counting...

Driving for FREE!

I can understand reasonable safety concerns, but how exactly does one kill themselves kicking a wheel?
I am assuming that you do not mean laying under the car and trying to kick the wheel off.
Nor drop kicking a wheel off a car in motion, rolling directly at you.

__________________
Think Alternative Energy!
300CD '80 (now gone but not forgotten...)

"let my ride disappear"------Jimmy Joe

OH NO ! That was a hard way to learn that lesson... these cars always throw some extra twist at any job needing to be done on them....

You missunderstood me. No harm meant, by me anyways. Relax, don't go taking sides. It wasnt meant that way at all. How do you think I even know about such a class? We were all there at one point in time. Dont lump me into the "these guys" and "ignorant" category.
I come across at least two wheels a week that have corroded themselves onto the hub, especially on the earlier 98-99 ML320's. They are junk, the wheels are damn heavy and its an even more wonderful experience when using your foot to kick it off from the inside when you miss and hit your anklebone just wait untill you come across MB's lug bolts (like on the later 126's) where the head is extended an inch or so on a shaft and the head twists off since the lug is rusted in place. those are fun to drill out while attempting to not destroy your rim.

__________________


1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

Having never removed a wheel from a MB (I'm not counting taking the spare out of the trunk)....are the lugs bolts or nuts?

I'd bet its pretty common for an alloy wheel to sieze to a steel spindle.

My '01 VW (TDI - this is a diesel forum ) had at least 1 wheel that was reluctant to break free of its perch. I use anti sieze on the spindles and that seems to work pretty well. I also change out Winter and Summer wheels so the lugs (studs on the vw) get some seasonal excercise.

__________________
Rob M
Norwich, VT USA
1980 240D Euro delivery 4 speed manual silver/blue
~160K miles

My wife had never changed a tire so I thought it would be a worth wile exercise to have her change a tire on her car.

It is one thing to be told how to do something and all together different to actually do it.

She changed the tire on a clear and warm day. While going through the process she had questions that I did not anticipate.

For people who have been working on cars, what is common sense to us might be a foreign language to them. Also, by having to locate the jack, spare, etc. I feel more comfortable if she has to change a tire when it is dark out and visibility is diminished.

We set out triangle reflectors even though we were on our drive way and talked about the importance pulling off the road so that the flat tire side of the car is away from traffic. That if there no safe place to pull over to drive slowly on the side of the road until you come to an exit or safe spot. And that her safety is more important than saving the tire or wheel.

She told after we were finished that she felt a real sense of acomplishment from our tire changing exercise.

Below is a decent article from the DIY Network

Servicing a Flat Tire

• Safety first: Changing a tire on a roadside can be dangerous. If you have a flat on a busy highway, attempt to change it only if there is a wide shoulder or you can pull well off the road. Driving on a flat until you reach the next exit may ruin the tire and damage the wheel, but it's better than putting yourself in danger. If you must drive on a flat, pull over far enough that you're out of the traffic flow (in the emergency lane, if there is one), keep your speed below 10 miles per hour, and turn on your hazard flashers. Be aware that the steering will be affected dramatically.

1. If you must change the tire, pull well out of the flow of traffic and park on level ground. Shut off the engine, put the car in park and apply the parking brake. Leave your flashers on, and if you have them, use flares or reflective cones to alert other drivers. Wearing an orange reflective vest is also a good safety measure.

2. Check your owner's manual for the recommended procedure and the location of the car's spare and tire-changing equipment. It's best to review this section of the owner's manual in advance. Even if you have done so, it's wise to review the instructions before changing the tire, particularly if you haven't changed one in some time.

3. Remove the spare tire and equipment. These may be in the trunk, beneath the trunk liner. In some cases the jack may be behind a side panel. In larger vehicles such as SUVs, minivans and trucks, the spare may be mounted underneath the rear of the vehicle. In such a case, a hex nut in the floor of the rear cab usually lowers the spare from its mounting position. Use the hex wrench provided with the jack to turn the nut counterclockwise and lower the tire; continue turning until there's enough slack in the cable to permit removing the retaining clip from the center of the wheel.

4. Chock the wheel diagonally opposite to the tire you're changing. This will help prevent the vehicle from rolling. (If you don't have a wheel chock, you may be able to use a rock or a log.)

5. Before jacking the vehicle, loosen the lug nuts on the wheel you're changing. Begin by "breaking loose" each lug nut (loosening it without removing it all the way), turning it counterclockwise with the lug wrench. If the nuts are very tight, you may need to step on the wrench to start it turning. Loosen each nut; don't remove them.

6. Check your manual for the correct placement of your jack, and follow the instructions to jack up the car until the flat tire is clear of the ground.

7. With the car jacked and the flat tire off the ground, pop off the hubcap, if there is one, and remove the lug nuts completely. Remove the uppermost nut last. Lift off the flat tire and set it aside.
Tip: Use the hubcap to hold the lug nuts while you're working. Nuts can easily get lost in the grass or gravel if you're working on the roadside.
Install the spare tire. Align the bolts with their corresponding holes on the wheel, then make sure the wheel is flush against the hub. When putting the wheel in place, insert the top bolts first so the rest will line up more easily. Replace and tighten all the lug nuts as tightly as you can by hand, making certain that the wheel seats firmly against the hub. Be sure to replace the lugs so they go back on the same way they were originally.
Lower the vehicle until the tire just touches the ground, but don't remove the jack. (The jack should still be supporting most of the weight of the vehicle).
Use the lug wrench to tighten the nuts in a crisscross pattern -- tightening one nut, then the one directly opposite it (the top, then the bottom; the right, then the left; and so on.) This ensures that the wheel seats evenly. Once you've tightened all the nuts, tighten each one again as firmly as you can. Now you can lower the vehicle completely and remove the jack.
Collect the damaged tire, the hubcap and your tools. (If the tire is not too severely damaged, a tire-service center may be able to repair it.) If the spare was mounted beneath the vehicle, be sure to raise the retaining cable before driving away.
Important: If your replacement is a temporary spare, you must heed the restrictions printed on the tire. These tires are designed to get you to a service center where you can purchase a new tire, and many are rated for a certain maximum safe distance and speed limit. Driving farther or faster than recommended on a temporary spare may be dangerous. Also be aware that because the spare is smaller than the other tires, driving on one will affect the vehicle's handling.

You can buy an emergency repair kit that will reinflate a flat tire and seal it from the inside. Choose the nonflammable type, and keep in mind that the fix is merely temporary. The tire will need to be replaced as soon as possible.
If your tire has a slow leak, you may be able to reinflate the tire and drive on it until you can get to a service center. If you travel a lot, you may want to carry a portable air compressor for refilling a tire with a slow leak. Some portable air compressors are battery operated; some are plugged into a car's cigarette lighter.

Finally, if you feel that changing a tire is a bigger task than you can manage, membership in an auto club may be a wise investment.

__________________
Anders

1995 E300
2015 VW TDI Sportwagen 15K
1977 240D (197K)
2002 Subaru Legacy L Wagon (115k) (Wife's)
Gone but not forgotten:
2005 Buick LeSabre
1998 C230
1984 300D
1983 240D
1981 300SD
1974 240D
1974 Fiat 124 Spider
1968 Triumph TR250

I agree that working on cars is potentially dangerous, and for that reason I don't try a lot of jobs by myself. That said, your advice that he get a AAA membership and a warrantied car (i.e., give up and never work on his own cars) is where it was perhaps a little harsh. It suggests that those of us who don't know how to do this stuff don't know it because we're stupid or incapable. I know you didn't say that, per se, but you kind of implied it. I'm not stupid (I have a transcript that can back that up) and not incapable ... but I've never changed a tire. And I'm 23. Does that mean I should never try to learn?

At the risk of relying on a cliche, everyone has to start somewhere. Personally, if it's a risky job, I like to have someone there to show me how to do it (and take care of damage control ... heh ... ). But for a lot of stuff, coming on here and asking about it is a good place to start. Certainly a step ahead of just winging it completely!

__________________
1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

Thanks Andersbenz, that was a useful checklist for those of us goofs who haven't changed a tire yet. I've helped my dad and mom with it bunch of times, but never had the "priviledge" of having to do it solo.

One thing that amazes me (a little off topic) is how many people drive around on flats. In the past week I've TWICE passed cars while I was out running that had DEAD FLAT tires and were just driving about their business. I can't imagine they didn't notice the flats. One was a minivan, the other a small Toyota. Had I been driving, I would have flashed my fogs at them or something, but when you're out running it's a little harder to get their attention. I watched the van drive right past a service center and on up the street. D'OH!

__________________
1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)