I have a major hurdle to cross, I now have something close to 800K miles on my 1980 280TE and the rear hub carrying suspension arm bearings have since given up the ghost. I was wondering if anyone could possibly have ideas on replacing the inner and outer bearings on these cars. I have since bought a set of used suspension arms complete with hubs and decent bearings...but do not see to be able to separate the bearings/hubs from the "new" old arms. I imagine they are pressed in and want to know if there is a special tool that is needed for this job.. Please help

Signed desparate and transportationless!

Is this what I am looking for???

That might do one step of the job but I wouldn't use it. The job is a bear and the main special tool necessary is a special spanner to remove the huge groved nut on the backside. The bearing assembly is similar to the set-up of a differential pinion with crush washer and all. The only difference is that the bearings aren't put to preload as diff pinion bearings are.

If you wish to save yourself a ton of aggrevation and a possible redo if you don't do it right, then excahnge the whole control arm with one of your used ones. It is inconceivable to try and use used bearing from one arm into the other.

__________________
Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

I have the spanner tool and already have the grooved nut off. I definitely thought of replacing the arms but...and this is a huge but, the way that arm is recessed behind the outer bulkhead of the body theres not a way to pull the bolt out without dropping the whole subframe. This is seriously driving me nutso! Thanks in advance for any help!

just bumping this..thanks for reading

I've done several W123 and W107 bearing units. Not wagons and never replaced an arm!

You can replace the bearings with a bit of patience without the $700 tool!



Michael

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Michael McGuire
83 300d
01 vw A4 TDI
66 Chevy Corsa
68 GMC V6 w/oD
86 300E

Awesome I thought for sure they were pressed in, soo can you give me a little bit of insight to putting it together? The Haynes is absolutely useless!