It is possible to remove the wheel carrier without removing the axle at the differential. You'll just have to be careful and pull the carrier off the axle after everything else is disconnected.

To get the torque on the 30mm nutI guestimated based on the amount of threaded axle exposed on the side of the car I didn't take off. If you look at the nut you'll see that there is just a little bit of the axle protruding over the of the nut (on both sides of my car). This was also about as tight as I could get the nut!

** Don't forget to cut a slot and bend the tab in on the new nut as a precaution from having it loosen itself! **

I also should have thanked MB Doc, BillyBob, and ozawa for their helpful advice about the project. I don't think I could have succeeded without them!

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Daily Driver: 02 E430 4MATIC
In the family: '03 E500 // '04 ML500 // 64 220SE