E420 Flex Discs
 

Anyone know if these are replaceable (front and rear) without having to take the drive shaft out? The shop manual does not show this as a separate job--only as a part of removing the entire drive shaft.

I suspect the transmission would have to be supported by a jack and the mount removed to get to the front disc. I just don't want to get into removing the entire exhaust and drive shaft to change the discs. Any input?

The front one is an easy replacement w/o removing the d/shaft.

The rear one requires un-bolting the center support & that can be a pain on some cars.

Thanks, MB Doc. I guess that's good news. I've read that the front disc usually goes bad before the rear. I'm getting a clunk when I put it in gear so maybe I'll try the front to see whether it softens it up. After doing the transmission and motor mounts, for some reason the clunk seems more noticeable now.

What are the symptoms of these going bad??

There are at least two ways I know they can go bad. The first is where the disc actually physically starts to come apart or unraveled. The other is where the rubber just hardens and makes the drivetrain less able to absorb the jolt of shifts and putting it into gear. Mine are not coming apart, they are just getting old and hard.

And where is the front and rear flex disk?
I only saw the one behind the transmission.
Mine looked overall in one piece with no cracks etc however when I put my car into D there is a jolt. Going into R however doesn't make such a jolt

The kit is depicted as #179 in this link (part number 129 410 0115). https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B-WRh0Hf7VdZZGIzZmYwYTQtMTQ3NS00ODExLWI4NzAtZmUyNGUyZTM3YTVk&hl=en

I plan to do just my front disc first, based on MB Doc's post above, but I'm not sure how the front centering bushing (depicted as #110) fits into the drive train or whether it will be in the way. Does the centering bushing fit into the torque converter? Anyone.

Spetz, the EPC for the 1994 E220 shows a "vibration absorber" (176) and a "flex joint disc" (179). I'm not sure what the difference is.

https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B-WRh0Hf7VdZZDA2YjdiZjMtZDI3NS00YmE3LTgzNTctNDAzOGRkY2MyNjMz&hl=en

I see, so basically one behind the transmission and one in front of the differential

That's it. I'm thinking that if I can get to the front disc easily enough, maybe that will be enough to absorb the clunk when putting it in gear. Getting to the nuts and bolts might be difficult.

Flex Discs
 

Emery DC8,

The 'Centering Bushing" forward end fits into the Three Legged Flange that
is bolted onto the end of the Tranny.
If it's not "Distorted" just "Lube It".

All the exacerbated R+R if it's "Boogered":
http://www.ps2cho.net/downloads/MB%20CD/W124/w124CD2/Program/Chassis/41-200.pdf

Thanks. The tail housing makes more sense. I don't know what made be say torque converter. That made no sense at all.

Should I even knock the centering sleeve out of the propeller shaft or just grease the end I can get to? Also, looking at the diagram in the manual, the centering sleeve would appear to block the flex disc from slipping out unless the drive shaft is pushed back or removed. Is there enough play to move the drive shaft back to get the front flex disc out?

The Doctor Said:
 

"The front one is an easy replacement w/o removing the d/shaft."


Loosening the 42-46MM nut/coupler will give you enough BackSlide room to
R+R the front disc.







I'd visually inspect the "Centering bushing" and if there are no signs of distortion
/wear, just re-lube it.
R+R of the Bushing will require the removal of the Driveshaft,for sure.

Thanks, Compress Ignite. I have one more question. The shop manual at 41.1-050/2 says, with regard to the front drive shaft, "Loosen fitted sleeves with mandrel 10 mm dia." What fitted sleeves are they referring to? If I am not taking the drive shaft completely off, will I need this mandrel?

"Mandrel"
 

From the picture they want you to use a 10MM by 150MM rod to manipulate
the Metal fittings "Vulcanized" into the three legged fixture???

[Sometimes, it escapes me (like a Meteor) WTF they're talking about]

If you'll look at each of the Six Metal fittings "Vulcanized" into the Flex Disc...
every other one(Three in total)have a raised metal lip...the Raised metal lip fits into a recess in the Tripod Device.Mayhaps this has something to do with the
"Mandrel" operation?