W124, 1995 E320 wagon, new front flex disc failure
 

Need some advice here..... I replaced the front flex disc on my wife's 1995 E320 wagon about a year ago, and it failed 2 weeks ago........

So, I replaced it again, 2 weeks ago, and it failed today.....

I was an ASE mechanic for over 15 years, so I KNOW that I installed itt correctly, insured that it was properly seated, that it faced the correct way, and tightened it to specs.....

Now, I'm wondering, if the replacement disc that I've been purchasing is not really the front flex disc, but possibly the rear.....Also, I have yet to check the center carrier bearing

Here's is a link to the part that I purchased, hopefully one of the experts on the forum will tell me that it is not the front flex disc that is required (even though it is being sold as the front flex disc)

http://www.ipco-inc.com/item.wws?sku=MBZ076213&itempk=26594&mfr=URO&weight=2.670

Also, on another note: My wife says that it appeared to fail when she made a tight right turn, on both occasions

Thanks in advance

what can we say- your buying the cheapest china made part available. You should note, that blowing out the front can allow the driveshaft to hit the tunnel and activate the airbag.
My advice- but an OEM part. Jurid made by SGF. There is a guy in NY ? selling them on ebay all the time. For about the same prices as the ERO part.
Send it back and ask for a full-refund.

I would check the motor and transmission mounts.. make sure nothing is shifting to cause a failure.

Michael

MB number should be 170-410-00-15 , OE made by SGF (SGAD 139)

That URO brand is a non-QUALITY part made in China!

Bigdaddy, URO is a Chinese outfit that makes inferior aftermarket parts. Verify that you have a front flex disc and are orienting it properly when installing.

Might also want to check for collapsed motor mounts. If they have collapsed, the drive shaft will tilted slightly relative to the transmission output shaft. This will result in continuous flexing of the disc as the shaft turns......... A recipe for early failure especially on an inferior part.

See this thread for a picture of collapsed mount next to a new mount.....

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/193956-95-e320-acc-belt-problems-concerns.html

J. M. van Swaay

Thanks guys, I didn't know that URO was junk.....I buy from this guy because he's local and stocks lots of parts for my Benzs......So, when possible, as in the last time I changed this disc, I stop on my way home from work so that I can replace the failed part later that night without having to take a day off from work.......So, I suspect that my motivation was one of convenience.

Getting to a Dealer is not so easy for me, so the guy I initially purchased this URO disc from said he would refund my money and has ordered the OEM part......To his credit, this is the first incident of a failed replacement part that the guy has ever sold me, and I've purchased tons of parts from him in the past....

I will also check the motor mounts, the trans mount is in great shape.....My wife says that on both occasions, the disc failed when she made extreme left turns, as in making a U turn....I can only imagine that is when the front flex disc may see a lot of torque, I dunno

Thanks a lot for all of your prompt replies, I;ll try to take pictures of the failed URO disc and post them, I;m guessing I got about 200 miles out of it!!!

Thanks!

I bet you both motor mounts are collapsed/blown. I have driven a car with two blown mounts and around corners you could feel the engine throwing the car around quite badly. A tight right turn could have caused too much drivetrain movement, thus straining the flex disc beyond design.

Say what you will about URO parts, but I've haven't had issues.

I hate to say it, but I'm with John M. Most of you may remember my recent flex disc issue that I had and I ordered the wrong flex disc. I did get the right one and everything is now fine. I have had several Uro parts brand and have not had any problems whatsoever. By the way, the picture of the flex disc that is posted looks like a rear one. Not sure if it is because my model is a W201, but search on my thread regarding flex disc and take a look at the pictures that were posted.

I think either you got an unlucky part or you have some other serious issue going on. There is no way, chinese or not, a flex disk should fail within 2 weeks.

Regardless though, stay away from URO. Fastlane carries the correct flex disk that is not URO junk. How did it fail? Did it split?

Bigdaddy, buy Sachs-Boge/Lemfoerder engine mounts which are OEM.

Torque values are:
Engine mounting bracket bolts to block 18 ft/lbs
Engine mount to to engine mounting bracket bolts 41 ft/lbs
Engine mount to cross member bolts 30 ft/lbs

After loosening the engine mount to cross member bolts by all but a couple of threads place a piece of 2" x 6" wood under the rear of oil pan and raise engine approximately 1 1/2" with a floor jack after removing the fan shroud and driving the car onto ramps, or blocking under all 4 wheels so the entire car is raised 8" or 9".

Replace one mount at a time by removing the engine mount to cross member bolt and then the 4 engine mounting bracket to block bolts. Remove the engine mount/mounting bracket assembly, replace the engine mount and reinstall. On the passenger side there is a heat shield that you need to remove for better access. The driver's side is a bear to figure out which wrenches you need to remove the 4 engine mounting bracket bolts.

Take your time and good luck. It's a straightforward DIY job that takes some time.

Same parts guy got me a replacement front disc, it is a:

LEMFORDER 170 410 00 15

To be quite honest with you guys, the Lemforder disc is way less flexible and appears to have greater material density.....The parts guy and myself compared my failed URO to it and I could literally bend the URO inward with my hands, the Lemforder disc didn't budge!!!

The URO failed in such a way that you could tell that the transmission's tailshaft yoke was meeting the driveshaft's 3 point yoke, as evident by the mounting bolt's washer being bent in the direction required for forward motion. The square indentations (3 on each side of the URO disc) had completely collapsed to the point of being able to see through the indentations. Also the "bolt-through-bushings" that are molded into the URO disc showed displacement and began to unseat/separate from the disc.

I will also visually ispect the motor mounts, but I can tell you that there has been no indication of a failed motor mount. I would imagine that a collapsed mount would give some indication of failure during idle or when stopping for a red-light.....This car runs so flawlessly that whenever I stop at a red-light it feels as if the car stalled out because it idles in gear so quietly........Nevertheless, I will check the mounts...

Thanks guys for all of your input and I will update this thread when I obtain further data.

Update: Installed the CORRECT OEM front disc, and unkike the URO (which the bolt holes were difficult to line up with the yokes) the OEM slipped in place with absolute ease, and to my amazment, line up exactly with both the trans and driveshaft yokes, so much so that it held everything aligned perfectly without one bolt yet installed!......Wife took it for a spin says the trans shifted like SILK and there was a noticeable improvement in the overall ride and handling of the vehicle....She said that the car hadn't felt that good since I replaced the front disc the 1st time, which was a year ago, and I installed a URO......I will NEVER EVER purchase a URO anything again!!!!

Checked both motor mounts, neither is collapsed!!!

I thank each and every one of you for your insight and help!

It's always a good thing when wifey is that appreciative. It's a win-win for you.:)