'92 300 D 2.5 Driveshaft
 

There is a large metal collar (not the flex disc) encircling/attached to the front end of the driveshaft; the collar is attached via a series of hard rubber buffers.

Presently. the majority of these buffers are severed... is this collar critical? There doesn't appear to be any way to fix this... will a new drive shaft be required?