W124 Drive Shaft Clamping Nut
 

What size is the drive shaft clamping nut on the W124s?

MB shop manual calls for open end wrench element # 126 589 00 01-00 or 201 589 00 01-00 but fails to state the size.

Anyone else offer a wrench dedicated to this size nut?

I really hesitate to say this, because I know I'll get flamed for it (as it isn't MB protocol)...but I'm going to anyway. I asked a friend who is a trained MB mechanic (but now has his own business)(the dealer closed here many years ago) about this once, because I needed to remove the driveshaft for a transmission job. It was for a 70's 4 cylinder, maybe a 220. If this is the huge nut that clamps the splines, we simply used an air chisel with a dull-ended fixture. Hammer gently around the nut and it screws right off. Reverse the procedure to tighten.

The open end wrench that I have for this application has 46 stamped on it. I am assuming it is a 46 mm.

Baum Tools offers 41, 42 and 46 mm open end drive shaft wrenches but the salesman said there was no reference to the W124 application in his literature... per Baum, 41 mm is for 107, 108, 115, 123, 126, 201; 42 mm is for 201 drive shaft clamping.

Assenmacher offers 41 and 46 mm wrenches but again the sales staff was uncertain as to which fit a 124.

I measured 46 mm, which matches Engatwork's reply, so 46 it is!
Thanks.