Have tried suggestions on solving tranny/driveshaft problem in '83 300D . Output shaft has backed off far enough to disengage spline . No evidence of output flange movement . I have been able to re-engage output shaft to spline and adjust output flange to reduce play in shaft ,however there is still enough play in the output shaft for it to disengage again by the time the car moved 1/4 mile. It seems to me as though the carrier bearing has collapsed allowing the output shatf too much play between the tranny and the output flange . Assuming that the output shaft hasn't shrunk in our unseasonably warm Newfoundland weather ,and with no structural damage evident,I'm thinking the problem may be with the carrier bearing .
Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated .

It sounds to me like you have stripped the teeth inside of this. I have never seen this condition before.

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Benzmac:
Donnie Drummonds
1991 GMC Syclone
ASE CERTIFIED MASTER AUTO TECHNICIAN
SERVICE MANAGER FOR 14 BAY FACILITY
MERCEDES SPECIALIST 8 YRS
PARTNER IN MERCEDESSHOP.COM

Thanks for the reply and sorry to hear about your accident .Beware whiplash and back muscle spasms - get yourself checked out by a doctor.
On the issue of my drivetrain troubles , I have found the trouble . The nut which holds the yoke in place on the end of the tranny spline backed off allowing the output shaft (if thats what's it called )to disengage . Should have it back together in the morning .
I'm wondering if this is a common problem ?

Dave

I see they (Benz) changed the style of the nut so it can be installed with a 12 point socket. Maybe it has been a problem that the old style was not being tighten correctly due to the special tool required and resulted in the issue you have.

Good luck

As I pointed out in the original post, I have seen these nuts get loose numerous times. They are not supposed to be reused. I have never seen one come so far apart as to allow separation. In earlier transmissions and maybe in yours the speedo function stops or swings madly as the gear isn't splined to the shaft. It depends on the tightness of the nut to spin.

Before it came apart there should have been considerable vibration.

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Steve Brotherton
Owner 24 bay BSC
Bosch Master, ASE master L1
26 years MB technician

[This message has been edited by stevebfl (edited 08-10-2000).]

Steve,

You are probably correct in that the old nut was reused and possibly not "peened" correctly to lock it in place.