1993 300E 3.2L
O.K. Here is a rear axle gear oil change question: How many guys have actually been able to locate a 14MM Hex Driver for the rear axle drain and fill plugs? Honestly I've looked all over and with no avail!! How can I improvise this tool? I was thinking of using a 14mm hex srew and cold welding a hex nut to be able to turn it...any suggestions? Thanks!

McMaster has it.
http://www.mcmaster.com/
Search for p/n 5571A71

I bought one from my MB dealer 20 years ago when I bought my first 190.

It's a combination wrench with short and long 14mm hexes at one end and a 17mm six sided box at the other.

The part number is 000 589 24 07 00

I don't remember the cost. It wasn't cheap, but it wasn't outlandish as I recall. It allows me to remove the fill and drain plugs from both the diff and the five-speed manual transmission.

Duke

Go to the nuts-and-bolts section of Home Depot. You will find a selection of extra-long nuts (around 1 to 1.5" long). I tried to draw a picture of one so you know what I'm talking about...

They're all imperial sizes (nothing metric), so I bought one that was just slightly larger than what I needed for the rear axle drain plug. It was around 49 cents.

Use a grinder or a file and file down 3 of the 6 sides of one end of the nut, so that it will fit in the hole in the drain plug.

You can now insert this nut into the drain plug, and then turn the nut (and drain plug) with a wrench or with a standard imperial socket.

Attached Thumbnails

 

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1989 250TD Wagon 5-speed, 160,000mi ::: Dark gray metallic / black cloth
1984 190D-2.2 5-speed, 287,000mi ::: Silver-blue metallic / black MB-tex ::: SOLD

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=46689

http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/SK-41414.html

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1986 300E 5-Speed 240k mi.

Thank you all!! Great responses....cornblatt, What a great idea! I will try this!
I wonder where I could just find a metric size bolt as in your pic cornblatt?

I bet you could find a 14 mm bolt in any junkyard with European or Japanese cars. I am pretty certain of this. Just take your 14mm socket with you and good hunting among the Toyotas, Hondas, Diahatsus and possibly Volvos, Volkswagens and Yugos.

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Semibodacious Transmogrifications a Specialty

1990 300D 2.5 Turbo sedan 171K (Rudolf)
1985 300D Turbo TD Wagon 219K (Remuda)

"Time flies like and arrow, yet fruit flies like a banana"
---Marx (Groucho)

Believe it or not, I found my 14mm driver (and two others - don't remember the sizes) at the local Autozone... all three come in a pack that's pretty cheap.
My fill plug was very tight.... maybe 125 lb-ft or so... needed a long extension and a long breaker bar to get it loose...
At least in my case, a homemade tool wouldn't have cut it.
Good luck.

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KenP

1996 S500 W140 Coupe

I have a 14mm allen socket I picked up from the Snap-on truck, a bit spendy at $19.00, but it works great on the 4.5 rear diff. It was too long to work within the confines of the leveling valve on the 560 though. I ended up getting the MB combo wrench, 14mm allen on one end and a 13mm box on the other. Even with that wrench it was a be-itch to get the plug out...very tight.

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Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

You could always try eBay:

Snap-on 14 mm socket

Shipping seems rather high though.

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95 E320 Cabriolet, 159K

I found one at True Value Hardware when I did the rearend service on mine. I would be carefull if using just a bolt. Mine required some major torque to get it off. I'm not sure a bolt would have given me enough "bite" on the plug.

Jeff Pierce

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Jeff Pierce

Current Vehicles:
'92 Mercedes 190E/2.3 (247K miles/my daily driver)
'93 Volvo 940 Turbo Wagon (263K miles/a family truckster with spunk)
'99 Kawasaki Concours
Gravely 8120
Previous Vehicles:
'85 Jeep CJ-7 w/ Fisher plow (226K miles)'93 Volvo 940 Turbo Wagon
'53 Willys-Overland Pickup
'85 Honda 750F Interceptor
'93 Nissan Quest
'89 Toyota Camry Wagon
'89 Dodge Raider
'81 Honda CB 750F Super Sport
'88 Toyota Celica
'95 Toyota Tacoma
'74 Honda CB 550F

Put teflon tape on the threads so it will come out easily the next time.

Oh, and always remove the fill plug first (just in case!)

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1986 300E 5-Speed 240k mi.

Great ideas guys!!! Bingo..............my local AUTOZONE...HAD IT! I was so relieved to find it right there in front of me at the store...and I finished up my shopping spree with some quarts of Mobil 1 ATF Syn.
You guys were right...I wouldn't of been able to torque loose the drain or fill plugs without this hex drivere...Boy were they tight!!!
But job is done and all looks well! I assume I tightened them back up just as well, as I left no lip (flush) in regards to the crankcase.
Today: ATF Fluid and Filter change!!

I just done differential oil changed on my 87 MB 190E 2.3L 8V as well. Totally feel different on upshift or downshift.

Found one at a used tool store in Greenville N.C. called Re-Tool.
$5

Before that, I was just going to buy a pack of larger sized allen wrenches in metric from sears or wherever, $20 or so.

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One more Radar Lover gone...
1982 VW Caddy diesel 406K 1.9L AAZ
1994 E320 195K