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  #1  
Old 12-09-2008, 11:59 AM
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stearing gear box repair

I have an extra gear box for my 108. It needs new seals and I would like to do the repair myself.
I like the challenge of this difficult repair.
What are special needed tools for this repair and can I rent them?
I have the proper Mercedes seals for this gear box.
Please, I do not want to hear why I should not do this repair. I am only looking for advice on how to complete the repair.
There is not a down side for me on this repair. There is so much play in this steering box that it cannot be used in its present state.
If it works out successfully then I can replace it with the one in my 280.
I look forward to your help, advice, and support.

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Old 12-09-2008, 12:46 PM
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The service manual should cover it with mention of special tools and such I would think?
Seems like the w123 books do. It's been awhile.
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  #3  
Old 12-09-2008, 03:20 PM
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Britton,

This looks like what you might be looking for:

http://www.davidpetryk.net/Mercedes/Steering.htm


Tom
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  #4  
Old 12-09-2008, 06:32 PM
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So what are the tightening torques?
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68 280 SE coupe 'Hairball'
70 280 SL
71 280 SEL - RIP May 2010
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  #5  
Old 12-09-2008, 07:25 PM
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Here are some steps I could share:
Lift the front end onto jack stands.
Fill the pump, start engine, and rotate the steering wheel full left, then full right, repeat seven cycles.
After seven cycles, turn off engine for thirty minutes, then without starting engine, rotate the steering wheel full left, then full right twice and recheck fluid level.
Start the engine, and rotate the steering wheel full left, then full right, repeat the cycle as needed, checking fluid often.
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Old 12-10-2008, 10:32 AM
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I think this is the bleeding procedure, for after you refill the fluid.

I've never had much luck with the preload adjustment on other makes that they describe in that link. I don't think it will make up for a severely worn box. I've never experienced the exactness that M-B seems to get out of recirc ball in any other make. The worst appear to be GM boxes from what I've experienced, Fords aren't as bad but still not great. The Alfas I've hard were really hard to adjust, using shims/etc but were slightly better than the domestics. I used to think that, in order to get precise steering you needed rack and pinon, but the recirc boxes that Mercedes makes are quite impressive in that regard. It could just be that the boxes I've carefully and painstakingly adjusted in that way in the past were just junk to begin with. It seems like most of the time you adjust them, you just end up with a slightly binding AND loose-feeling box, so then you back off a hair and end up with the same loose box you started with. I'm not trying to dissuade you, just saying that this procedure alone *might* not do all that you hope. I think there must be some way of restoring orignial spec to the guts of the box but as you've pointed out, it's probably black magic at this point. If you get it done, that'd be quite a skill to possess.
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Old 12-10-2008, 02:41 PM
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Many boxes are mis-diagnosed as worn when the actual culprit is the coupling on the bottom of the steering shaft/column. They have bushes that are very common to see worn out and all the box adjusting in the world will not cure the SW slop.
Also, the end play in the box is adjustable and has to be verified/set before the top bock pressure spring adjuster is done. Tightening the top adjuster does not cure a box with endplay, it simply puts more pressure on the block.

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Last edited by Arthur Dalton; 12-10-2008 at 03:48 PM.
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