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  #1  
Old 03-23-2009, 08:21 PM
Datsun Guy
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: East Bay, California
Posts: 70
Barely made it home today... W114 280c

I was driving to my friend's house across town a minute ago and had to make a U-turn. When I did, I heard a pop that sounded like it came from the steering wheel, and all of a sudden, the steering wheel went from short precise steering to dangerously vague. I had my friend move the wheel back and fourth (since there was now a little less than a 1/4 turn worth of play) while I looked underneath. I could see the entire steering box was moving. During the U-turn, 2 of the 3 bolts on the steering box must have snapped (or one was previously snapped) and it allowed the whole steering box a ton of slack.

I don't have a ton of money and I just got accepted to a couple universities for next fall. Can someone tell me is this a straightforward fix that I can do or that a shop can do for a reasonable price? I really would be heartbroken if this car ends up costing a fortune to fix this problem. I have used kits before to drill into snapped off bolts in the past, and have got them out fairly easy: the heads of the snapped off steering box bolts are located in the drivers side wheel well and I can see through where the bolts used to be, so do you think I could drill out the old bolts from that point??

Thanks for all the help in advance, I've got 2 midterms, a speech, a quiz and a whole bunch of other **** to worry about this week, so go figure that of all weeks for this to happen, it would happen right when i need the car the most.

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  #2  
Old 03-23-2009, 08:30 PM
79Mercy's Avatar
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Remove the rest of the bolts and replace them. Thats really the only thing you can do. Do it yourself, and it will only cost you about 10 bucks to buy 3 new MB bolts.
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Old 03-23-2009, 08:43 PM
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Didn't i read somewhere there was a reinforcement kit for that box mounting area on these cars?
It's not easy to see, but mine looks like it has an extra plate of steel where the box mounts, is that normal?
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  #4  
Old 03-23-2009, 08:49 PM
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I am not that familiar with replacing steering gear bolts but from reading posts in this forum I would highly suggest that a prudent, careful inspection of the whole steering system would be in order to determine what force could create such a problem-or, if what the bolts attach to has been compromised by rust, etc..
I would definitely take the advice above in so far as using genuine MB bolts as they most likely have a specific grade rating and may have been designed to break in the event of forces beyond their rating..
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Old 03-23-2009, 08:58 PM
Datsun Guy
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: East Bay, California
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Gingerbread, what you said makes sense, but the car had been sitting for an awful long time. The car is completeley and totally rust free from what I've seen, barely any surface rust even.

I'll definitely get some MB bolts, it just blows my mind that this would happen at such an inopportune time.
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Old 03-23-2009, 09:00 PM
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The bolts probably loosened up at some point, and a bolt that's even slightly loose will fail much more easily than a tight one.
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Old 03-23-2009, 11:47 PM
GGR GGR is offline
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All depends where the bolts broke. Remove the remaining bolt and push the steering box aside. If there remains enough of the broken bolts to catch them with a plyer you're OK. If they protrude too little but still a bit you have to remove the steering box and can weld a metal piece on them and undo them. If they are broken inside you can drill a hole in the centre and undo them with a "turn left" (not sure this is the correct term in english). Drilling them may be difficult because they are made out of a very hardened metal. Hence the necessity to replace them with original MB bolts. Have them tightened to the correct torque is important, as well as regularly check that they are correctly tightened. While you're at it, inspect your chassis rail for cracks around the bolt locations, both sides.
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Old 03-24-2009, 12:58 AM
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This was discussed here some time ago, but the problem is metal-fatigue cracking at the frame-rail where the steering-box bolts on. It doesn't require rust to cause the cracking, but instead I suspect the stress of the power assist at low speeds and during parking, coupled with the front tires probably being a bit underinflated, and tugging hard on the steering-wheel once the steering has reached full-lock, causes flexing and eventual cracking of the frame-rail. Fortunately, the bolt breakage nearly always occurs at low speeds when the stress of the power assist on the frame rail is the strongest. I've also heard/read reports of this affecting the W108 bodies and the W107 SL. I believe several years ago, someone here posted a picture of the factory reinforcing kit for a W107, but I have no idea if it's still availible.
Back in 1999, after several years of repeatedly snapping one of the three steering-box bolts on my '72 W114 250, I figured out what was happening.
I wound up fabricating my own reinforcing-kit from 1/4 thick steel plate, using longer 10.9 grade metric bolts, and a precision-cut bit of steel tube in the one recessed bolt-hole, in order to attach the reinforcing plate to the outside of the frame-rail.
You can try to just replace the broken bolt or bolts, but afterwards, have someone turn the steering wheel, while you observe the steering box. Even very slight movement of the box will require additional repair/reinforcing of the frame-rail.

Happy Motoring, Mark
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Old 03-24-2009, 01:32 AM
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116's have a problem with the front sway bar firewall mounts if driven with bad shocks for extended periods of time
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  #10  
Old 03-24-2009, 07:57 AM
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Look here.
115 Steering box frame attachment

Instead of welding the plate as I have done in the past I would recommend using an epoxy such as "JB Weld". The bolts themselves will hold the plate secure and it lessens the chance of further weakening the frame rail.

The odds are you will need to pull the box to remove the bolts. Might as well replace the coupler while you're there. Those bolts are HARD and it's very easy to drill off center into the soft box casting. Hmmm, sounds like personal experience doesn't it?

There are two types of steering couplers. One which has replaceable bushings and one which doesn't. Replacement bushings are about $10 for the set and the entire coupler is about $90.

I think I have an old "replaceable" style lying about. If you need it I'll send it to you for postage.

Last edited by Mike D; 03-24-2009 at 08:08 AM.
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  #11  
Old 03-24-2009, 09:10 AM
GGR GGR is offline
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I echo Mike D on the drilling off center into the steering box casing story... also personal unfortunate experience. This is why I was suggesting that if the remain of the bolt is protruding enough out of the steering box, you may try to weld something on it to undo it. You may take a piece of flat iron, drill one end of it to the diametre of the bolt, put the hole on top of the bolt and weld through the hole. Careful not to weld everything together with the casing...

If you have no option but drilling, make sure to use a column shaft driller and that your steering box is VERY WELL tighten to the chassis of the column shaft driller. Use high quality drill and do not put too much pressure as this is when the whole thing is going to go sideways...

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