W109 Steering columns shifter: How can I get this clip off the shifter shaft?? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

werminghausen · #1 07-01-2011, 06:35 PM

I was having a rough day..wanted to change Steering coupler....
I have the coupler in place ..had to pull the steering shaft a bit (steering wheel off, ring for the ball bearing off ...pulled the steering shaft in order to get access to this coupler)
but now I can't get the steering shaft fully back into the steering housing. Can't secure the ball bearing...
In my dispair (I tried everything for hours) I want to pull the steering shaft entirely..because I want to see what is not working here...and the rubber boot came off...grrrrrr.
In order to get the shaft out I need to get this clip at the shifter shaft turned and out....I tried but can't turn this damned clip. Middle of the picture.
Need help here.

Any idea why the steering shaft does not want to go all the way back (I used a hammer and wood..but nothing is moving).

Martin

daidnik · #2 07-02-2011, 02:47 AM

The retainer you see is for the upper bushing on the shift rod. To remove the retaining washer with the slot in it, do as follows:

1. Remove the shift lever by un-threading the big chrome plated hex nut at the ball-joint. The shift lever will pull out from a slot in the shift rod.

2. Once the shift lever is out, you will be able to push the shift rod up further and you will be able to turn it around further. Enough to get the retainer oriented with the closed side toward the steering rod and you can then slide it off.

Keep in mind that once you take this retainer off, the shift rod will drop down further. You'll have to pull/push it up from the side of the steering column to get it thru the upper bushing/thin washer & then get it turned around right to get the retainer clip back on & then turned back around so it can't get out.

3. When you're done, install the shift lever by inserting back in the slot with a little grease and re-attach the big chrome plated nut.

One note on all this is that I don't think this is usually required to get the steering rod engaged properly in that steering coupler on the engine side of the firewall, but I might be wrong.

mercmad6.3 · #3 07-02-2011, 07:51 AM

On the W108 and W109 you can drop the steering box far easier than undoing the column when doing the bushes for the coupler. In your case, unhook the gearshift ,undo the 10mm nuts on the plate on the floor,undo the ignition lock and remove it (remove the instrument cluster to make room) then undo the two 13mm bolts holding the column in place and drop it down a touch. unplug the wiring and then remove the column. Once you have it out you can reinstall the shaft easier.

On the W116 you can withdraw the shaft to do the coupler easily but it's a different design to the W111-113 column.

RadioTek · #4 07-02-2011, 01:08 PM

Do you still have a bolt in the coupler? In order for the coupler to completely seat on the shafts, the bolts have to be out. There is a groove in the splines for the body of the bolt to fit into, sort of a safety feature, almost.

werminghausen · #5 07-03-2011, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RadioTek

Do you still have a bolt in the coupler? In order for the coupler to completely seat on the shafts, the bolts have to be out. There is a groove in the splines for the body of the bolt to fit into, sort of a safety feature, almost.

Thanks..that was it!
I found it out myself after a night fiddling.
The screw need to be removed in order to get the steering column back in.