I was under the car night before last topping up the diff fluid (I have a slow leak there and top it off about every 6 months), and noticed that I could use some new rubber where the trailing arm mounts to the body (trailing arm bushing?), and where the trailing arm connects to the rear axel. The rest of the rubber and the rear axel boot looks good. How easy/difficult is this to do? Anything else I should look for? Last summer I replaced rubber on the front end...

__________________
Bill Streep
San Antonio
'57 190SL (toy)
'08 S5500 (mine)
'09 CLK550 (wife's)
'06 SLK350 (daughter's)
'11 GLK350 (daughter's)
'03 CLK310 (spare)

The front rubber mounts are sandwiched between the chassis step bearing mount and the torque arm. These can be replaced by putting a jack under the differential and one under the arm near the step bearing. Once you jack the diff up enough to raise the wheel, the torque arm can be slightly lowered via second jack to remove/install new rubber .
Talc works well here.
As I noticed you have an early 190, there is a step bearing modification that you may want to see.
I can jpg that to you/anyone if you get back to me via email. [ Workshop Supplement 1/15.2.57-Type 190]
The torque arm/axle bushing require arm removal and a press/tool . Little more complex.
I also have that info and easier to send out the jpg.
Job 35- 4/4.
Arthur

The front rubber mounts are sandwiched between the chassis step bearing mount and the torque arm. These can be replaced by putting a jack under the differential and one under the arm near the step bearing. Once you jack the diff up enough to raise the wheel, the torque arm can be slightly lowered via second jack to remove/install new rubber .
Talc works well here.
As I noticed you have an early 190, there is a step bearing modification that you may want to see.
I can jpg that to you/anyone if you get back to me via email. [ Workshop Supplement 1/15.2.57-Type 190]
The torque arm/axle bushing require arm removal and a press/tool . Little more complex.
I also have that info and easier to send out the jpg.
Job 35- 4/4.
Arthur

PS - As you are noticing fluid seepage, it is also advised that you check for a dirty/plugged diff. vent. [Upper , left axle housing, near diff case.

Authur,

I'd love to have the jpgs. I do have the workshop manual, and figured the front end of the trailing arms would be as you described. I'd love the info on the rear end. I'll also take a look at the vent. I suspect that I have a bad/missing gasket, and that is causing my seepage. But I think I have to remove the whole rear end for that... I lose a teaspoon every week or 2. And since it's "clean", it's no big deal.

__________________
Bill Streep
San Antonio
'57 190SL (toy)
'08 S5500 (mine)
'09 CLK550 (wife's)
'06 SLK350 (daughter's)
'11 GLK350 (daughter's)
'03 CLK310 (spare)

Bill,
I will need an email to send the jpg.
As you have the Workshop Man., I assume you want the Supplement ?

I also have a DIY measuring tool design for centralizing the rear axle after repairs you/anyone are welcome to.
My addy is:
AJDalton7@aol.com
.

Bill Where is you seepage coming from? I had seepage from the front pinion seal. It was reall fun to replace but it stopped my leakage.

I would not even think of replacing your trailing arm to axle rubber bushings. I looked at mine when I had the rear end out and they looked too hard to replace. Additionally, they were so tight that the trailing arm would only wiggle, not turn on the bushings. If you havn't replaced your ftont rubber mounts, do it.

__________________
Jim Villers
190SL, 230SL 5-speed, 95 E320 Wagon, 01 E320 Wagon, MGB, Boxster 'S', 190SL "Barn Find"

Authur,

I have the 190 Manual, and the 190SL Supplement. Is there a 190 Supplement?? My email address is bstreep@satx.rr.com. In the 190 Manual, it doesn't really describe how to to the front end of the trailing arms, but I assumed that how you described it was how it was done...

Jim, the rubber in the trailing arm to axle is all cracked around the edges. It MAY be OK on the inside? As for the seeping differential, it is near the front where it appears that the PO (prior owner) or PPO used a blue gasket-in-a-tube crap. I believe there's a "real" gasket that's supposed to go there. I've hesitated to pull out the rear end just to fix it, when it takes just a few minutes twice a year to top it off.

Thanks, all!

__________________
Bill Streep
San Antonio
'57 190SL (toy)
'08 S5500 (mine)
'09 CLK550 (wife's)
'06 SLK350 (daughter's)
'11 GLK350 (daughter's)
'03 CLK310 (spare)

Bill,
The Supplement I am referring to is a bracket modification
to the torque arm [trailing arm] that applies to the early 190's.
The mod was to rectify rattling and striking base panel and step bearing . [ mostly on sharp turns]. The later arms had this bracket factory built into the arm.

If you have that supplement, OK. If not , email me and I will send it.
I have the Original Workshop Man from 1956 and there is a much more detailed amount of info in it than the later publications, so you may not have this info.
Arthur

Bill .... I would bet a beer that your seepage is from the pinion oil seal. You can replace it without removing the rear end from the car. You, however, will need a 4-pin pin wrench (that I will loan to you) and a powerful impact wrench. You will need these to remove the pinion nut. You need an impact because it is almost imposible to hold the pinion shaft while putting enough torque on the nut to break it loose. With the pinion nut off, you can remove the U-joint flange and the cover that holds the oil seal. I also had to remove the large nut in the trunk to let the differential drop down enough for me to get the impact wrench onto the pinion nut. A good weekend project that you can do AFTER LEADVILLE.

Arthur ... How about coming to the 190SL Group Convention in Leadville CO this summer?

__________________
Jim Villers
190SL, 230SL 5-speed, 95 E320 Wagon, 01 E320 Wagon, MGB, Boxster 'S', 190SL "Barn Find"

Hi Jim,
Thanks for the offer, but my gig here requires staying in town.
How 'bout sendin' me up that 5 speed tranny ???
I got a nice auto ta swap ya !!!!

Arthur ... I had my 230SL inspected for a "performance driving school" last week by the local shop that works on vintage Benz's. The owner said that in the thirty years he has serviced Mercedes, this was the first ZF 5-speed that he had seen. (He drives a W107 with a Mercedes 5-speed).

No deal ... I am still having fun with the car.

__________________
Jim Villers
190SL, 230SL 5-speed, 95 E320 Wagon, 01 E320 Wagon, MGB, Boxster 'S', 190SL "Barn Find"

Arthur, I have Service Manual 1207. Anyone know how to keep the pages in it? It's deteriorating...

Jim, Thanks! Now I have an excuse, uh REASON to buy the compressor and impact tools I've always wanted... If I recollect correctly, the seal in question is held in/on by about 6 bolts? Tonight I'll give it a closer look, and I'll check the vents as well. I'll also give the back end of the trailing arms a bit of a wiggle. Still trying to talk me into driving the beast to Colorado?? I'll give you an inch: know anyone from Texas that's going to drive their 190SL that maybe we can caravan with?

__________________
Bill Streep
San Antonio
'57 190SL (toy)
'08 S5500 (mine)
'09 CLK550 (wife's)
'06 SLK350 (daughter's)
'11 GLK350 (daughter's)
'03 CLK310 (spare)

That WAS my excuse (reason) to buy a compressor. I had an electric impact wrench but it did not have the power to break this nut loose. My son has a good (expensive) IR impact wrench that spun the nut off without any apparent effort. Everything is easy with the right tool.

__________________
Jim Villers
190SL, 230SL 5-speed, 95 E320 Wagon, 01 E320 Wagon, MGB, Boxster 'S', 190SL "Barn Find"

Bill,
As far as the pages go, my 190 is the old loose-
leaf binder that allows page removal.[like that]
But all my others fall apart at the seam. I guess its the glue drying out. I take special care with all my Library,
but they seem prone.

An added note on the rear pinion seal.
The yoke nut collapses a crush sleeve as it is factory installed and this effects the diff. gear meshing set up.
If one changes the seal, a good idea is to index mark the position of the nut BEFORE removal. It can then be re-installed to the mark without further sleeve/bushing crushing.
The Man recommends crush sleeve replacement, but the indexing seems to work fine.

Arthur .... Why didn't you tell me before I did mine. I just put the impact wrench on the nut and drove it home. I, however, also replaced my pinion bearing while I was that close. Without all of the special tools, I just utilized the old shims and thightened the bolts that hold the bearing in place from the back. I thought about going futher and replacing the ring gear bearings but it looked imposible without the jigs and gages.

Anyway, the wheels go round and if it breaks, I'll look for a used rear end. I'll ask next time

__________________
Jim Villers
190SL, 230SL 5-speed, 95 E320 Wagon, 01 E320 Wagon, MGB, Boxster 'S', 190SL "Barn Find"