Hey, I posted this in the wrong section. Randy D's suggestion is below (and he's making me feel guilty...):

Along with my leaking rear end(that I think Jim Villers right have solved - we think I've been overfilling it!), it looks like I have a bad seal or 2 in the steering gear. Has anyone done this? It looks to be the bottome seal. Is it possible to replace this without removing the whole steering box? Also, Star Quality doesn't show just the seals, I'd have to purchase the whole rebuild kit.

Randy's reply: I don't believe that Mercedes sells individual seals for the steering box. To replace the seal(s) it's a good idea to remove the steering box and just go through it. After all, the other seals are just as old as the leaking one. You could try to match up the seal at a parts supply house or McMaster Carr if you could get it out in one piece. And you could replace the single seal with the box in the car. The manual boxes are much easier to reseal than the later P/S boxes. If it worked this long, doesn't it deserve a whole kit?
Regards,
Randy D.

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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 … We talked about filling your rear end, not leaking. I will bet that the leak is the pinion seal at the front of the differential. Check it by wiping it clean with a paper towel and checking it a day later. If you find oil, the seal needs to be replaced. You can replace it on the car but it is FUN and you need a six pin "pin wrench" and probably an air impact wrench to get the U-joint flange off. (I can loan you my homemade pinwrench)

As for the steering gear seal …. Great idea. Mine leaks and I have just lived with it. I have pulled seals without removing the shaft before; drill a hole in the seal frame and pry it out. You need to be very careful not to scratch the shaft or you will have compounded your problems. A few years ago, when I had the sub-frame out, I tried to "adjust" the steering but the lock nut was too tight and I figured that working was better than broken.

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

The rear leak appears to be coming from the rubber boot. I'll try the paper towel trick.

As for the steering: If I pull the castle nut off the bottom of the steering, and then unbolt (2 bolts) the arm from the steering box, can I then just drop the arm? According to the 190 manual, there's a "new" (new back in 1960) double seal that's supposed to go in there replacing the single seal. I'm just wondering if I should go ahead and do the whole steering box. Anyone done that before?

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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)

How much is the steering rebuild kit? . If its not too pricey I may do mine at the same time. I know there is way too much play in my steering wheel...and I am going to have to assume that no seals have been replaced.

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Hemant

'57 190SL
'86 560SEC AMG

It's a gasket and seal kit for $45. No bearings in it, though, and I think it's recommended that they be replaced.

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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)

My 190 SL steering box got to the point where the seals were leaking and I could no longer adjust the play out of it. So I installed a new steering box.

Robby

Luckily, I have absolutely NO play in it.

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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)