PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post - OK... W124 Rear bearings are a BEAR to replace

jay_bob · #14 01-04-2014, 11:50 PM

I did some research on EPC for driveline parts between your 93 donor and the 87 wagon.

Differentials do have different part numbers
124.350.26.74 for the 93 sedan
124.350.19.74 for the 87 wagon
I suspect this is due to the input flange change. I looked at the internal components (ring gear, spider, etc) and they are the same part numbers.

The axle shaft history is interesting.
87 wagon:
original: 124.350.30.10
1st supersede: 129.350.40.10
2nd supersede: 210.350.84.10

93 sedan:
original: 129.350.40.10
1st supersede: 210.350.84.10

So the axles shipped with the 93 sedan were approved, at least for some time, to be able to be used in the 87 wagon. And both vehicles eventually cross to the same 210 number.

Note that my W210 1998 E300D takes that exact same 210.350.84.10 axle and it has not been superseded. That tells me they developed a universal one size fits all axle, when they developed the 210, to take care of all applications in the 124 with the same length part.

Devil's advocate: I wonder if someone substituted the 129 axle into the list for the 87 wagon without thinking about the engineering ramifications. Wouldn't be the first time something like that has happened, where the bean counters think they can be engineers.

On the other side of the argument, inside the axle shaft the only listed replaceable part is the inner CV joint. It is the same part number 140.350.08.13 for all 3 cars. And the cup that fits the diff output flange is the same 124.357.02.89 for all 3 cars as well.

So in conclusion, I'm starting to think the axle failed due to prior damage and not due to overload. However I still think we need to swap the diff and driveshaft, because I am concerned about the size of the diff input flange and flex disk being bigger in the wagon. They must have had a reason why it is bigger in the wagon than the sedan.