Is this normal? Ever since I got my car it will do this: If while the trans is in 1st gear I put the shifter in the 2nd position it will hold 1st and not upshift to 2nd. However if it is already in 2nd gear it will stay in that gear or down shift. Did MB put a 1st gear lock in these trans? In 3rd or D it has never done this.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Can't answer as to why it does this, but mine does the same thing.

PITA if you want to hold second from a standing start. You have to leave it in "3" until it hits second and then drop it down to "2".

Actually I kind of like it! I can hold 1st and pull 4,800 so up my hill to piss of my neighbors.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

What's that...........about 23 mph???

About 30, it makes a bunch of noise. Then I can whip the rear end around and slide into my dead end.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Bet the trailing arm bushings love you for that one..............................

Eh, the rear suspension is schedualed for an overhual in 2006.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Mine is going to be done in the next month. I've decided to replace all the rubber parts and leave the springs alone. I want to see what it does with new trailing arm and subframe bushings and a diff. mount.

I want to remove my trailing arms and paint them, along with the diff.

How many bushings are back their anyway?

Why not just replace the springs while everything is apart?

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Each trailing arm appears to have one inner and one outer bushing.

My trailing arms look brand new, so, I'm not taking them out.

I've considered that. There are two schools of thought. One is the fact that the springs don't last forever and they need to be replaced after a certain time period. But, if this were true, why is there no sagging of the front end after 18 years?

The other school of thought is that the ride height and the rear wheel camber will be restored with the replacement of the rubber parts. The spring is not the culprit.

So, I thought that I would lay the question to rest by replacing the rubber spring perch seats and reinstalling the old springs. If the ride height is restored, then we have a definitive answer.

Interesting. I will be interested to see what happens.

Unfortunitly mine has been through 10 winters and their is a little rust forming on them.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

FWIW, my trans does the same thing. Also, never starts in second, always first.

Best Regards,
Jim