UPS just dropped off my differential from Potomac German Auto parts. If anyone in my area wants to help me install this thing one Saturday, I'm buying the ribeye's, and all the trimmings. Just tell me what Saturday and I will tell you where to meet me. RSVP so I can know how many steaks, potatoes, and how much beer to buy. Have all tools needed and will install in Rocky Mount, N.C. Thanks. I have a 100 day warranty so got to get crackin!

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1982 300SD Light Blue
2002 Honda Accord SE
1974 Toro Wheel Horse Tractor
2000 Toyota Tundra Pickup

If you were local I would take you up on that offer.

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Mmmmmm....Ribeyes......Nope can't make it. Good luck sounds like fun.

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Rob M
Norwich, VT USA
1980 240D Euro delivery 4 speed manual silver/blue
~160K miles

How much did Potomac charge you for that?

Ain't no good ol'boys around your parts what can help with that dar axle?? Figure those Duke's O Hazard boys could swap that dar axle quicker dan greased lightening...no wait, halfshafts no God fearing NASCAR boy knows nothing bout no halfshafts..... what you all doing wit dat dare funny foreign vehicle anyways???

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Bill Reimels
Now down to one:
1972 300SE 3.5 W109 (Euro delivery)

I will help you with it...
Bring it on down....anytime over the weekend will be fine....

Going to rain over the weekend?

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BENZ THERE DONE THAThttp://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...c/progress.gif
15 VW Passat TDI
00 E420
98 E300 DT
97 E420 Donor Car - NEED PARTS? PM ME!
97 S500
97 E300D
86 Holden Jackaroo Turbo D
86 300SDL
(o\|/o)

Potomac German was good to me. They were way less than anyone local and even anyone on the forum. They charged me $135 for the pumpkin and $25 shipping for a grand total of $160.74 for a 1984 differential with 100k miles.

Naw, dese here locull baws round dees here paurts dawnt knew haul lot bout dem dere half axles. Yeee Haw!!

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1982 300SD Light Blue
2002 Honda Accord SE
1974 Toro Wheel Horse Tractor
2000 Toyota Tundra Pickup

You don't want to go to leathermang's, his place is nothing but sand and grass. And, all he ever wants to do is kibbutz and talk about the stuff you should have built from scratch to make the job 'easier.' Come to Area 51...I have a concrete floored, airconditioned shop; heck, I even have a 'holding thingus' that fits on top of a floor jack so that you can lift that punkin' right where you want it.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

While I suspect there is not room in Randy's garage for a car due to his tools... and pending indoor WVO tanks and strainer... it is fine with me if he does it... I will come over and Supervise... maybe this time we can keep his hand from being pinned to the floor.....Remember that Randy ? That was a close one...

You wont believe what it will cost you to replace an axle from the dealer nowadays - I had an 83 300D this morning that needed one, you have to update it to the flanged style since the originals arent available anymore and none of the parts are in the country. The parts guy I was working with had the estimate up to over $1300 just in parts (for one side!!) and was still adding more on when I said "dude, just forget it"
You can get reman axles from PGA for $190 delivered.

BTW, the customer didnt buy the $190 axle either It was something like 9 hours to install. I don't blame him for not buying it, I sure as hell wouldn't.

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

How can they get 9 hours to do one axle?

I've never done one and I can't believe that it would take me more than 4 hours.
What am I missing here???

Probably included R&I rear axle center piece. He might have been wrong, I didn't look it up myself, 9 does seem kind of steep though.

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

Doesn't the center piece get removed fairly easily by removing the C-clip inside the axle housing? Drain the fluid, remove the cover and pull the clip.
What am I missing? I've got to do a diff change on the SD myself, so, if it takes 9 hours to R&R one axle (18 for two), I'm looking at a totally different job.

Here's the deal,

All that I need changed is my differential. I am not changing axles. All of the indy mechanics around here use an internet service program to give them the labor. That's what they charge by - not actual time to install. One mechanic gave me 9 hours just to change the center chunk, another gave me 7 hours and I spoke with the mechanic at the dealer face to face without the service salesperson standing beside me and he said 3 hours tops. I am sure her computer program will tell her to charge me between 7 and 9 to swap it out.

Mr Hunter here on the forum said that in his shop - which is too far for me to drive would only take 1 to 1.5 hours to swap it out.

No one is charging actual time any more. It is a RIP OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!

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1982 300SD Light Blue
2002 Honda Accord SE
1974 Toro Wheel Horse Tractor
2000 Toyota Tundra Pickup

I was discussing this with a friend of mine who owns a auto repair place. He is oddly enough the only place in town that does FAIR work at a FAIR price and he is extremely busy because of it. He is probably the only person around here that I would allow to touch my mercedes (dealership included). He hated the 300D Turbo that he had in there recently...I told him I'd come down and have a look

He was mentioning how he charges by what it actually takes...rounded accordingly. Not 10 hours labor where 2 will do...wish there was more mechanics like him around