W123 A How to, replacing rear axles. - Page 6 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Jack None · #76 05-14-2012, 01:45 AM

If you're lucky you'll have the c clips with the single tab as in Dave's pictures. I had the jesus clips with the two tabs requiring snap ring pliers. The cheap harbor freight pliers mentioned in this thread were just barely sufficient for the passenger side, but not for the driver's side. The problem is limited clearance. After battling with jesus clips for a couple hours I'd had enough. I put the car back together and I'll have to do the driver's side after I get a pair of extra long, high quality pliers. Passenger side went smoothly except for the jesus clip.

If you have the two hole snap rings, I'd recommend getting decent pliers from the get go, which you'll probably need to order online. Before I went to harbor freight I went to sears, but the craftsman pair were absolutely not up to the job. They were probably designed for dinky snap rings. They had removable tips which could not be clamped down tightly enough to keep from slipping at the critical moment. Skip these and the harbor freight ones, go straight to something with long narrow jaws and a good opening range.

Orv · #77 05-14-2012, 04:45 PM

The Craftsman ones are great for small snap rings, like on the throttle pivot, but you're right, they're no good for this. I snapped off the end of one of the removable tips trying to use them in the diff. I fished around for the broken piece and never did find it. Hopefully it flew out the cover or settled to the bottom. Would hate for that little piece of hardened steel to get between the gears...

The real pain in the butt is getting the clips back *on*, mind you. I spent over an hour getting one clip to seat properly. Since they must "remove all play" they're a tight fit and want to spring out and not seat in the groove...sometimes they go *ping* and either drop into the grimy innards of the diff or land six feet behind you, in that pile of old trailer hitch parts you've been meaning to get rid of...

Jack None · #78 05-27-2012, 09:14 PM

With an amazing pair of snap ring pliers, I set about replacing the driver's side axle. I sailed along until... there was no way I could wrestle the new axle into the differential housing. It's about an inch away from fully seating.

I measured the diameter of the shaft with calipers (between the can and the splines) and the new axle is about 6 mils larger than the old. It is very close to the old axle diameter close to the splines, but about an inch away from the can it begins being 6 mils too large, so this corresponds approximately with the distance left to seat.

I see three options: liquid nitrogen (which I can get at the lab), taking the 6 mils off somehow (emery paper? it's only 3 mils of material thickness), or sending the part back. Liquid N2 would probably work and be easiest but I don't imagine it would ever come out again.

whunter · #79 05-27-2012, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack None

With an amazing pair of snap ring pliers, I set about replacing the driver's side axle. I sailed along until... there was no way I could wrestle the new axle into the differential housing. It's about an inch away from fully seating.

I measured the diameter of the shaft with calipers (between the can and the splines) and the new axle is about 6 mils larger than the old. It is very close to the old axle diameter close to the splines, but about an inch away from the can it begins being 6 mils too large, so this corresponds approximately with the distance left to seat.

I see three options: liquid nitrogen (which I can get at the lab), taking the 6 mils off somehow (emery paper? it's only 3 mils of material thickness), or sending the part back. Liquid N2 would probably work and be easiest but I don't imagine it would ever come out again.

That sounds like you have the wrong axle shaft..
I would send the part back.
If you ordered from us, there is a warehouse near you, and they may be able to swap for the correct units..

An irritating issue I have encountered:
If the differential has been swapped from an unknown vehicle; You will need to get the number off the differential, and try to figure out which axles will work.

.

Jack None · #80 05-28-2012, 07:34 PM

3 mils on the round is probably way too much for hand abrasion. If someone has experience with abrasive medium (like emery paper) on hard steel, it would be interesting to hear.

It is a Chinese part, from another parts supplier. The passenger side went in fine. With the shaft being so close to correct, I suspect it's the "correct" part but just not machined to tolerance. It does make make me wonder what else might be out of tolerance.

I have two questions about the axle I replaced on the passenger side. After replacing the axle, it seemed like a vibration began which I can feel only through the gear shifter. The vibration appears when power is applied, and it seems to become more noticeable with speed. It's fairly subtle, and I'm not sure it wasn't there before. Also, as I was pouring the "new" gear oil after 1400 miles of driving since the passenger side axle replacement, I noticed some very fine metal particles shining in the sun, a bit like what you see in metallic paint. The oil is Valvoline 75W-90 "Limited Slip." I did replace the spacer with that axle. I'm not too worried about either of these observations but I thought I might as well ask.

whunter · #81 05-29-2012, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack None

3 mils on the round is probably way too much for hand abrasion. If someone has experience with abrasive medium (like emery paper) on hard steel, it would be interesting to hear.

It is a Chinese part, from another source for mercedes parts. The passenger side went in fine. With the shaft being so close to correct, I suspect it's the "correct" part but just not machined to tolerance. It does make make me wonder what else might be out of tolerance.

I have two questions about the axle I replaced on the passenger side. After replacing the axle, it seemed like a vibration began which I can feel only through the gear shifter. The vibration appears when power is applied, and it seems to become more noticeable with speed. It's fairly subtle, and I'm not sure it wasn't there before. Also, as I was pouring the "new" gear oil after 1400 miles of driving since the passenger side axle replacement, I noticed some very fine metal particles shining in the sun, a bit like what you see in metallic paint. The oil is Valvoline 75W-90 "Limited Slip." I did replace the spacer with that axle. I'm not too worried about either of these observations but I thought I might as well ask.

I suggest you inspect/verify the axle is fully seated and bolted into the wheel hub.

.

fluiddoctor1@gmail.com · #82 10-14-2012, 04:43 PM

AWESOME!!!

What a great job you did with this procedure. Very detailed, and the procedure worked PERFECTLY on my '76 450SL. The rear axle setup is exactly the same as the one you have in the pics...

Thanks and once again, GREAT JOB!!!

Louis

rickmay · #83 03-19-2013, 07:48 PM

You do great work Mr. Morrison.

I would like to make a suggestion, with regard to putting these cars on stands (also applies to floor jacks).

Take a short piece of radiator hose, slit it in half lengthwise, and put it on the top of your jack stand where it comes in contact with the car. It will be less likely to slip or do damage. Make the length is about the same as the top of the stand to be sure you have the vehicle properly place on top of the stand.

As far as the floor jacks go, cut a square piece out of a tire, and attach it on the top plate of the jack where the jack contacts the car.

mystryda · #84 04-11-2013, 09:18 PM

So I got the Durolast Gold axles from Autozone (part 7575N). The spacers/washers don't sit flat against the end of the new axle because a fillet was left in manufacturing.

Should I try to somehow enlarge the hole in the spacer to make them fit flat? Leave them out?

vstech · #85 04-11-2013, 10:41 PM

ok, I do hope you pulled all the hub bolts, and cleaned them, then added loctite blue to keep them from releasing and stranding you...
those chinease axles SUCK!!!

mystryda · #86 04-12-2013, 01:56 AM

Are they Chinese? Hard to say. However, they're the best thing that I could get on short notice.

And though I haven't even gotten the axles on the car, I do plan on using blue loctite on the hub bolts.

Back to the question at hand: should I use the that separate the differential from the axel or ditch them? Or how would I decide?

If I use the spacers, how do increase their inner diameter so that they fit flush against the axle?

whunter · #87 04-12-2013, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mystryda

Are they Chinese? Hard to say. However, they're the best thing that I could get on short notice.

And though I haven't even gotten the axles on the car, I do plan on using blue loctite on the hub bolts.

Back to the question at hand: should I use the that separate the differential from the axel or ditch them? Or how would I decide?

If I use the spacers, how do increase their inner diameter so that they fit flush against the axle?

Test fit the replacement axles without the spacers, some don't need them (due to sloppy manufacture tolerance).

.

vstech · #88 04-12-2013, 12:02 PM

no parts yards near you? good used MB axles are extremely better than the poorly manufactured replacements.

I also sell rebooted pulls from my stash.
lemme know if you need a set... you may still be able to return the ones you bought...

Orv · #89 04-12-2013, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mystryda

Are they Chinese? Hard to say. However, they're the best thing that I could get on short notice.

And though I haven't even gotten the axles on the car, I do plan on using blue loctite on the hub bolts.

Back to the question at hand: should I use the that separate the differential from the axel or ditch them? Or how would I decide?

IIRC, the rule of thumb is if there is *any* play after installing the C-clip, a spacer is necessary. The clip needs to always be under tension or it can work its way out.

My Chinese axle worked fine with my spacers, but seemed to have anti-seize on the bolts instead of thread locker. Oops. Other than that I've had no problems.

I don't expect it to last the 250,000 miles the original axle did, but if it lasts another 50,000 it'll probably outlast the economically useful life of the rest of the chassis. Plus, if it does start to fail, I won't need to take apart the cussed diff to replace it.

almater · #90 07-14-2013, 11:38 PM

Thank you much for the great pic's and detailed instruction, my mind is much more at ease (at the thought of tackling this).