help. May need axle shaft in Milton, NC. W123
 

I am driving my 1983 300 TD. Just arrived to the Milton, NC area after a frustrating journey down from Arlington, va.
A banging noise was coming from the right rear, but off and on. It would lessen off throttle, and get louder with throttle load. Side to side load didn't seem to make a difference as I was curious if it was a wheel bearing. At times I could feel it through my seat. It would come and go without a pattern. The last 20 minutes of my trip was fine. No problem.

At one point I pulled off to a gas station and the noise was like big metal parts in a grinder. It would pop, then pop again with about every rotation of the tire.

The only thing that makes sense is a cv joint failure.

So here is the difficult part, I am supposed to go straight from working here fri-sun to catch a bus in wash dc sun night. I don't trust this will make it with out creating a far more epic story.

Anyone in the region that has an axle and tools? I am capable of the repair, just lack the tool to unbolt the axle. I can score a jack and stands. Not looking for a freebie.

Anyone want to be a superstar?

I can't be a super star I'm too far away but if you swap the right hand axle for the left hand one (and the left hand one for the right hand one) you might - just might with lots of luck - get a few more miles because the running surfaces are reversed...

...you'll be better off finding a replacement part though

Brilliant. If nothing turns up, and I can get tools, I may do that.

There is a danger that if it is too far gone it will all fall apart in your hands though.

I really honestly wish you the best of luck.

I live about 45 minutes from Milton. I don't know where you can locate the parts, but can help out getting tools to you.

There's a recycle yard in Moncure, NC that has a bunch of Mercedes, but it's about 90 minutes from Milton. Their #919-542-5993.

Let me know if I can help.

Overnight an axle from CVJ or rent a U-Haul and trailer to get home.

I have plenty... I don't know where milton is, but I'm in Mt Holly NC...

DAAAMMMMMM! you're as far north in NC as POSSIBLE ain't ya!

I may be able to Hero it for you. SUPER busy at the moment, but I'll try.

Anyone know how to tell what length my axle is? Local Napa can get me ONE of the two they have listed after 1230 today. One is listed as 24 13/16" length, the other is 26..something. The shorter is all they have. The other is not available anywhere in the supply chain.

I hate to be nearly useless, but I am juggling work as well. Does anyone know what list of tools I need to round up? Not sure if the inner joint is removed with a "tri-square" tool as per Porsche/VW/etc. The outside I believe is a single large nut. Not sure what size.

I assume I can undo both ends of the axle, drop the inboard end and slide out the outboard end. Anything I am missing?

The 300SD axle is just under 27 inches long, so that longer hard to get one is the wrong one for your 300TD, sounds like they have the correct shorter one in stock for you fortunately. 24 13/16ths sounds about right for a 123 chassis


Depending on what type axle it is, you will have to pop the diff cover and remove a circlip inside the diff that holds the axle in position from that side. Some have an external bolt flange on the diff side, but that will be obvious when you look under, and there is a specific name I can never remember, homokenetic or some such that differentiates them. Someone who knows im sure will post and correct me.

If you don't see that bolt flange, you must remove the diff cover to get the axle out.
I think the diff bolts are either a 13 or 14, and a hooked dental pick or small pliers are useful for grabbing the circlip inside. On the outside there is a longish hub bolt that is 10-14mm (sorry) and a punch and hammer will be useful to drive the splines out of the hub. Also a pry bar might come in handy

just a word of warning, I had a similar vibration failure on my 300D a couple years ago, where the car started hopping and jumping, and the axle had heated up enough that it was nearly impossible to remove easily, the joints were really sluggish to move, and i could not compress it to get either side out of the diff or hub. I ultimately had to cut the dam thing in half to get it out.
It could be bad, just for contingency planning on your end

pm sent.

I may have time tonight to bring you an axle and tools to swap it out.
I can bring a trailing arm also, just in case it's the bearings afterall...

list of tools needed.

13mm socket and 3" extension to disconect the axle from the hub. (easily done without even taking off the tire) you will need a 6" extension to reach the 4 bolts that hold up the diff mount to the body of the vehicle.

15mm socket to take off the bolts holding the diff cover on.

dental pic hook to pull the clip from the axle end.

floor jack and jack stands to support the vehicle and lower the diff/subframe.

piece of wire
 

Having a piece of wire to attach to the circle clip BEFORE you pull it off will keep it from flying out in no man's (nor woman's) land.


ADD to the list of suggested tools:

a piece of wire.