Drive shaft Center Bearing Problem - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

franklyspeaking · #1 11-12-2003, 08:31 PM

Okay....I have diagnosed a driveshaft center bearing failure on my 82 240D (with this forums help of course). The rubber around the bearing has failed pretty much all around. It only vibrates under load up to about 20mph then smoothes out nicely.

The question is.....am I doing any damage by driving it in this condition? We have just sold our house and over the next month or so I am going to be consumed with other chores (mainly moving - Ugh). Changing the bearing looks to be an all day job. I'd like to defer for a month or so....unless I'm liable to do colateral damage to something.

TomJ · #2 11-12-2003, 08:52 PM

Don't have any specific experience with MB's and this issue, but do have some with large trucks and drivetrain assy's (Mech Eng) that have a center support bearing not unlike the MB and you will do damage to the fore and aft bearings in the assy (ie; diff and rear tranny bearing) if not repaired.

It's really not too bad to do if you have a shop. If you were closer, I'd come over and do it for you, but AL is a bit far for an evening job (not that I don't like AL, really miss the south).

My suggestion is, whenever you take off, accelerate as fast as possible, burning as much rubber as possible, past the resonant freq speed of the vib, you'll do the least amount of damage that way and will bring to light any weakness in the drivetrain ;-)

dmorrison · #3 11-12-2003, 10:42 PM

Quote:

whenever you take off, accelerate as fast as possible, burning as much rubber as possible, past the resonant freq

TomJ

Its a 240D the only way you can burn rubber is if you pour gasoline on the tires and put a match to them.

Burn rubber!!!!!!!! yea right.

The 240D zero to 60 in 3 days, But it will last forever.

Dave

TomJ · #4 11-12-2003, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dmorrison
....... Its a 240D ......

That's right. 146 cubes and, count 'em, SIXTY SEVEN, horses of raw, neck-snapping power!

R Leo · #5 11-13-2003, 07:07 AM

If the rubber around the support bearing is still intact, then I would continue to drive the car knowing that I would srevice it at the first opportunity (I did this same thing with my wagon). If the rubber is torn or missing, you should replace ASAP.

It's not all that hard of a job. But, you will need a big puller to get the old bearing off the drive shaft and an appropriately-sized piece of pipe to install the new bearing.

Remember to mark the driveshaft segments before you separate them and to reassemble in the same orientation.

In retrospect, I wish I'd gone ahead and replaced my whole driveshaft when I did the center support. In the end, replacing the support bearing only solved part of my vibration issues which could only be solved with a new shaft and anyway, the replacement shaft comes with a new center support.

I could have saved myself some work if I'd just done the whole thing at the same time...but, on the bright side, now I'm really skilled at removing MBZ driveshafts!!!

lietuviai · #6 11-13-2003, 07:35 PM

I would imagine that it would cost lots of $$$ to replace the entire driveshaft assembly. From what I seem to remember the bearing only costs about $30 but you need some specialized tools that I imagine your average home mechanic probably doesn't have.
I think my center bearing is worn out as well (I hope it is and not the transmission) because I have a similar vibration but at different speeds.