Hi,
I just got finished replacing both shifter linkage bushings on my W124 and I have found some easier ways to do it.

For the back one (the one attached to the shifter):
Many posts on this forum talk about making a special tool and getting up under there to do it. But, I spent 3 hours under my car trying to get mine in with no luck. Then, I gave up and decided to completely remove the shifter from the car. This took about 15 minutes to remove and I had the car back together with the new bushing within 30 minutes (as opposed to getting under the car for 3 hours with no success). If you do it this way, be sure to remove the clip and the rod from the shifter before you take it out.

For the Front one (the one in the transmission):
There are 4 bolts under the bushing that help support the transmission, so to begin, remove those. Before you remove them, put a jack under the transmission to make sure you don't damage anything. After you take them out, lower the jack until the transmission stops lowering. Then, put something behind the hole where the bushing goes to keep the metal part from bending. Put the bushing in the hole on the opposite side of where the holder is and force it in with a crowbar. It goes in perfectly and almost effortlessly.

Hope this helps,
Matt

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1988 260E

Hey Matt, Glad you found that to work.

I too have strugged with the same thing, but with a w123 turbo diesel, so I ruined my jacket pretty much.

Your shifter Idea is good, I like that. For that one I made a tool for that.

For the one forward, instead of losening the tranny support mounts, just get a ten mm wrench and socket on some extentions and take off the shifter arm and take the whole arm and rod out and then replace the bushing like that using a screwdriver or pliers.

(this takes me about ten minutes, just be careful not to hurt the neutral safety swtich)


Next time I will try taking the shifter out and let you know how that goes.


Thanks for the post,

Hope this one helps too,

Austin

Matt --

The key to the in situ replacement (it really is much simpler) is having a looonnnggg set of needle nose pliers, as described in the below procedure that I wrote:

http://hsb.baylor.edu/html/easley/autofaqs/bush.htm

Once you've done it one this way, it's easy. An additional benefit of doing it this way is that you'll suddenly realize that those pliers are great for lots of other jobs and you'll wonder why you didn't buy them sooner . . .

Richard Easley
Waco, Texas