Sick Feeling - Heater Control Cable

[andyburns]

Have just hooked into repairing jammed heater control levers.  After stripping pretty much the whole interior manged to disconnect all the heater cables and carfully unclipped them from the control cradle.

Noticed one of the square lugs which retain the cable end was snapped off.  After carefully undoing the cradle it fell out in about four pieces.  

Quite bizzare, the metal its contructed from seems to be quite heavy and solid feeling but the casting has fractured all over the show and almost has a brittle feel to it.  

In any event its not usable. Dont think there would be any product on the planet able to 'glue' it back together.

All the control arms are perfect just the cradle is buggered.

I have spent all night looking on the internet for a replacment.  Bud, SLS and ebay and have turned up nothing.

I have a very strong feeling that this part is going to be a complete nightmare to replace.  If anyone has any ideas of where I can source one I would be sooooo appreciative.

Cheers

Andy

[andyburns]

Does anyone know if the cradle is the same as the W108 ie can I take my perfect early coloured plastic control arms and swap them into a W108 control arm cradle?  Loosing sleep :'(

[Garry]

Andy can you post a photo of the item, I have an old heater control unit and may have the part.

Garry

[andyburns]

Andy can you post a photo of the item, I have an old heater control unit and may have the part.

Garry

Hi Garry,

I will try and organise some pictures tomorrow.  In the mean time I have had a much closer look at it and it turns out it isn't made of metal but plastic.  Its the component that bolts up to the face of the dash which has four arms raising off it which have the  'turrets' which the end of the cables clip into.  Does this make more sense?  If you could flick me a quick email on andyburns@xtra.co.nz I will send detailed hi res pictures to you.

I am really loosing sleep over this so any help would be fantastic.  Am going over in my head how I will be manufacturing one from scratch on a cnc mill otherwise.  Would be an interesting project but am sure I can find other better ways to spend my time if I can find something off the shelp.

Much appreciated

Andy

[Naj ✝︎]

A bit late for thos one but its a good price guide (for UK  ):

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330736080127?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

Naj

[Benz Dr.]

And that's why I never throw anything away. I know I have a couple of these things.

[Garry]

Andy

 is it the item with the three screw holes in it that the towers are all fitted to in photo three from the ebay advert that Naj has posted?

Garry

[andyburns]

Andy

 is it the item with the three screw holes in it that the towers are all fitted to in photo three from the ebay advert that Naj has posted?

Garry

That sounds like the piece Garry.  Anything in your parts bin like this would be very much appreciated.

[Bill Sgro]

I went through the same experience last year.  Have patience and be calm...you'll get through it. 

Also, when you are putting it all back together be sure to screw the top piece of the "tower" firm but don't torque it too much.  I think these 40+ year old plastic pieces can be very brittle.  And lubricate all moving parts well with a light grease. 

You will find the replacement parts you need...RELAX and get some sleep.

[StlCardFan]

Are you sure it isn't still available?  When replacing my heating levers last year, I broke one of the plastic cylinders that hold the light bulbs and that fit inside the cradle.  Working with my local MB dealer, they found the part through the classic center and I think it was only about $20.  I didn't ask about the cradle, but if the plastic cylinders are available it would seem that the cradle may be also.

[Garry]

I have the pot metal base unit that I am sending to Andy.

Garry