Removing rear axles early 250SL

[Vince Canepa]

I need to remove the rear axles to replace the rear wheel bearings.  The early Service Manual makes it seem fairly simple.  However, the late Service Manual calls for removing the bumps stops and raising the axle tubes to acheive an overall included angle of 22 degrees.  This is to ensure that a snap ring on the inboard end of the right axle enters the slip joint properly.

My question is, do I have to go through this procedure on my 250SL, chassis -001543?  From working with this suspension in the past, I think I will have to pull the rear springs to get the axles up to the body as the late Service Manual calls for.

Vince Canepa
1967 250SL
113.043-10-001543
568H Signal Red
116 Caviar MB-Tex

[Naj ✝︎]

Will this help?

http://www.sternschuppen.de/technik/en/ha/index.html

naj

65 230SL
68 280SL

[hughet]

Later cars had the circlip. I am not sure when the switchover occurred but you have to pull the axles out anyway and can probably tell when you remove the one on the right side. You can use the Auto Zone "loan a tool" slide hammer to pull the axleshafts out. There is no circlip on the left side so that axle will just come out with the tool. On the right side, remove the slide hammer when the bearing is visible and continue to pull the axleshaft by hand until you feel some resistance. (if there is no resistance then there is probably no circlip) Turn the axleshaft so that the circlip makes firm contact with the core of the sliding sleeve. Then jerk the axleshaft from the casing by giving it a sharp pull by hand. If you do not do the last part by hand you run the risk of breaking the circlip which makes removal of the axleshaft very difficult.
I took my axleshafts to a local independent MB mechanic here in St. Louis who had the special Mercedes long axle bearing puller. I am not sure how I would have done it otherwise.
My axle was from a 280SE 4.5 and it had the circlip so I had to remove the springs, compensator spring and bump stops to seat the axle. The procedure for that is in the Haynes manual or the 66-72 BBB. You will hear and feel the click when it seats.

[Vince Canepa]

Thanks, Naj, but that is for a drum brake car.  I assume that would mean it does not have the circlip.  However, it is a very good tutorial on the overall process.

hughet.  Thanks for the info.  I find that my car is definitely in the "transition" period.  Early interior, but very similar to the later cars in terms of chassis, brakes, etc.  So I have no way of knowing which right axle setup I have.  I thought I would have to remove the springs to reassemble (if I have the circlip), just as you say.

Vince Canepa
1967 250SL
113.043-10-001543
568H Signal Red
116 Caviar MB-Tex

[JimVillers]

Vince .... With the axle out, be sure to torque the bolt that holds the swing axle universal (#72 in the attached).  The 190SLs folks have had problems with this bolt loosening after replacing the axle bearing.

Jim Villers
190SL, 230SL 5-Speed, 190E 2.3-16 Kompressor

[JimVillers]

So much for including an image. Another attempt:


Jim Villers
190SL, 230SL 5-Speed, 190E 2.3-16 Kompressor

[Vince Canepa]

OK, Jim.  I'll have to study cross sections to figure out access to that bolt.  Is it inside the rubber cuff (bellows)?

BTW, I assume you are back from St. Louis.  The impetus to finally get this problem fixed (I'm embarrassed to think how long I've put this off) comes from Bob Platz.  He asked us to show the SL in Philadelphia in September.  Also, we won the Contemporary Sedan class with the E430 at the June Jamboree.




Vince Canepa
1967 250SL
113.043-10-001543
568H Signal Red
116 Caviar MB-Tex

[A Dalton]

There was a slide joint part design change on .042 chassis from ser.# 14750 and on.  This may be when the circlip was introduced.

[JimVillers]

Vince .... Yes, we got back from St Louis on Tuesday.  Great time, car ran well but it was HOT.  Fortunately, the show was in an air-conditioned museum.

You can access the bolt with a couple of long extensions.  Your other choice is to remove the axle housing.


Jim Villers
190SL, 230SL 5-Speed, 190E 2.3-16 Kompressor

[Naj ✝︎]

Circlip #83 in Jim's picture came in the late 280SLs from ch: #017888. All 250/280s prior to that seem to be the same.
Stronger bolt #72 and bigger universal started with the 250s.
naj

65 230SL
68 280SL

[Vince Canepa]

Job 35-6 indicates that the slide joint is mounted in the side (spider ) gear with locktite.  It also adds that the claamping screw can be boded as a "further safeguard".  I believe this is what Jim Villers is referring to.  Am I correct?  To keep things simple I hope that Naj is correct with the chassis number break for the circlip.

Vince Canepa
1967 250SL
113.043-10-001543
568H Signal Red
116 Caviar MB-Tex

[Vince Canepa]

I have good news (of sorts) and bad news.  My 250 does not have the snap ring, so I will not have to pull the springs and bump stops to reinstall the axles.

The bad news is that I need to replace the axles.

The left bearing locknut was loose (with the factory paint dab still on the lockplate) and the bearing was so loose on the axle I literally lifted it off the axle.  The axle is also bent - runout at the center is .26mm and at the bearing seat is .15.  Tolerances are .1mm and .03mm respectively.

The right axle bearing had to be pulled and there is no wear on the bearing seat, but the runout at the center is 1.45mm and at the bearing seat it is .25.

Has anyone had any success straightening these axles?  The right one seems like a candidate.  Anyone have two good, straight 250 axles around?  Can the later right side snap ring axles be used by taking off the snap ring?

Vince Canepa
1967 250SL
113.043-10-001543
568H Signal Red
116 Caviar MB-Tex

[Vince Canepa]

For info, according to the M-B parts system, 280SLs as of Chassis #017888 have the snap ring on the inboard end of the axle.

Does anybody know if the late snap ring axles can be used by removing the snap ring?

Also for info, Gernold Nisius tells me that nearly all the axles will be bent in service.  He doesn't see it as a major issue.  However, my right side axle is bent enough to cause 1.5mm + of runout at the tire contact patch and I suspect that is the source of a high speed (80 + mph) vibration I'm trying to cure.

Vince Canepa
1967 250SL
113.043-10-001543
568H Signal Red
116 Caviar MB-Tex