re-assembling the rear axles how?

[waqas]

Wagas .... The number I have for the right rear bearing is 000 981 05 06.

Jim, thanks for the part number. It corresponds with the Technical Data Manual (Issued October 1969). I always forget it has part numbers for certain items.

To summarize my understanding: the right rear bearing is the Cylindrical Roller bearing 000 981 05 06 and the left rear bearing is the regular ball bearing 008 981 42 25.

[George Des]

Wagas,

The bearing number you are using is the MB number. The 20208 number is the standard bearing number for this self-aligning roller bearing. If you order the MB number, you will get either a FAG or SKF 20208 bearing.

George Des

[Cees Klumper]

Update - this thread got started as a result of me replacing the rear wheel bearings in order to fix a squeel that I thought was coming from the right rear wheel. Replacing the bearings did not remediate the problem though.

Tonight I looked further. I pushed the car backwards and forwards to see if I could locate the source of the squeel. It turned out to be coming from the right front (rather than the right rear) wheel. I took off the wheel, and noticed that the steel brake pad retainer clip was not in exactly vertical. I straightened it, put the wheel back on, and went for a test-drive. No squeel. It's probably to early to pop the champagne, but I have high hopes!

[al_lieffring]

There is some interesting reading on the m-100 forum regarding replacing the right rear wheel bearing and ignoring the proper procedure of removing the springs

http://www.m-100.cc/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1710

M-100 cars (600 Limos and 300SEL 6.3's) didn't have springs, these cars all came equippped with air suspension.

The original application of the self aligning bearing was for the right side of the 300 series cars because of the variable ride height. I don't think any 113 cars came fitted withe these from the factory, but the ball bearings failed frequently, so the reccomended replacement on the right side was the more expensive bearing from the air suspension cars. I believe that all V/8 cars with either air or coil springs had the barrel roller bearings on the right.

A whistling or ringing sound could be a pinion bearing or improperly set pinion tension. When an axle bearing fails the sound usually is a low frequency (growl) because of the slower speed the axle shaft turns at.

[auret]

I have a 1970 280sl, my rear axle is in pieces and I plan to start reassembly shortly. I read extensively before dismantling it and this included the M100 threads. These do state that you should insert the right half-axle with both axle tubes pushed up as high as possible so that the axle clips into a circlip in the sliding sleeve to ensure that the sliding sleeve moves with the axle shaft. My sliding sleeve assembly does not have a circlip to clip the axle into nor is there any place to put one so I assume that it is not missing. It was not in the axle tube when I took it apart. My right rear axle did have the correct self aligning roller bearing on it. The MERCEDES-BENZ type 250sl-280sl Catalog B 1968 that came with my car does not show any circlip on page 86 where the rear axle is displayed. The right and left axle tubes differ in that the right axle tube has a ridge about 4 inches outside the splines to stop the axle moving too far through the sliding sleeve.

It seems that these circlips were not on all the rear ends. This would imply that you do not need to elevate the rear axle tubes when reassembling these rear ends. Perhaps these circlips were only found on the more heavy duty 3.27 rear ends?

What has been the experience from anyone out there who has recently rebuilt their rear end?

[awolff280sl]

There were no circlips when I installed my 3.27.