You learn something every day

[n/a]

Hello Everyone

I had to change a rear tyre on a slight slope the other day. When I went to replace it I found that the car had moved forward slightly and the bolt holes on the brake drum no longer lined up with the holes in the hub. I had to prise them back in line with a very large screw driver to put the wheel on. I have now worked out what the little chrome rod in the tool kit is for. It is threaded at one end and has a large slot in the other. You remove the first bolt from the wheel and screw the locating rod into the hole before removing the remaining bolts. This keeps all the holes lined up and makes replacing the wheel a cinch. No doubt you other 230 SL owners knew about this but I for one have learned something.

Mark

1965 230 SL light blue, auto, RHD

[Richard Madison]

Mark:

In my informal inspection of tool kits and Pagodas, this tool is found in very few cars.

At car events, if I point out what I call the Spare-Tire-Install-Starter-Tool, most Pagoda owners have never even seen one.

(At least in later 280 SL's, the tool is stored in the small slot inside the flap of the spare tire cover).

These come up on ebay from time to time.

Richard M.

Download Attachment: mb_wheel_start_tool.jpg
16.28 KB

'71 280 SL, Tobacco Brown, Cognac interior, Tan top, Jump Seat, 80K orig miles, NYC. Can be seen at www.panix.con/~rmadison/mercedes.shtml

[Joe]

My 65 Euro came with this tool. It has its own clips near the lug wrench. I'd not thought of putting it on before the wheel is off, but that makes sense. I've used it in mounting a wheel, and it helps greatly in aligning.
Joe

[Peter van Es]

Aha, well, that certainly explains the trouble I had when recently replacing the wintertyres with the summer ones.

On the rear wheel I also had non-alignment of the holes. After securing the car, I found that taking it off the handbrake allowed me to move it sufficiently so that the holes lined up again. Took a few anxious minutes to figure that one out.

No off to my Pagoda to check the toolkit!


Check out http://bali.esweb.nl for photographs of classic car events and my 1970 280 SL

[Bob G ✝︎]

This tool is one of the most misunderstood and lost of all the tools supplied with our cars. If you open you spare tire rap the pocket that flips o[pen to your right has two pockets, one is for the tire iron and the bottom one is for the spare tire alignment tool.

Bob Geco

[Mike Hughes]

My '66 230SL also has metal clips in the trunk floor, under the spare tire between the jack and the inside of the fender for both this item and the lug wrench.  Very handy!  What would be even more handy id to have a pair of these in my tool box to use when rotating tires.  Anybody know of a source for these?

quote:Originally posted by Joe

My 65 Euro came with this tool. It has its own clips near the lug wrench. I'd not thought of putting it on before the wheel is off, but that makes sense. I've used it in mounting a wheel, and it helps greatly in aligning.
Joe

- Mike Hughes  -ô¿ô-
  1966 230SL Auto P/S
  Havanna Brown (408)
  Light Beige (181)
  Cream M-B Tex (121)

[George Davis]

Mike,

I made a wheel mounting tool by sawing the head off a bolt and slotting the end for a screwdriver.  I think the threads are M12x1.5, but am not positive.

George Davis
'69 280 SL Euro manual

[Mike Hughes]

Of course!  (sound of palm hitting side of head...:^)

quote:Originally posted by George Davis

Mike,

I made a wheel mounting tool by sawing the head off a bolt and slotting the end for a screwdriver.  I think the threads are M12x1.5, but am not positive.

George Davis
'69 280 SL Euro manual

- Mike Hughes  -ô¿ô-
  1966 230SL Auto P/S
  Havanna Brown (408)
  Light Beige (181)
  Cream M-B Tex (121)