70' auto trans shift linkage problem - HELP!

[blairwag]

Hi Gang. It's good to be back. Thanx for taking the time to read my problem post.

After backing out of a driveway yesterday, I went to shift my  1970 280SL (with automatic tranny) into drive. All of the sudden the shifter felt free, and the car was left in neutral. After investigating, I found that the linkage rod, that connects the shifter level to the transmission shifter had completely fallen off. The linkage rod came off BOTH the transmission AND the shifter. I had to get under the car and manually move the transmission shift level into Drive-4 while someone sat in the car with the breaks applied - not something I ever want to do again!

I've searched on "shift bushing" and others enough to learn that I likely need to replace the shifter bushings. but I have (as usual) many questions...

Can anyone PLEASE tell me the procedure to replace these bushings?
Do I call Tom Hansen and order just (2) auto trans shift bushings? Is/are there a c-clamp(s) or anything that keeps the linkage rod attached to the transmission and/or shifter knob rod?

Also, I replace the engine motor mounts (upper left/right) some time ago. They were totally squashed! But, I did NOT replace the rear motor mount.

Does the transmission have it's own tranny-to-frame mount(s) that I should replace?
Or, is the rear engine motor mount also the transmission mount?
Should I replace this rear engine mount, thinking that maybe the tranny is sagging low - putting stress on the shifter linkage bushings?

Can anyone supply a simple procedure for replacing these rearward mounts?

Thanx again, gang.  You are ALL the BEST!


--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
William Blair Wagner: blairwag@earthlink.net
Education is not always knowing the answer,
...but rather knowing where to look for it!
1971 280SL US Automatic
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[J. Huber]

Hey Bill, welcome back. To my knowledge the trans mount and rear engine mount are one and the same. As for bushings, they simply deteriorate, probably independent of the mounts. They are about 4 bucks each I think and not too difficult (for a mechanic) to install.

James
63 230SL

[George Davis]

Bill,

As James said, the rear engine mount/tranny mount is one and the same.  Not exactly a trivial job, but not horribly difficult, either.  It lives at the rear of the transmission, above the transmission support plate.  The trans/engine has to be supported while the plate is unbolted and removed (12 or so bolts).  The exhaust system may have to be loosened and moved to get access to one or two of the bolts, but I've done it without having to move the exhaust.  The right sockets/wrenches help.  The bolt in the center of the plate is the mount bolt.

Once the plate is out you'll see the mount.  Unbolt the mount bracket from the transmission (4 studs/nuts), and unbolt the mount and replace it.  When you order the mount, also order the bellows seal that covers the mount and protects it from oil.  Installation is the reverse of removal.



George Davis
'69 280 SL Euro manual

[hands_aus]

Hey Bill,
The trans arm bushes are made of moulded nylon. There is a hole all the way through but it is smaller diameter opening on the back end that touches the lever. It fits firmly over a stud that has been machined with a conical taper on the back end near the  selector lever.
The smaller opening is a press fit over that taper.
The outside of the bush has a "U" shape moulded into it.
The bush is fitted to the linking arm then the arm is fitted to the selector lever.
There is no need for C clips.

Part number 112 268 01 50 they were $19.20 each in Australia.

I have attached a couple of pics so that you know what to expect.

Download Attachment: GearLeverBushATrans_1TEXT.JPG
13.1 KB

Download Attachment: GearLeverBushATrans_3TEXT.JPG
9.88 KB

Bob Smith (Brisbane,Australia)
RHD,1967 early 250 SL, auto

[blairwag]

James, George, & Bob,  Thank you for the insightful info. The pictures are especially helpful.

Now, procedure questions. Since I believe I need to replace the bushings at both the transmission selector lever AND at the user shifter rod, I am going to need to create reasonable access.

How do I do this?

It looks to me like there is a nasty-heavy v-shaped plate with 10 or more large bolts holding it in place. This plate must be removed to gain access to the user shifter rod, no? Is this plate, in fact, the transmission support plate that George spoke of? Must I support the transmission to remove this? Will removing this give me the access I need to replace these bushings?

I currently have the linkage rod off the car (it fell off completely). The bushings are still on the car (or somewhere). When I'm ready to install the new bushings, do I fit/press them into the linkage rod loops first, and then attempt to press/force the bushings onto the selector lever and user shift rod respectively?  Is there a prefered order (user shift rod first, before trans selector lever or vise versa)?

If I'm preparing to replace the rear engine/tranny mount, is this the right time, to do both jobs at once?

Assuming I get parts in time, I plan to do this all this weekend. Your help, as always, is invaluable. Thank you, so much!


--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
William Blair Wagner: blairwag@earthlink.net
Education is not always knowing the answer,
...but rather knowing where to look for it!
1971 280SL US Automatic
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[George Davis]

Bill,

partial answer: yes, that plate is the one I mentioned, and you must support the trans/engine to remove it.  I put the support at the front of the bellhousing.  Can't help you with the shifter bushing questions, sorry.

George Davis
'69 280 SL Euro manual

[J. Huber]

I can add a little about bushings. I believe they will need to be pressed into the linkage eyes first. This can be tricky since they are generally hard as a rock. You can soften them a little to make them pliable. I have heard placing in a cup of hot water, using a blow dryer, etc. Somehow soften em. Then they fit nicely.

Now, as for old ones, from under car you should see the bottom shaft that linkage goes on. You will see old bushing if its there. I bet its not or only part of it is. Should break/fall off. Same with upper, however here's where I don't have any answers. How to get to uppers>DON'T KNOW< But I think there is a way without doing major surgery. Hope for others on this.

James
63 230SL

[merrill]

Blairwag,
I just replaced the bushings on my 66.  I had once changed them with my dad a long time ago and we did it the hard way.

My front linkage bushing fell apart so it was still connected to the shifter.  
 instead of dealing with the heavy cover plate for the tranny I just unbolted the shifter from the inside of the car and pulled the enire shift mechanism up into the car.
from there I installed the new bushings, put everything back in the car, and connected the front bushing with a helper who would move the shifter forward or back so I could line up the front bushing with the
tranny connection.

From what I remember, this was MUCH easier than removing the plate etc...

goood luck
matt

[hands_aus]

Matt,
that sounds like a great approach to the job.

Blair, the bushes are definitely fitted to the link rod first.
Soak them in HOT water to soften then, use a vice or something similar to press them in.
Remember they work only one way. You will understand when you get the new bushes and have a look at the selector lever on the trans.
Make sure you are supplied with the correct bushes. I wasn't and the lever came off within about 20 meters of driving.

Bob Smith (Brisbane,Australia)
RHD,1967 early 250 SL, auto

[blairwag]

Hey guys.

Can you help me get this rod back in?  I warmed the new bushes in hot water and got them installed in the eye loop ends of the linkage rod. I *BELIEVE* I have them installed in the correct direction. However, I can not figure out how to route the linkage rod from the shifter connector to the transmission selector.

I'm attempting to position and route the linkage rod as per the diagram in the BBB Fig. 27-23/1a (page 27-23/2). Is that wrong?

Any words of wisdom?  Please, help!

--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
William Blair Wagner: blairwag@earthlink.net
Education is not always knowing the answer,
...but rather knowing where to look for it!
1971 280SL US Automatic
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[France]

Hi Guys,

There is a previous thread (19 Oct 2004) on this topic because Tosh had this happen.  I had to replace both.  The top one is accessible by taking out the shifter and pulling up.  

A final word of wisdom:  wire up the whole mess with lockwire as insurance--you don't want to be relying on a little piece of Teflon.



Trice
1968 280SL US, signal red/bl leather, auto, kinder
Sarasota FL; Alsace France

[blairwag]

Hay Gang,
Bob Smith pointed out to me, that I have the shifter in the reverse direction. The cover plate on the shifter must have gotten rotated 180 degrees which threw me off. Sometimes I can be such a dummy!


--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
William Blair Wagner: blairwag@earthlink.net
Education is not always knowing the answer,
...but rather knowing where to look for it!
1971 280SL US Automatic
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[mbzse]

Originally posted by Bob Smith
 the bushes are definitely fitted to the link rod first.
Soak them in HOT water to soften then, use a vice or something similar to press them in.
Remember they work only one way

I changed the bushings on my sedan yesterday. I enclose a couple of pics here. It made a tremendous difference in the "feel" of the  gear selector lever. Great. These bushings are not available as separate parts from M-B Classic, I bought mine at Niemoeller

/Hans in Stockholm

[blairwag]

Job completed!  I got the bushes from Ray Paul at Buds Benz (formerly SL Classic). My shift rod looks just like yours, Hans. After putting the shifter in the correct way, the whole thing went in pretty easy. Matt's suggestion really help - as did all of your help. Thanx guys. You are the BEST!

Unfortunately, the car is still up on jacks. I considering replacing the rear drive pinion seal and swing joint rubber mount/bushing. Until then, my "Lil Red Car" is still off the road


--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
William Blair Wagner: blairwag@earthlink.net
Education is not always knowing the answer,
...but rather knowing where to look for it!
1971 280SL US Automatic
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~