trailing arm bolt size

[BHap]

getting ready to replace the trailing arm bushings on my 70 280SL.  looking in the archives the only reference i can find to the bolt size for the trailing arm is someone who said 35mm but he had to file the bolt a little to get it to fit.  I have a 1 7/16 socket that is just a little big.  this converts to 36.5mm - is the bolt head 36mm?  I need to buy the socket so i'm looking for some confirmation.  These are the 4 bolts that hold the trailiong arm (radius arm) to the rear supporting tubes.  Thanks for your help.

Bob Happe
Pittsburgh, Pa
1970 280SL, white/black 4 speed

[jeffc280sl]

I can tell you that a 35mm socket will not fit without jamming on and marring the bolt head.  That leaves us with 36mm as far as I can tell.

Jeff C.
1970 280SL 4-speed

[ctaylor738]

It's 36mm, you can get a 1/2" drive socket at Sears.

[jameshoward]

Bob,

It is 36mm, and I'm probably that 'someone' who said it was 36mm in my thread on changing those bushings. I used a 1" drive, which you'll know if you read my thread. It maybe that the size of the drive meant that the socket was so large I had to cut it. Note that on the 230 at least the clearances are different on each side.

Good luck.

JH

[280SE Guy]

I bought a six point 36mm socket off of eBay a while back for the same thing. If you do a search on eBay for "36mm 6 Pt Socket 1/2 Dr for VW Volkswagen Porsche BMW" you should be able to find it as a buy it now item for $8.00. Shipping is from Colorado Springs, CO and probably will cost another $8.00. Took about three days for it to get to me on the Eastern side of PA if I remember correctly. At this time there seems to be about 10 available. Sears seems to sell 12 point sockets only. I have no association with the seller other than a buyer of one of these sockets.