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View Full Version : Mercedes Limited Slip Differential Swaps


John Buckingham
03-06-2007, 02:50 PM
I am a moderator on the 026 enthusiast board on this site, and I have been spent a couple of years searching for a limited slip differential for my 1979 450SLC 5.0. I use the car for MBCA driving events and I really need the LSD because I spend most of my time in the autocross and even on the track just burning rubber with an open differential.

Anyway, I have found a guy in California, who seems very knowledgeable about Mercedes differentials, who claims he can swap the limited slip from a later (W140, I think) S320 sedan into a 107 case. He claims the gears are the same and the switch can be made into the 107 housing, and I can still use my stock drive shaft and axles.

Apparently, all he switches over are the gears and the LSD unit. He claims that all "big case" MB differentials can be switched this way. He sounds absolutely confident and claims he has done it before many times.

Does anyone know if a later S320 LSD unit is interchangeable into a 107 case before I spend a bunch of money of something that doesn't work ?

Any guidance will be appreciated, or who should I ask ? Thanks ! John

JimVillers
03-06-2007, 03:22 PM
John .... I guess that I am not much help. I tried to cross the numbers from the drive shaft flange and the half shaft ends on the two rear ends. While I couldn't find the numbers for the W140, the 450SLC components crossed to W126 numbers. From the appearance of the components, they could very likely be transplanted.

Let us know what you discover.

John Buckingham
03-06-2007, 04:33 PM
Thank you. Any and all info is very much appreciated. I am checking with some other sources and I will keep everyone advise of what I discover. The idea of being able to put a late model LSD into a 107 housing is very interesting, although, probably, still a long shot. It seems worth pursuing.......

JimVillers
03-06-2007, 04:41 PM
John .... There are limited slip alternitives. Auburn Gear (http://www.auburngear.com/aftermarket/products/differentials/) makes something that is reasonably generic. A vintage racer has made one for the 190SL, see this link on the 190SL Group Site. (http://forums.190slgroup.com/showthread.php?t=4085)

John Buckingham
03-07-2007, 07:33 AM
Thanks again. I am trying to get in touch with Bruce Adams now. Perhaps an aftermarket conversion would work. That would be better yet. I appreciate your help and input and I'll ket you know how it goes, John