Help

[bro frank]

recently changed trailing arm and axle on my 78 300d. i've been driving it 5 days now. it just started to make the same srubbing squeeking sounds again that it made before i changed the parts. see http://mbca.cartama.net/showthread.php?t=17460

took it up in the air and let it run on jack stands.

now this may sound stupid but since i don't know i'll bare the shame.

is the rear drive axle supposed to move laterally?

you know back and forth, in and out to and from the diferential.
cause that's what's happening on the drivers side axle.

is this a bad axle or a bad bearing or both?

maybe this is a duh but, is it comon to have axle failure and subsequenty have wheel bearing failure?

need to know gotta have the car road ready by the 28th. do i need to get another axle? replace bearing?

[VLayton]

is the rear drive axle supposed to move laterally?

you know back and forth, in and out to and from the diferential.
cause that's what's happening on the drivers side axle.

is this a bad axle or a bad bearing or both?

maybe this is a duh but, is it comon to have axle failure and subsequenty have wheel bearing failure?

need to know gotta have the car road ready by the 28th. do i need to get another axle? replace bearing?

Uhhh, no that's not good.

Did you do that side? Could you be missing or have messed up the retaining circlip?

[Maxbumpo]

There is a small amount of lateral movement in the rear axle - that is how it is possible for it to extend and collapse with the suspension moving up and down.

At this point, I seriously doubt that your bearing is bad, I'd be more suspicious of your axles (both sides). Especially if someone has put hose clamps on the rubber boots.

I'd recommend that you take it to a good MB mechanic and have them diagnose it, and then you can change the parts yourself and save the money. Find a good set of used axles that have boots intact - your mechanic may be able to help with that. Generally the price for a good used axle is around $100 to $150.

[bro frank]

okay did that side circlip went in fine. nice and straight.

axle has the mercedes straps on the dust boots.

only one axle exhibits the lateral motion. that's the side with the problem.

wish i could post a video. you can see it.

i've got 2 parts cars in the yard. are the axles specific to one side or are they interchangable.

Good M-B mech in surprising suffolk va????????

i'll ask around.


thanks so much folks.

[Maxbumpo]

If there is an oil groove on the differential end of the shaft, they are not interchangable. An oil groove is a spiral groove cut into the shaft, and it acts like a pump when spinning to push the differential gear lube back into the diff., taking oil pressure off the seal.

[bro frank]

took in everyones advice, searched the forum for "drive axle" and "rear bearing post's. went home and prayed. put the car on jack stands and was going to pull the diff cover and remove the axle. got the wheel off and the brakes on a hanger, and felt lead to start the car and see what i'd hear. so i double checked chocks and stands and put jacks back up to body. started the car and dropped it in gear.

silence. no scree, no scah scah scah. then i remembered a post where some ones park break was stuck and rubbing.

put break hub back on and there the noise was.

put it all back together. drove out to pick n pull in va beach. by the time i got to portsmouth the noise was gone.

have not heard it since.

it was rust.

i went ahead and got another axle, the boots on mine are not the prettiest. found a w115 or 114 that had an axle on it still had the stickers on it. car hadn't been wrecked either. so i grabbed that axle, and i'll swap it tonight Lord willing.

Just a thought: maybe some one might want to make a list of home diagnostics for w123's kinda like the FAQ list for 740 volvo's on brickboard.com. maybe there's one here, and i may have missed it.

thanks again for all the help.

ps there were no physiical differences between any of the axle's i pulled.

[VLayton]

In a way, this whole forum serves as the W123 FAQ list you describe.

Glad you found trhe problem. :)