same Q new thread..to adj. steering box..or not

[greasygas]

I keep hearing not to adjust them although I found the specifics counter clockwise fastener etc. but the quistion remains will it make the steering too tight or will it correct the slop in the box ? whick is what i need to do to pass out of province.. apperently a kit is avail for 50 bucks or so that the dealer ship says is a customer avail and installable part,,35 years selling benz .

still no luck with cruise but apperantly the myserious red wire that comes all the way back from the front marker light to the trunk then into the tail light bezel .
the guy must have lost a ground and hot wired it ..checked fuses nothing..

sure was fun driving the 82 240D after a long winter,Im glad I never drove it once on the salt...floor is all welded in now where it had a puddle inside anf fibereglass was laid ,I will share pics as I took them step by step if I could figure out how to make links or downsize picxls that would help alot..
thanks to all you guys and gal that helped me out so fat with 123 diesel quesestions oh ya fuel tank sludge almost gone finally!..

Leon

t

[Don350SDL]

Well, if you mark the original position of the screw, you can always adjust it back to where it is if it gets too tight, so the process is fully reversible, what can you lose?

Don

[Sokoloff]

Do a search here. The steering box is ABSOLUTELY the last thing you should touch when trying to reduce the slop.

[greasygas]

THANKS BUT SLOP IS 98 PERCENT IN THE BOX ,CAR HAS 180 THOU MILES oops caps... as i was saying every one is beating around the bush or guessing on how to deal with the box prob..Im going to go ahead and order the kit then if I hear nothing different here after ttt twice.. I trust most of the advice and friendly comrarere here on this site even if there is a pr mechanic in our ranks that would please care to elaborate

[greasygas]

sorry was told doing this screws up the crush of the gear trying to losen it after doesnt work and you make it worse ..I have to know for sure no guessing here please! thanks your benz bud leonWell, if you mark the original position of the screw, you can always adjust it back to where it is if it gets too tight, so the process is fully reversible, what can you lose?

Don

[greasygas]

Il try it thanksDo a search here. The steering box is ABSOLUTELY the last thing you should touch when trying to reduce the slop.

[Maxbumpo]

Leon,

What is the play at the steering wheel? With both front wheels on the ground, on a normal 123 car, you can move the steering wheel about 1 inch in either direction before the front tires begin to turn. You will never be able to reduce the play below this level....

Many other components can be responsible for 'loose steering', including rear axle subframe bushings! There is either one or two rubber discs in the steering column, there is an idler arm, there are tie rod ends, there are upper and lower ball joints, and there are front wheel bearings. Any/all of these are MUCH more likely to be contributing to your problem.

[greasygas]

its more play im sure ..found complete seal kit for 24.00 plus shipping..from what I have read these tune it up quite well ..as for adjusting it there are so many variations in results and procedure ..really hoped to get the real goods here yes im still guessing too? want to do it right not fudge a good part by twiddiling!

[greasygas]

the mechanic indicate to play in box too much ..also that it (may)need be adjusted or rebuilt replaced ..to be determined ..at that point I paid my 150 dollar invoice with the hope of returning with problems corrected ..I ( May try adjusting the screw a little bit today against my mechanic friends scoldings ..hmmnn lets see what this part does OOPS!

[Maxbumpo]

Resealing a steering box involves some special tools. Check out the official procedure in the factory service manual. I was quoted $350 to have a 123 box resealed here in Charleston SC.

[greasygas]

nah thanks anyway yall!! its jus a bita frozen puppy pee for a good ole canadian by and his computer ..found a link with step by step photos ..gotta link puller?

[greasygas]

http://www.davidpetryk.net/Mercedes/Steering.htm[ thanks guys hope someone thinks this is doable by shade tree mechanics .. dont drop that little part LOL ! put this link in your browswe and be enlightened !:eek: QUOTE=Maxbumpo;106870]Resealing a steering box involves some special tools. Check out the official procedure in the factory service manual. I was quoted $350 to have a 123 box resealed here in Charleston SC.[/QUOTE]

[greasygas]

How to reseal a MB steering gear

)

(Without loosing your balls

http://www.davidpetryk.net/Mercedes/Steering.htm: :confused:

[Robby Ackerman]

You can take the slack out of the steering box by turning the adjustment screw counterclockwise. Usually it doesn't take much, a 1/4 to 3/4 turn. When you finish you still want 1" of play in the steering wheel.

The sealing kit will do nothing for the slack but will keep the 80W oil in, and is needed only if, in fact, the unit will not hold gear lube.

To rebuild one of these units runs at least $1000 and involves replacing 100 to 110 ball bearings, all of which must be mic'd to insure they all are preciscely the same diameter.

[greasygas]

contrary to your apparent expertice I have done my home work..the concecus is touching the crush screw is a no no (from Mercedes Mechs online at least 7 posts that this damadged the box ..and resealing the unit makes it work as it did when new ..the balls do not wear out look at the kit it explains itself ..so repectfully i think you are wrong .:mad:

[Robby Ackerman]

I adjusted the nut on our '82 car five years ago :confused:

Anyway, I'm always up to learning something new. Let us know the results of sealing the unit.

[greasygas]

Bumpco I think it was gave me some really good advice.. thanks everyone..no one has said what they think of the link I thought the photos were really well done ..still not sure if 80 weight oil is what YOU put in your power steering system
Try that at minus 40 EH! LOL...:D

[greasygas]

OK I will bought one on ebay and one from our store here..the prices are good especially valvecover gaskets like 5 bucks I adjusted the nut on our '82 car five years ago :confused:

Anyway, I'm always up to learning something new. Let us know the results of sealing the unit.

[greasygas]

now that I understand that the set screw is used to adjust the torque of the steering in the center section I jacked up the car and tested it by hand ..it was harder in the outside sector so I turned it ccw until the center section became stiffer to turn ..the car does correct itself better out of turns now but still hunts a bit on the road front end parts and bearings seem to be adusted but I just thinking a new set of tires might be the ticket the rear ones are a different make from the front goodyear also I want to look at changing the rear control arm bushings I know the car can handle really well when I chase out the demons..Still plan to do the box kit as in the link in this thread ..again what do you think did you see it ? is it somthing you can do yourself ? prettyb intimidating ?
I like the way he says if you need help to get the box off the car you have no buisness doing this ..thats a pretty ballsy challange eh?

[Maxbumpo]

I think that given enough time I might consider try the method described in the website, but not without having the MB service manual and MB 'Technical Data for Passenger Cars' April 1985 edition with me, and a nice clean work bench to use, as well as access to either the special tools required in the service manual or a large collection of automotive tools and machine shop to make anything else needed. In other words, might be an interesting challenge if the time and resources were available, but for me to pay about $400 here in Charleston SC for someone else to do it would be money well spent.

I suspect that the adjustment procedure he performs at the end is what is mostly responsible for removing the play, not the replacement of the seals, but that is just an educated guess.

[greasygas]

Yes a bench for sure and a Vice ! I can see one of those C clips flying allready from my butter fingers ! about the price of paying someone to do it ..there in SC
thats a fair price I think ..
I actually brought my 240 D from MD all the way back to canada and took the long way to see your great Hockey State.. last years playoffs against my home town were thrilling as all **** till you all gave us a dirty licking NC in game 7 ;) this year Lord Stanleys Cup will most Likely go south again,(to the Ducks who are playing great Hockey ) but one of these days we will rise again!

[greasygas]

the adjustment at the end only changes the torque of the Box Shaft IE steering wheel the book should be indicating this ..we all think or thought it was play..again it is clear from my searches that resealing them takes up the slop and thats the only way ,some seals act like bearings to hold things straight and tight when those seals wear there is effectively play where there was none before the big white teflon seal in the kit looks almost like a bushing .
.. as in how hard the center section feels to turn opposed to the feel of it closer too the fully turned position ..as in his picture you can do this in the car or out ..I did it in the car without the torque wrech by feel but I think the torque wrech would get it closer ..its hard to feel the differance ..but unmistakable when you do change the allen key position .... I also agree using ATF fluid in the pump and box is not the cats *** because it eats seals and I think I have had some fail in the past for that reason .

I think the way to go for a guy like you would be to get one from a bone yard if you really want to rebuild one then your car is not down while its done .. I bet you have a lot more access to some used ones than I ..Im kind of leaning that way myself if I can find a parts car within 1000 miles Im also thinking that rebuilding one or 5 of these at once is equal amount of work if you can think like Henry Ford For a minute..

[greasygas]

Robby you are right you can change the steering box torque curve I was miss understanding some things about steering box functions..Sorry Leon I adjusted the nut on our '82 car five years ago :confused:

Anyway, I'm always up to learning something new. Let us know the results of sealing the unit.

[Maxbumpo]

Potomac German Auto is a great source of used MB parts, good customer service, and they will ship it to Canada I'll bet:

http://www.mbpartsonline.com/index.html

[vwnate1]

Leon ;

Much ballyhoo about nothing here , yes the steering box is loose on 95 % of the older Mercedes I touch and it's easily adjustable in situ and NO you cannot damage it .

You should have the wheels on the gound , engine off ~ grasp the input shaft and rock it whilst observing the pitman arm , you're looking for the freeplay as you -gently- rock it back and forth before the pitman arm begins to move , loose
tie rod ends and etc. can also create play but the steering wheel should have ZERO freeplay not what was posted before .

The box has play ? I thought so , loosen the 17MM locknut using only a box end wrench (stubby works best here) , insert your 6MM hex wrench and gently turn the screw counter clockwise as you gently rock the input shaft back and forth , the screw will easily turn a bit , often more than 360 degrees , DO NOT turn it against the pressure you will eventually feel . as the screw backs out , you'll feel the play reducing in your gentle back & forth rocking of the input shaft . if the box is well & truly worn , you may not be able to get all the freeplay out of it but you'll reduce it a lot and improve road manners of the car .

Hold the screw from drifting as you snug up the 17MM locknut and then wipe up the ATF that leaked out .

it is good practice to replace the power steering's ATF every year or two , if yours
is brown or black and smells like burned coffee (the usual situation) it's a good idea to flush the system by disconnecting the return hose and placing it into an empty gallon jug , jack the front wheels off the ground and have your assistant turn the wheels left to right as you pour in fresh ATF , engine idle .

DO NOT run the car with the resivoir empty ! . once you've flushed it and it stays clean for a week or so , go back in and change the filter that's in the bottom of the power steering fluid resivoir .

This is all normal , routine service for a well built machine like the W123 .

If your pump leaks or makes howling noises etc. , Pick-A-Part is the key unless you're rich , in whch case please bring it to Pasadea and we'll be delighted to fix it for you .

80W gear oil is for _manual_ seering boxes only ! .