Here are 2 posts by Marshall made in 2005:
There are many fine synthetic wheel bearing greases (many/most must
not be mixed), but Mercedes is VERY particular about the quantity of
grease to be used. Too much or too little (by even 10%) and premature
failure is likely. The advantage of buying a tube of the Mercedes
supplied grease is there is precisely the proper amount (150 gm as I
recall) to do both front wheels.
Marshall
--
Marshall Booth (who doesn't respond to unsigned questions)
"der Dieseling Doktor" mbo...@pitt.edu
'87 300TD 181Kmi,'87 190D 2.5 199Kmi, '84 190D 2.2 227Kmi, '85 190D
2.0 159Kmi, '87 190D 2.5 turbo 234kmi
Diesel Technical Advisor MBCA, member GWSection
http://www.dhc.net/~pmhack/mercedes/mbooth1.htm
my...@netscape.net wrote:
> ha! mercedes batteries, just a over priced battery with a cheap mercedes
> paper label
>
> Subject: Re: [MBZ] Consumers Reports battery ratings
>
> what!!!! are we .... i cant believeth it i would have thought we HAD to
>
>>use only mercedes benz battery's!!!!
>> you know some ppl in this group!!!!
>>collins
>
> WHY?
>
> Marshall
>
>
> WELL..... there is ALLWAYS the prolonged discourse regarding the following
> things
> a break fluid!
> b transmission fluid!
> c air conditioner refrigerant!
> d air conditioner compressors!
> e automotive glass!
> f wheel bearing torque !
> g wheel bearing grease!
> h godonlyknowswhatelse!
> I i am surprised there have been no howls of protest no out rage !!! using
> a non MERCEDES BATTERY!?!!?( GASP),,,,, oh the humanity!
>
> ps since no one has raised it !!!!does mercedes make windshield washer
> fluid ??? and will pep boys stuff work in a 500 sec????
>
> ahhhhhh let the diatribe begin!
Myth, heresy, ignorance, rumor, carelessness, inattention!
Mercedes labeled batteries are FINE batteries. They also cost about the
same as the DieHard Internationals and the top of the line Interstates
(all are made by Johnson Controls and are of about the same quality and
have a history of giving about equal service everything else being
equal). The Johnson Control's batteries sold by Wal-Mart, Costco,
Advance Auto, Pep Boys, Auto Zone, etc have about the same recent
history of service and are from 20-50% less expensive. A Mercedes
battery is not remotely a bad battery, just a fairly expensive one. A
Mercedes battery MAY end up being an inexpensive alternative if you are
stuck with a dead battery in the middle of nowhere. You can call
Mercedes and they will bring you a new battery. They will NOT charge for
the roadside installation or the service call - only the list price for
the battery. That CAN be much cheaper than some of the alternatives. If
you drive into a Mercedes dealership the cost WILL be much higher as
they WILL charge labor for installation.
SOME Mercedes products are GREAT values and some are unique. The was
nothing like Mercedes anti-freeze available in the US until a few years
ago and EVERYTHING else was quite inferior. Now Zerex G05 is available
and is identical (Valvoline is using the Mercedes formula). You can use
either, but be sure to change it every few years. Then there is Mercedes
sunroof grease. NOTHING else will do the job properly. Some Mercedes
products are GREAT values (rebuilt water pumps and rear wheel bearing
repair kits used to be great bargains) and are often cheaper than
aftermarket replacements. Some Mercedes parts are ONLY available from
the factory (try and find an aftermarket radiator or exhaust system for
a 190D 2.5 turbo in the US). Some aftermarket products have NEVER met
Mercedes standards (use NOTHING but Mercedes pistons and cams). How many
US makers can supply almost any part for a 30+ year old car within a few
days. The pricing policies of a few dealerships (selling parts at 25% to
200% suggested list) make NOTHING they sell much of a value.
Mercedes does NOT require that you use Mercedes brake fluid - just
DOT-4+ changed at least every 2 years. They permit almost any
Mercon/Dexron rated transmission fluid for all the 722.1, .2, .3, .4
transmissions (maybe .5 as well - not sure). The newer 722.6 series does
require Mercedes specific fluid that's QUITE expensive, but it lasts
2-4X as long as conventional fluid. There is NO specific for refrigerant
(the US government regulates refrigerant). Mercedes factory glass MUST
meet certain European standards to be used in a car in Europe (it used
to be quite a bit "softer" - not sure about now). Those standards were
quite different than those imposed by the US, so the glass used had to
meet BOTH standards. The replacement glass available from dealers in the
US now, need only meet US standards.
You can of course tighten your wheel bearings any way you choose, but if
you don't service and tighten them the way Mercedes suggests, they are
unlikely to last the life of the car (many last 400-500kmi or more if
maintained as Mercedes suggests) and the car will NOT drive like a
Mercedes (usually more like OLD, beat Chevy). As to Wheel bearing
grease, the grease approved for Mercedes built before the mid '80s (a
Shell product) was grease formulated and certified for use in a specific
US fighter plane (may have been the F-15). For cars built after the mid
'80s, a synthetic grease is all that's been approved. There are many
greases that will meet the specification, but few are packaged in
precisely the correct amounts as the Mercedes product is and few
mechanics, much less DIYers have scales to weigh out the proper
quantities as is required for proper application. The design of the
bearing assembly and the grease specifications allowed the grease to be
pumped thru the bearing assembly as long as the proper quantities were
loaded into the correct compartments. When the grease in the hub began
to change texture/color it could be replaced and if that was done
regularly, the bearing MIGHT never require repacking and will seldom
fail. Mercedes sells washer fluid concentrate. You may use it or not. It
may or may not meet YOUR needs. You MAY find the Pep Boy's (or any of
the "blue" fluids) washer fluid satisfactory, but I haven't.
That should dispel of SOME ignorance. The most important point of the
list is to eliminate it ALL!
Marshall
--
Marshall Booth Ph.D.
Ass't Prof. (ret.)
Univ of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Department of Pharmacology 1300 BST
Pittsburgh PA 15261 USA
mbo...@pitt.edu
On 8/15/09, Allan Streib <str...@cs.indiana.edu> wrote:
> Fmiser <fmi...@gmail.com> writes:
>
> > Speaking of wheel bearing grease....
> >
> > Is there a way to purchase a quantity greater than the 150 g
> > tube? Like a tube of it? Or maybe is it made by Valvoline (or
> > something) and is available as a different part number like the
> > coolant is?
>
>
> I seem to recall Marshall saying it was the same as some mil-spec grease
> made by Shell. Wonder if anyone with a "Marshall Archive" could find
> that...
>
> Allan
>
>
> --
> 1983 300D
>
>
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