Re: [MBZ] 300SD steering sloppy coupling
Unless the joint is completely and utterly shot, moving the shaft with your hands may not tell you the whole story because you can't get enough leverage. You should apply enough force that you are actually causing the wheels to twitch a bit. Have someone move the steering wheel (engine off, obviously) and observe; at that point you should NOT see movement in the coupling. On the contrary, there should always be some play in the box. If it is too tight, you can get into a situation where it will fight you in an emergency manouevre (eg when you are moving the wheel rapidly) practically locking the steering off-centre. I know this from a 123 I had where the PO overtightened the box. The locking up is very disconcerting when it happens unexpectedly. The proper torque-based adjustment of the box can be achieved with normal tools (you'll need an old-fashioned, sensitive analogue torque wrench). The service procedure is fairly straightforward. D. Rich Thomas wrote: > >See below -- "The u-joint on the shaft just ahead of the box is fine" >unless there is some other coupling between it and the steering wheel. >I grabbed the shaft near the steering box and rotated it, the shaft the >other side of the coupling was rotating too, and the coupling was >tight. Car on ground. I took that to indicate the slop was in the box >s the input was moving but the output was not. > >--R ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] 300SD steering sloppy coupling
See below -- "The u-joint on the shaft just ahead of the box is fine" unless there is some other coupling between it and the steering wheel. I grabbed the shaft near the steering box and rotated it, the shaft the other side of the coupling was rotating too, and the coupling was tight. Car on ground. I took that to indicate the slop was in the box s the input was moving but the output was not. --R On 4/18/12 7:47 PM, Hendrik & Fay wrote: Check the flex coupling, a couple of days ago it came up on the OzBenz forum that one of those had completely disintegrated on a 126. Rusty sells em for a 100 slides www.buymbparts.biz/ShopByVehicle.epc?q=1987-Mercedes-300sdl-Steering&yearid=1987%40%401987&makeid=63%40%40MERCEDES%40%40X&modelid=6213%3AED|1100%3AMBC|1512%40%40300SDL&catid=241580%40%40Steering&subcatid=241649@@Steering Coupling&mode=PD Hendrik who will be checking the coupling at the next opportunity On 19/04/12 08:27, Rich Thomas wrote: OK the SD is all finished, I had to replace LF brake caliper as one piston was pretty much frozen. All new suspension and steering bits, an alignment done. Car drives well except there is still a fair amount of slop in the steering. The u-joint on the shaft just ahead of the box is fine, I can rotate the steering shaft right at the box and no response from the box. It is not a lot, but maybe 2in at the top of the steering wheel, and it is really dead. I am thinking the steering box needs to be adjusted, but with all the scary stories about buggering the box I am reluctant to do that. But with all the work, and it still feeling a little sloppy, well, I would like to get rid of that slop. If the box is already shot, then adjusting it would not do much to make it worse I figure, unless the way it is is sorta the way it should be (I think not). On another subject, I put in (another) air cleaner mount, but the air cleaner is shaking quite a bit at idle, which I figure will break this one at some point. I have no idea if the engine damper is working correctly or not, should I just get a new one and replace it? --R ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] 300SD steering sloppy coupling
I have some old 35mm slides here in my desk; I should use those next time I place an order with Q. ;<) Wilton - Original Message - From: "Hendrik & Fay" To: "Mercedes Discussion List" Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2012 7:47 PM Subject: Re: [MBZ] 300SD steering sloppy coupling Check the flex coupling, a couple of days ago it came up on the OzBenz forum that one of those had completely disintegrated on a 126. Rusty sells em for a 100 slides www.buymbparts.biz/ShopByVehicle.epc?q=1987-Mercedes-300sdl-Steering&yearid=1987%40%401987&makeid=63%40%40MERCEDES%40%40X&modelid=6213%3AED|1100%3AMBC|1512%40%40300SDL&catid=241580%40%40Steering&subcatid=241649@@Steering Coupling&mode=PD Hendrik who will be checking the coupling at the next opportunity On 19/04/12 08:27, Rich Thomas wrote: OK the SD is all finished, I had to replace LF brake caliper as one piston was pretty much frozen. All new suspension and steering bits, an alignment done. Car drives well except there is still a fair amount of slop in the steering. The u-joint on the shaft just ahead of the box is fine, I can rotate the steering shaft right at the box and no response from the box. It is not a lot, but maybe 2in at the top of the steering wheel, and it is really dead. I am thinking the steering box needs to be adjusted, but with all the scary stories about buggering the box I am reluctant to do that. But with all the work, and it still feeling a little sloppy, well, I would like to get rid of that slop. If the box is already shot, then adjusting it would not do much to make it worse I figure, unless the way it is is sorta the way it should be (I think not). On another subject, I put in (another) air cleaner mount, but the air cleaner is shaking quite a bit at idle, which I figure will break this one at some point. I have no idea if the engine damper is working correctly or not, should I just get a new one and replace it? --R ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] 300SD steering sloppy coupling
Check the flex coupling, a couple of days ago it came up on the OzBenz forum that one of those had completely disintegrated on a 126. Rusty sells em for a 100 slides www.buymbparts.biz/ShopByVehicle.epc?q=1987-Mercedes-300sdl-Steering&yearid=1987%40%401987&makeid=63%40%40MERCEDES%40%40X&modelid=6213%3AED|1100%3AMBC|1512%40%40300SDL&catid=241580%40%40Steering&subcatid=241649@@Steering Coupling&mode=PD Hendrik who will be checking the coupling at the next opportunity On 19/04/12 08:27, Rich Thomas wrote: OK the SD is all finished, I had to replace LF brake caliper as one piston was pretty much frozen. All new suspension and steering bits, an alignment done. Car drives well except there is still a fair amount of slop in the steering. The u-joint on the shaft just ahead of the box is fine, I can rotate the steering shaft right at the box and no response from the box. It is not a lot, but maybe 2in at the top of the steering wheel, and it is really dead. I am thinking the steering box needs to be adjusted, but with all the scary stories about buggering the box I am reluctant to do that. But with all the work, and it still feeling a little sloppy, well, I would like to get rid of that slop. If the box is already shot, then adjusting it would not do much to make it worse I figure, unless the way it is is sorta the way it should be (I think not). On another subject, I put in (another) air cleaner mount, but the air cleaner is shaking quite a bit at idle, which I figure will break this one at some point. I have no idea if the engine damper is working correctly or not, should I just get a new one and replace it? --R ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com