Wow! This is the first I'm hearing of this. We've had our car since 1985 and have been at the same address the whole time. They sure can't have tried very hard to let owners know about the recall!
Edit: I've just been under the car. Looks like we received the updated 560SL subframe at some point.
Edit: I've found an invoice from 1990 where it mentions the center support needing to be taken care of because of cracking, but haven't found one for the actual work. I suppose I may have not received a copy if it was invoiced out to MBZ corporate. But anway, it's done and I'm sort of glad that it was a new subframe provided rather than the repair.
For those of us who are unable to duplicate the Gussets, would somebody have the MB Gusset Kit part number? I have a R107 and a C107 which I wish to reinforce.
I've seen the part number on this forum.
Run a search. If I was at work getting paid....I do it for you. But I got the BBQ lit and a hungry family.
Later
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Quote:
Individual parts, even used, are crazy expensive, but if you put them all together into something functional and they're suddenly worth next to nothing. How does that make sense?
Dave,
I took the subframe home and gave it a clean up. It appeared that the control arm's mounting point was boxed-in as in the picture of the subframe recall. "The 114 type"...It is definitely better than what I have in my 380SL. I decided to spend the extra money and took it back to the shop to have it swapped out with the broken unit. I test drove my car and it felt different. My thinking was that the weld might be stronger but with the force that dragged the control arm when it dropped could bring other parts out of the geometry. Furthermore, the weld unit will haunt me as my flash back of what happened when the frame broke. I don't think I can ever be comfortable with a welded unit. My philosophy that once the glass has broken, no way to make it new as if it never happened. BTW, I went by Beshoff Motors, a Mercedes dealer here in San Jose, to order the support gusset. It's a special order item and it cost $120. part# 107 330 00 68. I also asked them about the extension of the recall to my case. I showed them the pictures of my car and the broken frame. They gave me a phone number to a MB customer hot line. I let you guys know if I get anything out of them.
Location: Currently in SoCal, originally from far far away
Posts: 247
UPDATE: I was getting some sheet metal repaired in the boot to replace a panel under the battery box which had rusted out (did a marvelous job) when a nice '81 380SL came in for some similar work, including front subframe reinforcement. The quality of this welder's work is great, though you'd never know it to look at his shop. The MB dealer seems to have actually "sent" (or suggested?) this customer come his way when the dealer could not (or would not) help him.
I have thus confirmed, without any risk to my own machine, that a highly qualified welder CAN MIG weld the gussets in-situ without removing the front sub-frame and the attendant shop time and cost associated as long as certain thermal precautions are taken. The only thing this fellow did was remove the two front wheels and off he went.
If you want to repair or reinforce the front subframe, perhaps there are more options than full subframe removal. Check out your local welders and ask to see some of their work. Bring your car and explain clearly what you want done and if they can safely weld the part up without excessively heating the subframe or melting any of the resilient mounts or bushings.
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