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Steering Wheel Removal and Odometer Repair: Tutorial

157K views 205 replies 64 participants last post by  ic-racer 
#1 ·
Many of our MBs will suffer from a sudden non-working odometer.
The gears inside the speedometer were lubed at the factory to insure smooth operation, but over time this same lube reacts with the plastic odometer gears turning them into a waxy consistency. At this point the gear teeth start to crumble stopping the odometer function completely.
Replacing the gears is a fairly simple job but like most MB repairs..one thing leads to another.

To remove the gauge cluster that houses the speedometer, the steering wheel needs to be removed.


Instructions for removing the steering wheel can be found:

MB Chassis manual job# 46-610
Haynes manual 63025 job# 11-20
Chiltons manual 48300 job# 8-27
Steering Wheel Removal Video


Instructions for removing the gauge cluster can be found:

MB chassis manual job#54-250
Haynes manual 63025 job#10-18
Chiltons manual 48300 job#6-17


Instructions for removing and replacing the odometer gears can be found:

Odometer Gears - WELCOME




Steering Wheel Removal


Fairly simple task. You need to determine if you have a tapered allen head bolt or a hex nut holding the steering wheel on.
Some of these have been known to be VERY TIGHT due to the torque used and/or thread locker.
If it seems too tight a little heat can be applied to the head of the bolt to loosen up the thread lock.
When I loosened mine, steering turned all the way to the left with the steering UNLOCKED.
Make sure you mark or scribe the position of the steering on the shaft before removing.





















Replacement Hex Screw P/N 1269900312




I had replaced my steering wheel so my current steering wheel removal was a little easier.










Moderator Edit for airbag equipped 107s:
2) Any tips or instructions on how to pull the air bag, I need to access the odometer gears.

KCM said:
First disconnect the battery cable. Then remove the right side front carpet. There is a large plastic panel against the firewall. Remove the four fasteners and remove the panel. There will be a connector with a red top for the air bag. Unplug.

To remove the air bag, you will need the appropriately sized torx bit to remove the two screws on the back side of the steering wheel. Don't remember off-hand what size torx you need, but it is readily available at any parts store. Once the screws are loosened, lift off the bag and disconnect the push-on connector.
 
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#73 ·
Tooth Count Hard To Do

especially if you are old and the gear teeth are missing.**

I ended up scanning the gear and enlarging the picture and still screwed it up.

But I DID IT using these instructions

**I miscounted and ordered the wrong gear. I called the good guys at Odometer Gears and they sent me the correct one at no charge. Didn't want the wrong one back but I sent it anyway. How nice is that? They get 5 Stars from me
 
#75 ·
Dude....you need a helmetcam to free up your other hand.

That brass bushing that is left over on the shaft comes off easily if you cut it in half using side cutters.


Good job...looking forward to the finished product.
 
#77 ·
I know Nobby, it's a pain to film (and work) one handed. Im going to look for a small tripond and maybe that can help.

Thanks rowdie, now I can toss out that tiny bushing and wait for the new one to arrive.
 
#78 ·
Hey everyone,

Well got my gear in and got the cluster back together. All good so far, except that now that I am reinstalling it after plugging all connectors on the back of the cluster it seems that there is an electrical problem of some sort. Pls see vid....



Any suggestions are very welcomed as I am dumbfounded and cant figure out what I did wrong here.
 
#80 ·
Hey everyone,

Well got my gear in and got the cluster back together. All good so far, except that now that I am reinstalling it after plugging all connectors on the back of the cluster it seems that there is an electrical problem of some sort. Pls see vid....

YouTube - Cluster Trouble Vid

Any suggestions are very welcomed as I am dumbfounded and cant figure out what I did wrong here.
As Judy said... GROUND! Very similar to what mine used to do. Cleaning up contacts and additional ground and Bob's your Uncle...
 
#79 ·
Hallo Renato,
i only can recommend the usual remedies, check & clean your connections and always check ground.
Did you lay an additional ground wire as others suggested?
Always if weird stuff happens check ground first.
Sorry i can't give you any better directions.
 
#87 ·
OK, so I've added the ground wire, but it has done little help. Where should I look for a bad/loose ground on this type of work (instrument cluster) ???

Im bummed out about this. Thought I had it done correctly.
 
#89 ·
Worry not.
I'm sure everything you did was fine.
keep in mind that you are / were fiddling with old wiring and plugs.

Just go through it all again methodically.

The additional ground needs to catch the metal tab at the back corner of the cluster....UNDER the white shell. It then has to be attached to part of the chassis under the dash.
 

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#88 ·
Definitely a ground issue.
Try adding the wire again, and be sure to check that you have a good ground connection on both ends.
Hell, the wire you added could even be broken in the middle.:eek:
 
#90 ·
I grounded the wire from the screw on the other side of the cluster where you grounded yours as that side has a metal plate (seemed to me a good place to ground, but I could be wrong) to a 1 of 2 rather big bolts that sit inside just under where the cluster fits. I think they hold up the steering column.

I put everything back together (again) to take it for a quick spin and see if the Odo is working and it is (yeah !!). While driving I was adjusting the horn button on the Nardi steering wheel and noticed that that caused the gauges to move radically, so I guess that there's where I'll look to next.
 
#91 ·
When I did mine, I also cleaned the metal lip on the odometer that connects the most left and most right side of the instrument cluster together. It is the metal strip where you attached the ground on the instrument cluster. I just made sure that is was solid "ground" connection.
 
#93 ·
OK, so I got behind the instrument cluster and wiggled the connectors while the car was on and got no movement from the instrument's needles. I guess the extra ground and other connectors must be OK.

Next, while still on, I pushed on the steering column and the instruments went wild !! So, I put on the steering wheel and take it for a spin. Just turning the wheel makes the needles jump and the dash lights flicker. So, now I am pretty sure the problems lies there, somewhere.

Since I don't have the tool to remove the steering wheel hub, Im going to have to take it to my INDY and hope he can find this "bad" ground.

Wish me luck :eek:
 
#94 ·
Hallo Renato,
just remove the rubber cover of the blinker near the steering wheel and check for loose connections, there you find also the screws for the horn connector, you can reach easily the cables from the horn connector there and wiggle them a little to see what happens, maybe just some loose screws, takes you only 5minutes.
on the picture you see the brown & black cable for the horn connector.
 

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#95 ·
Hi Judy and thank you for your help.

Acutally I did check this area, but probably not detailed enough. Partly because all wires seemed OK, but also I could not really reach in there without having to remove the turn signal piece like you did in the pic you sent. I will check this area again and report findings. - Hope you are right :)
 
#96 ·
Ok, time for an update:

Took the turn signal assembly appart and found no problems with the ground wires. :(

My INDY recommended an electrician (used to work for MB back in the day). Took it over this morning and it seemed that the ground I installed was "nice job, but..." didn't ground right due to paint coming between the wire and chassis. Anyway, problem solved in less than an hour and total labor cost... wait for it..... USD 10.00. :D - I love this country !!!! Tiped the guy and extra 5 and made his day ! :D

So Im back on the road - wooo hooo !!
 
#98 ·
Nobby--

Question. Are the instrument cluster "tunnels" supposed to be shiny or flat inside? I started cleaning mine (450) and the most obnoxious black crude (which I can see in one of your photos) started coming off. As it was coming off anyway, I switched to denatured alcohol and it all came off and is all nice and shiny now. The inner white rings are bright white as well.

So, shiny or flat? i can see flat so as to not cause glare.
 
#101 ·
With one push of my odo reset at the gas station yesterday (car not moving) I became the latest R107 owner with an inoperative odometer. This at 114K. If I had it to do over again I'd simply *never* reset the trip odo as the gas gauge is pretty accurate.

Now, on to the repair job. Are the console puller hook easily fabricated from, say, thin wire coat hangers, or is there more to them?

Re heating the steering wheel bolt, can anyone share their heat shielding techniques so I don't melt something I'm not intending to? I have a 'standard' propane torch like this one..
 
#105 ·
My torch worked fine.. tiny flame; heat blanket covering lower half of access hole on the way in; flame on blanket (away from plastic above), and she's in! Took three tries as I wasn't sure how much heat it needed. Fabricated some console pullers from a thin coat hanger; one pounded flat with my sledge to slip in the narrower crack on the left side of my console.

My odo unit has the extra circuit board clipped onto the gearbox; no prob removing after a revisit here. My gears had two missing teeth: One on E1 and one on E3. 48 x 16 is the one I need to order.. clearly stamped on my old gear.

Thanks for this thread.
 
#106 ·
Thanks for this thread. I am waiting for my new gears to arrive. Something that I found missing is related to vehicles with air bags (Believe 86-89 560SL). To remove the air bags you need to come from behind the steering wheel and you need a T30 torx wrench to loosen the nuts. Other posts mention the need of the torx wrench, but not it's size. Also it needs to be at least 3/4" long, otherwise you can't reach the bolt inside the steering wheel.

Hopefully I can remember how to reassemble the gears.
 
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