Great stuff!

Here's my prop shaft from a W123 1981 300D with automatic transmission (722.118) - sedan / saloon model W123.130

The length that you want is 33.5 cm colour code red green green yellow

See pictures

 

Thanks a lot, Army! Rear part is about 109cm I guess? Mmmh - yeah, must be.

 

I'm really glad someone who has enough of this stuff in one place is getting these measurements - it should help a lot of folks out. If I get to a junk yard and I see some of these bits lying about I'll take some more measurements and some photographs. Are you adding in LutzTD's information?

 

I can also measure some cars at work, if I have them on the lift. Yes, I'm adding Lutz info to it if he agrees. We rarely see 300SDs and the like over here

Here's a 300D 5spd vs. a 230E 4spd manual drive shaft:

 

This is what I can contribute to this thread.

1st picture is the front shaft of the 280CE 5 speed Getrag manual measures 63.5 cm. The painted strips are blue, blue and green.

2nd picture is the front shaft of the 300D 4 speed Getrag manual conversion modified driveshaft. The custom front shaft measures 51.5 cm. This is a custom shaft so no factory colors.

3rd picture are both the 300D rear driveshaft - top and the 280CE rear driveshaft bottom.

4th picture is a 280CE 5 speed Getrag manual driveshaft -top- full length measures 1.46 meters and a 300D 4 speed Getrag manual conversion modified driveshaft - bottom-full length measures 1.68 meters.





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Can anybody post the link to the PP thread Lutz created? What do the colors of the driveshaft mean?

At the risk of getting off topic, I just want to mention, this might have something related to do with the color codes on the springs (suspension).

This is great information!

 

For idendification Same as with the springs... Original thread here: driveshaft length table - PeachParts Mercedes ShopForum

@DeliveryValve: thanks a lot!

 

I have a quick .02 for anyone headed down the tranny swap (huh?) road:

When I changed my 280CE from auto to 5-speed, I didn't have the correct front shaft for the 5-speed + coupe. I found a local driveline shop and they made one out of the parts from the shaft for the 5-speed + sedan.

Point is, these shafts can be lengthened or shortened without being held up by a search for a hen's-teeth color combo...

In my case, they built the forward shaft, and balanced the forward and rear shaft for about $400. That included a new center bearing, new flex discs, and some hardware.

FB

 

Does anyone know how thick the walls of these prop shafts are?

Is 4mm a good guess?

 

This thread deserves a bump

Here are W201 five speed and four speed front sections

I've got the 4 speed and 5 speed boxes too

 

I recently acquired a manual 300TD Euro wagon driveshaft, so I thought to compare it to the US 240D driveshaft. The 300TD manual shaft should be the same length as the sedan one (or so I hope).

Excuse the straight awful photography skills. From edge to edge the Euro shaft measures about 56.(1-5) cm while the US 240D (manual) one is just shy of 67cm.

EDIT: The color code of the Euro one seems to be green blue green.

 

I had a 300TD with a 5-speed cannibalized and transferred the parts needed for 280TE. The front driveshaft has different colors than whats pictured in this thread so I'm enclosing it.

Whats pictured is a front portion of the drive shaft from a 300TD (non-turbo) with a 717.400 transmission. The shaft has red and green markings. Not sure what that signifies, but it is what it is.

 

What shaft would be suitable to use in an S124 with 717,404 Getrag box? I'm assuming regular W124 manual front half?

 

That depends on the transmission AND the engine. The 4-cylinder engines are shorter and sit more forward, so they require longer prop shafts than the 6-cylinder engines.

 

It's behind the M104 in my E320. So I'd need to use a manual shaft from a 6cyl 124, are the flanges all the same between manuals? ie is the flange on the shaft of the original 2.3-16 different in size to a flange on a 6cyl W124 manual shaft?

 

There were at least two sizes of flange. But you seem to be in luck: The W201 190E 2.3-16 uses the same flange as the 6-cyl W124. Part number 1243531745.

My bastard 5-speed 'box is a W124 unit and its flange works exactly on the 240D and 300D prop shaft. I had to shorten the prop shaft, of course.

 

Thank you sir, makes my life much easier now. For some reason I thought the 124 6cyl flanges were larder, but it must be the auto flanges.