W220 Flex Discs, intermediate bearing and centering sleeves replacement DIY
The W220 forum threads which deal with the propeller shaft maintenance usually focus on the replacement of the rubber flex discs, assuming that the other parts would be fine. Some members mentioned that the intermediate bearing and the centering sleeves are not subjected to the same torque that the discs have to absorb and would, therefore, seldom need replacement. My experience has not been the same, maybe because the front flex disc, the rear engine mount (transmission mount) and the engine mounts had been in a bad shape when I bought my vehicle. This could have caused more stress on the intermediate bearing and the centering sleeves. However, sooner or later all owners would have to deal with the rubber parts that do deteriorate when they age and seals that would start to leak when they become harder and change in shape. I agree with “Check Codes” (BW Elite member) who recommends the following regarding replacement of the intermediate bearing, the carrier and the rubber dust boot:
The W220 Mercedes-Benz has a two-piece propeller shaft that couples to the transmission and rear axle with rubber flex discs. The main function of these discs is to absorb driveline shock which is caused by the tremendous torque that the engine generates. The front piece (10) and the rear piece (35) can telescope or be seperated at a sliding connection. This is held in place by an intermediate bearing (50) in a rubber bushing which is supported by a metal carrier (45). Both the differential and the transmission have centering rods which fit into centering bushings or sleeves (15 & 40) at the ends of the propeller shaft. It seems that the centering sleeve consists of a small bronze bush mounted in rubber within an outer sleeve.
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The propeller shaft is subjected to the following wear:
• The rubber flex discs do eventually crack. That is the most-likely source of driveline vibration and noise. It could cause severe damage when they fail.
• The grease of the sealed intermediate bearing eventually breaks down, causing the bearing to squeal and seize if ignored. Excessive play could cause vibrations. Some members reported that the driveline vibration which they noticed went away after the intermediate bearing and carrier of their vehicles had been replaced. The intermediate bearing should spin freely. If it binds, squeaks, or grinds, its grease is probably dead -- the bearing should be replaced.
• The bearing is suspended in a rubber bushing, which also has a limited service life — the rubber dries out, cracks, and no longer adequately supports the intermediate bearing.
• The rubber boot which seals the splined connection between the two parts could deteriorate causing the grease to leak.
• The centering sleeves could wear at their sealing lips. The rubber becomes harder and shrinks away from the centering rods towards the wall to which it is attached. The internal diameter of the seal thus increases and causes a leak at the rod. A W124 WIS mentions that this could also be a source of vibration: “During test drive of vehicles with manual transmission, check whether vibrations are showing up when decelerating from a high speed. These vibrations cannot be eliminated by balancing nuts. In such cases, check whether the centering sleeve is filled with an adequate quantity of grease and whether the propeller shaft is guided free of play in centering sleeve, and renew parts, if required. Prior to assembly fill centering sleeves with approx. 6 g of multi-purpose grease according to page 267 of Specifications for Service Products.”
• The U-joint is also sealed. It will eventually dry out and need to be replaced.
Vibrations that transmit into the interior, especially at the rear console section, could be very annoying.
Examining the wear on the propeller shaft of my S500
I was not aware of any driveshaft vibrations on my vehicle. After my dealer had pointed out that the rubber flex discs needed replacement, I decided to examine all the parts of the propeller shaft.
• The front rubber flex disc of my S500 had severe cracks. I was alarmed by the fact that a small portion on the front side had already broken off. This could not have been seen because the front view of the disc is obscured by the transmission parts. I was also surprised that it had not transmitted into vibrations yet. I guess that could have been the next stage before it fails.
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• When I inspected the intermediate bearing from below, I saw signs of dry grease deposits on the outside of the bearing as well as an indication of play (I do realise that the bearing would have play because it is fitted into a rubber bushing. I noticed play in the bearing itself). The turning and listening test after removal revealed a soft grinding noise. That confirmed that the grease of the bearing had indeed broken down, although it had not started to squeal yet.
• The rubber bushing of the carrier seemed to be fine.
• Deposits around the rubber boot at the spline connection indicated that it might need replacement. It shows as the darker colouring on the right side of the hump on the front propeller shaft in the picture below.
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• Although the centering sleeves appeared to be fine, I discovered that all the grease had leaked out. The picture shows no grease on the inside of the bushing (the WIS recommends 6 grams). A measurement of the internal diameter of the rubber sealing slip confirmed an increase of 1mm in comparison to the rubber sealing slip of the new centering sleeve. This is confirmed by the picture: one can see the inner wall of the bushing of the old centering sleeve when pictured at a right angle, while it is not as clearly visible in the picture of the replacement sleeve. I came to the conclusion that the leak was caused by the increase in the internal diameter of the aging sealing slip. The rubber also felt a little bit harder than the rubber of the replacement sleeves.
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• The U-joint seemed to be fine.
Aim, disclaimer and acknowledgements
This humble contribution was written by a novice and is aimed at the novice DIY ’r who prefers to use a single document as a guide when doing his or her chores. I am not a technician. In fact, this is an account of my first attempt to refurbish a propeller shaft. It does not intend to replace the official Workshop Instruction Sheets.
The data contained herein are furnished for information only and are believed to be reliable. However, I cannot assume responsibility for the results obtained by others over whose methods I have no control. It is the reader's responsibility to determine suitability for the reader's purpose of any methods mentioned herein and to adopt such precautions as may be advisable for the protection of property and of persons against any hazards that may be involved in the implementation thereof. I recommend that the reader follow the instructions of the official Workshop Instruction Sheets and use my suggestions merely as a guide.
My modus operandi is to do some reading before I start a new project. I then attempt to integrate all the wisdom gained from different sources into a single document which I use as a reference when doing the work.
I was apprehensive in deciding to submit my endeavour as a new thread, both because of my lack of experience and because I am not a native speaker of the English language. I would, therefore, welcome any suggestions or corrections, and hope that the result would eventually be of service to fellow members.
I acknowledge the valuable contributions of the Workshop Instructions Sheets, Pelican Parts Technical articles and forum members such as Check Codes, Ricebubbles and Quadcammer.
Parts and fluids
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Shown in the picture above are the following parts for my S500 (2001):
• Flex disc kit (230 410 01 15) with all new mounting hardware (T60 bolts, 18mm nuts and washers). A close investigation revealed that the OEM flex discs are manufactured by Lemförder. There are two flex discs for the car, front and rear. One of the T60 bolts that were supplied in both Lemförder kits (17979 01) which I bought, is slightly shorter than the other five. I am not sure why and I do hope that it would not affect the balance of the shaft. Note for installation: the side with the writing on both discs faced the rear of my vehicle.
• Intermediate bearing (008 981 43 25 or *** 6006RSR)
• Driveshaft Center Support or Carrier for the bearing (211-410-01-81)
• Rubber dust boot (202 411 04 97)
• Centering bushing or sleeve (124-410-07-32)
The WIS recommends the following fluids:
• The splined profile at the sliding connection between the front propeller shaft and the rear propeller shaft should be coated with long-life grease (NLGI grade 2). MB 266.2 grease (A 000 989 63 51) contains Castrol Olistamoly 2 as shown in the picture below.
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• The cavities in the two centering sleeves should be packed with 6 grams Multipurpose Grease. Mercedes-Benz Sheet 267.0 recommends NLGI Class 2 Multipurpose Grease. The list includes inter alia Castrol LM Mehrzweckfett 2, Fuchs Renolit 283 EP 2, Mobilgrease MB 2, Shell Gadus S2 V145KP and Total MULTIS 2. Shown in the picture below is Castrol LM Grease.
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Part 1 Remove the rear part of the exhaust system
1. Put the car up on either jackstands, a lift, or front on ramps, back on stands. You need the rear wheels free to turn.
2. Remove exhaust system as of flange connection (11/3, 11/4 and 11/5).
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2.1 You’ll have to remove the rear part of the exhaust to remove the heat shield that covers the propeller shaft. Begin by loosening and removing the four bolts that hold the front part of the exhaust to the rear. Keep in mind that the nuts are 12mm (11/3) while the bolts are 13mm (11/5). If they are heavily rusted, you may want to soak them with good penetrant oil prior to removing. Sometimes you may even need to cut the bolts off if they are too rusted.
2.2 Unscrew the two bolts (11/9) at the rear exhaust rubber mount (9/2). Support the rear exhaust assembly with jack stands if you don’t have a helper.
2.3 Have a helper support the rear exhaust assembly where it meets the catalytic converters or support it also with a jack stand. Now unscrew bolts (11/6) with nuts (11/7) from exhaust-rubber mount (9/1).
2.4 Once these bolts are removed, the the rear part of the exhaust system can be lowered out from under the car. Don’t forget to grab the exhaust sealing ring that goes in between the front and rear pipes on the left side pipe.
2.5 One caveat: depending on how high you have the car you may have to support the ends of the front part of the exhaust system. Don't let them hang on the bolts that tie the pipes to the manifold.
Part 2 Removal of rear reinforcement bridge, front exhaust shielding plate, exhaust shielding plate above center muffler and front crossbrace
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3. Remove rear reinforcement bridge (crossbar 35). By the rear end, there is a crossbar with four 13 mm bolts. Remove the bolts and the crossbar.
4. Detach front exhaust shielding plate (105k) from exhaust shielding plate above center muffler (105e). There are two 7 mm nuts (one per side). Remove them. There are three 8 mm screws… remove them. Then slide panel out (may need to wiggle).
5. Detach exhaust shielding plate above center muffler (105e) in tunnel area. Remove 2 more 7 mm nuts.
6. Detach front crossbrace (34). Locate the two 13 mm bolts right by the transfer case. Remove the bolts and bar. This gives you a bit more room to move the propeller shaft enough to remove the disc.
The W220 forum threads which deal with the propeller shaft maintenance usually focus on the replacement of the rubber flex discs, assuming that the other parts would be fine. Some members mentioned that the intermediate bearing and the centering sleeves are not subjected to the same torque that the discs have to absorb and would, therefore, seldom need replacement. My experience has not been the same, maybe because the front flex disc, the rear engine mount (transmission mount) and the engine mounts had been in a bad shape when I bought my vehicle. This could have caused more stress on the intermediate bearing and the centering sleeves. However, sooner or later all owners would have to deal with the rubber parts that do deteriorate when they age and seals that would start to leak when they become harder and change in shape. I agree with “Check Codes” (BW Elite member) who recommends the following regarding replacement of the intermediate bearing, the carrier and the rubber dust boot:
“It's likely that they are not going to last through two sets of flex discs, so you're going to have to redo this labour at a later date anyway. Hence my suggestion to replace them. Thus, if you are planning this task as preventative maintenance, then buy both flex discs, the center bearing, carrier and dust boot, and do it all at once. In my humble opinion, that's the best practice here”.
The W220 Mercedes-Benz has a two-piece propeller shaft that couples to the transmission and rear axle with rubber flex discs. The main function of these discs is to absorb driveline shock which is caused by the tremendous torque that the engine generates. The front piece (10) and the rear piece (35) can telescope or be seperated at a sliding connection. This is held in place by an intermediate bearing (50) in a rubber bushing which is supported by a metal carrier (45). Both the differential and the transmission have centering rods which fit into centering bushings or sleeves (15 & 40) at the ends of the propeller shaft. It seems that the centering sleeve consists of a small bronze bush mounted in rubber within an outer sleeve.
The propeller shaft is subjected to the following wear:
• The rubber flex discs do eventually crack. That is the most-likely source of driveline vibration and noise. It could cause severe damage when they fail.
• The grease of the sealed intermediate bearing eventually breaks down, causing the bearing to squeal and seize if ignored. Excessive play could cause vibrations. Some members reported that the driveline vibration which they noticed went away after the intermediate bearing and carrier of their vehicles had been replaced. The intermediate bearing should spin freely. If it binds, squeaks, or grinds, its grease is probably dead -- the bearing should be replaced.
• The bearing is suspended in a rubber bushing, which also has a limited service life — the rubber dries out, cracks, and no longer adequately supports the intermediate bearing.
• The rubber boot which seals the splined connection between the two parts could deteriorate causing the grease to leak.
• The centering sleeves could wear at their sealing lips. The rubber becomes harder and shrinks away from the centering rods towards the wall to which it is attached. The internal diameter of the seal thus increases and causes a leak at the rod. A W124 WIS mentions that this could also be a source of vibration: “During test drive of vehicles with manual transmission, check whether vibrations are showing up when decelerating from a high speed. These vibrations cannot be eliminated by balancing nuts. In such cases, check whether the centering sleeve is filled with an adequate quantity of grease and whether the propeller shaft is guided free of play in centering sleeve, and renew parts, if required. Prior to assembly fill centering sleeves with approx. 6 g of multi-purpose grease according to page 267 of Specifications for Service Products.”
• The U-joint is also sealed. It will eventually dry out and need to be replaced.
Vibrations that transmit into the interior, especially at the rear console section, could be very annoying.
Examining the wear on the propeller shaft of my S500
I was not aware of any driveshaft vibrations on my vehicle. After my dealer had pointed out that the rubber flex discs needed replacement, I decided to examine all the parts of the propeller shaft.
• The front rubber flex disc of my S500 had severe cracks. I was alarmed by the fact that a small portion on the front side had already broken off. This could not have been seen because the front view of the disc is obscured by the transmission parts. I was also surprised that it had not transmitted into vibrations yet. I guess that could have been the next stage before it fails.
• When I inspected the intermediate bearing from below, I saw signs of dry grease deposits on the outside of the bearing as well as an indication of play (I do realise that the bearing would have play because it is fitted into a rubber bushing. I noticed play in the bearing itself). The turning and listening test after removal revealed a soft grinding noise. That confirmed that the grease of the bearing had indeed broken down, although it had not started to squeal yet.
• The rubber bushing of the carrier seemed to be fine.
• Deposits around the rubber boot at the spline connection indicated that it might need replacement. It shows as the darker colouring on the right side of the hump on the front propeller shaft in the picture below.
• Although the centering sleeves appeared to be fine, I discovered that all the grease had leaked out. The picture shows no grease on the inside of the bushing (the WIS recommends 6 grams). A measurement of the internal diameter of the rubber sealing slip confirmed an increase of 1mm in comparison to the rubber sealing slip of the new centering sleeve. This is confirmed by the picture: one can see the inner wall of the bushing of the old centering sleeve when pictured at a right angle, while it is not as clearly visible in the picture of the replacement sleeve. I came to the conclusion that the leak was caused by the increase in the internal diameter of the aging sealing slip. The rubber also felt a little bit harder than the rubber of the replacement sleeves.
• The U-joint seemed to be fine.
Aim, disclaimer and acknowledgements
This humble contribution was written by a novice and is aimed at the novice DIY ’r who prefers to use a single document as a guide when doing his or her chores. I am not a technician. In fact, this is an account of my first attempt to refurbish a propeller shaft. It does not intend to replace the official Workshop Instruction Sheets.
The data contained herein are furnished for information only and are believed to be reliable. However, I cannot assume responsibility for the results obtained by others over whose methods I have no control. It is the reader's responsibility to determine suitability for the reader's purpose of any methods mentioned herein and to adopt such precautions as may be advisable for the protection of property and of persons against any hazards that may be involved in the implementation thereof. I recommend that the reader follow the instructions of the official Workshop Instruction Sheets and use my suggestions merely as a guide.
My modus operandi is to do some reading before I start a new project. I then attempt to integrate all the wisdom gained from different sources into a single document which I use as a reference when doing the work.
I was apprehensive in deciding to submit my endeavour as a new thread, both because of my lack of experience and because I am not a native speaker of the English language. I would, therefore, welcome any suggestions or corrections, and hope that the result would eventually be of service to fellow members.
I acknowledge the valuable contributions of the Workshop Instructions Sheets, Pelican Parts Technical articles and forum members such as Check Codes, Ricebubbles and Quadcammer.
Parts and fluids
Shown in the picture above are the following parts for my S500 (2001):
• Flex disc kit (230 410 01 15) with all new mounting hardware (T60 bolts, 18mm nuts and washers). A close investigation revealed that the OEM flex discs are manufactured by Lemförder. There are two flex discs for the car, front and rear. One of the T60 bolts that were supplied in both Lemförder kits (17979 01) which I bought, is slightly shorter than the other five. I am not sure why and I do hope that it would not affect the balance of the shaft. Note for installation: the side with the writing on both discs faced the rear of my vehicle.
• Intermediate bearing (008 981 43 25 or *** 6006RSR)
• Driveshaft Center Support or Carrier for the bearing (211-410-01-81)
• Rubber dust boot (202 411 04 97)
• Centering bushing or sleeve (124-410-07-32)
The WIS recommends the following fluids:
• The splined profile at the sliding connection between the front propeller shaft and the rear propeller shaft should be coated with long-life grease (NLGI grade 2). MB 266.2 grease (A 000 989 63 51) contains Castrol Olistamoly 2 as shown in the picture below.
• The cavities in the two centering sleeves should be packed with 6 grams Multipurpose Grease. Mercedes-Benz Sheet 267.0 recommends NLGI Class 2 Multipurpose Grease. The list includes inter alia Castrol LM Mehrzweckfett 2, Fuchs Renolit 283 EP 2, Mobilgrease MB 2, Shell Gadus S2 V145KP and Total MULTIS 2. Shown in the picture below is Castrol LM Grease.
Part 1 Remove the rear part of the exhaust system
1. Put the car up on either jackstands, a lift, or front on ramps, back on stands. You need the rear wheels free to turn.
2. Remove exhaust system as of flange connection (11/3, 11/4 and 11/5).
2.1 You’ll have to remove the rear part of the exhaust to remove the heat shield that covers the propeller shaft. Begin by loosening and removing the four bolts that hold the front part of the exhaust to the rear. Keep in mind that the nuts are 12mm (11/3) while the bolts are 13mm (11/5). If they are heavily rusted, you may want to soak them with good penetrant oil prior to removing. Sometimes you may even need to cut the bolts off if they are too rusted.
2.2 Unscrew the two bolts (11/9) at the rear exhaust rubber mount (9/2). Support the rear exhaust assembly with jack stands if you don’t have a helper.
2.3 Have a helper support the rear exhaust assembly where it meets the catalytic converters or support it also with a jack stand. Now unscrew bolts (11/6) with nuts (11/7) from exhaust-rubber mount (9/1).
2.4 Once these bolts are removed, the the rear part of the exhaust system can be lowered out from under the car. Don’t forget to grab the exhaust sealing ring that goes in between the front and rear pipes on the left side pipe.
2.5 One caveat: depending on how high you have the car you may have to support the ends of the front part of the exhaust system. Don't let them hang on the bolts that tie the pipes to the manifold.
Part 2 Removal of rear reinforcement bridge, front exhaust shielding plate, exhaust shielding plate above center muffler and front crossbrace
3. Remove rear reinforcement bridge (crossbar 35). By the rear end, there is a crossbar with four 13 mm bolts. Remove the bolts and the crossbar.
4. Detach front exhaust shielding plate (105k) from exhaust shielding plate above center muffler (105e). There are two 7 mm nuts (one per side). Remove them. There are three 8 mm screws… remove them. Then slide panel out (may need to wiggle).
5. Detach exhaust shielding plate above center muffler (105e) in tunnel area. Remove 2 more 7 mm nuts.
6. Detach front crossbrace (34). Locate the two 13 mm bolts right by the transfer case. Remove the bolts and bar. This gives you a bit more room to move the propeller shaft enough to remove the disc.
