[W126 Coupe] Steering Straight

[Robert Karl Stonjek]

Had play in the steering.  Someone (here) suggested adjusting, someone else mentioned the steering damper.  The steering damper was stuffed - well and truly.  I had ordered one with the shock absorbers and fitted it myself.  But it made no difference to the steering problem.

The steering box had already been tightened by an MB man and he said that any more and the steering would become very tight, perhaps it would be damaged.

I noticed, in the yellow pages, a specialist power steering man.  Spoke to him on the phone.  He couldn't get genuine or generic Mercedes steering box replacement parts, but he could match up bearings etc.  I printed out all the service manual pages on servicing the steering box (Mercedes are anything but common here - many people claim to have never seen another 560SEC, I've seen only one other) and took the car to him with a reconditioning kit (these kits contain only the seals - no hard parts).

And the result?  Perfect!!  There is no play in the steering whatsoever.  In fact it is so direct it is a bit scary, with the low profile tyres (18" wheels) and new ball joints, tie rod ends, shocks and tyres it is almost too direct.  The caster, camber and toe were all adjusted to factory spec and the toe and camber of the rear was also done.  There is a small amount of negative camber on the front that wouldn't adjust out - a consequence of the lowered front I presume.

The steering box job cost $486 AUD ($370USD).  Other options were - reconditioned steering box (about $800) but there were none available; the only Mercedes wrecker in Australia would keep their eye out for a suitable second hand box with not too much play and recondition it for me (only the seals and adjustment, no hard parts) and charge me $550.  So this option was not only much cheaper but the result is much better and being local to me I have an executable warrantee.

Next year I'll be looking at the only other major work - a reconditioned transmission.  I have been quoted $5,000~$6,000AUD as a ball park figure.  The current box is OK but a little bit slow, especially when you first engage any forward or reverse gear - takes about 3 seconds to engage.  It probably doesn't need reconditioning for another ten or twenty thousand miles, so I'll be looking at fixing up the doors before then (squeaks, seals and rubbers, rust in the bottom, new glass, new rear view mirror).

Robert
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.pairlist.net/pipermail/mbcoupes/attachments/20061026/3712e167/attachment.html