new steering box for 1982 t200 estate

[brian mc kenna]

Help,
can anyone tell me where I can find a new or reconditioned steering
box for this charming old car. It is perfect otherwise.

 

[Richard Moakes]

www.gsfcarparts.com

Part number M43000 costs £235

Richard

1989 W124 300E

 

[TimN]

Just bought one from Eurocar parts. Prity naff. I did start to recondition the old one myself. The recirculating ball bearings cost £5.00 plus vat. The seal kit costs £17.00 + vat from MB. Any of the roller bearings can be bought from a bearing specialist check yellow pages. And it cost me a £5.00 bung to have the armstrong arm removed from the splines.

You do realise that the box is adjustable. on the top you will see a stud with a lock nut on it. Turn off the lock nut and the rotate the stud using a 5mm allen key (I think). You may have to remove the exhaust manifold to get access to it. Do not turn the stud with force or you might lock up the steering. It is probably best done with the front wheels off the ground so that you can make sure you get smooth action. As you do it lightly tap the large nut on the underside with a hammer to make sure it is well seated. When done lock off the nut holding the allen key in place and then replace the manifold.

Quite frankly £60 will get you a box from a breakers yard and you can test it before you buy it. Some of these recons are not up to scratch. Probably just painted to look good like the one I eventually bought.

 

[njpumphrey]

Hi Brian,
I have been looking into this as well and have discovered that adjusting the box is only going to be worthwhile if there is a similar amount of play when the wheel is near full lock. This is because the wear is usually in the straight-ahead position, and adjusting the box to be tight for this position will cause the wheel to jam at full lock. If the steering is loose in all positions it will respond to adjustment well. How much did the mechanic charge to adjust the box?
P.S. is the carb problem still intermittent??

 

[TimN]

Not entirely true. If the ball bearings in the recirculating ball mechanism or the threaded shaft and nut are warn, then there will apprear to be play at all positions which adjustment cannot take out. An internal inspection will be required.

 

[njpumphrey]

Oh, OK, I stand corrected. This isn't particularly good news as it does not give me an easy test to see if the steering will respond well to adjustment. Would it be fair to say though, that if there is no play at full lock then you are definitely looking at having to replace the box? Is there a way to easily test if the problem is slack adjustment or worn bearings?

 

[Leylandp76]

I think you should try the adjustment. I have adjusted play out of 40 year old Ford boxes with no trouble, and I doubt that they are the quality of a 20 year old Mercedes. Mercedes like to use steering boxes instead of rack and pinion because they are so robust, so trust their judgment and give it a try.

I did the one on my 1987 W124 300TE recently and the biggest hassle was (a) getting the heatshield off (had to crawl under - remember to lie on a nice thick sheet of cardboard this time of year or you get too cold); and (b) first time I did it i adjusted it the wrong way and made it WORSE! d'oh! Once I had been around the block and realised my error I just adjusted it the other way and it's like new.

It's an easy adjustment and as long as you don't get too keen and over tighten it (you'd have to try) then you'll notice a massive improvement immediately.

 

[Andy]

Hi


Firstly a 124 box is completely different to a 123 box. The part that wears in the 123 box is the pitman arm shaft. The main shaft in the middle of the box. This is the shaft that nobody replaces because its too expensive. So all the so called recon boxes are all the same. Great if you want to go around islands with no hands.


The only way to get that nearly new feeling from a 123,126,116, is to replace the steering box with a new MB box. Very expensive.


Regards

Andy @ www.mercedesservicing.com