W204 190E Donut excitement !!!!

[humpin8]

:-( I had an unfortunate experience the other day, and thought I would share all of it.
I was driving doing the "honey-do" list when I heard and felt a vibration in the bottom of the car. I continued to drive slowly, then tried to maintain speed in traffic, but the noise and vibration continued until BAM!!! I saw a largish piece of some black material tumble from underneath the Benz. I took it straightaway to the garage I use, and he put the Benz on the lift. He then showed me one of the negative things about buying a 20 year old car, with no apparant maintenance to it for about 7 years. The "donut" which MB uses instead of universal joints, had failed. I had the guy R&R the both of them, and I'm back in the driver's seat.
;-) Just a cautionary note to all of us driving these wonderful machines daily !!!!!
DO check after the old owner and DON'T trust that the car is perfect just because it looks good!!!
Thanks.....Hump

 

[marshie001]

ok......? first,whats the honey-do?
and second what donuts? are you referring to the rubber drive shaft flex joints? if so yes these are prone to wear especially on older rear wheel drive cars, if it is these you're talking about you did well to get to a garage if you saw a big chunk fly out.

 

[humpin8]

sorry all....
a "honey-do' is a list of the wife-type what needs doing....as in Honey, do this... and Honey, do that....

:mrgreen:

 

[marshie001]

aaaahhhh i see, the 'honey-do' i thought it was a new dance craze or something! lol

 

[andymanmb1]

sorry to hear that mate, good luck with your repairs,
btw its a W201 not W204, though prob a typing error.

 

[tom7035]

Just goes to prove that sometimes simple is best. I remember my dad changing a rubber propshaft coupling on his 1934 Austin 7!