Hi all,

Now that my mom got a brand new SUV, I got my '88 300SEL back. It will be an extra car for me and I am trying to get it back up to par.

I need new ball joints and a LF wheel speed sensor for the ABS, but I THINK it may also be ready for a new flex disc joint (if I am calling that the right thing). I am thinking it is the thing that is round and has holes in it (universal joint on most other cars).

The reason I ask is that when the car is placed in reverse, sometimes you can hear a clunk, or when it shifts when slowing down, you can hear a click/ticking sound from under the car. I bought the car in 2007 and I know it has never been changed since we have owned it.

I didn't want to go by sound alone and have it replaced, so wondering if this sounds like that is causing the sound and if there is a way to check it?

Thanks!

(and I just hit 3000 posts. )

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2004 Toyota Sequoia Limited 4wd
1991 Lincoln Town Car Executive
1991 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1988 Mercedes 300SEL
1972 Chevrolet Caprice Kingswood Estate 9-passenger wagon
1973 Pontiac Grand Ville
(Prior MB's: 1974 240D, 1985 380SE, 1984 190D, 1993 400SEL)

Visual Inspection

From underneath the Chassis

PLEASE follow ALL safety procedures !

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'84 300SD sold
124.128

Replace the flex disc if it is cracked. It sits between the driveshaft end of the trans and differential. In the center of the driveshaft is the center support bearing and bushing. The UV joint is between the two halves of the driveshaft.

You don't have to lower the exhaust on most mercedes to do the flex discs btw. You can just unbolt the front and rear flex disc and slide the driveshaft out and wiggle it. Make sure you mark with a marker where the driveshaft was in position at. Otherwise you could throw it out of balance and have a nasty vibration.

Thanks for the replies.

I may go ahead and order the part and get my mechanic to check it/replace it. I was thinking that if it was clanking, it may be cracked/worn. I am not familiar with the part, so thought I would ask.

I was also wondering if it was tough to get at because my mechanic for this car said sometimes you have to lower the exhaust to get to them.

Note that your driveshaft also has a u-joint (in the middle). In my experience, u-joints tend to make noises more often than the flex disks, and at this age it would be more surprising if the u-joint is still good.

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Prost!