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Luky
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Bratislava, Slovakia, EU
Vehicle(s): 300GE LWB auto, E320CDI 4M, VW Polo Classic 1.6
Posts: 1062
| Low range shifter rattle
Hi G-uys,
on Saturday I had to drive my 300GE on the motorway quite fast- about 130-160 km/h for about 1 hour. When I came back to a normal road, I noticed a strange plastic-like (it reminded me the old times when my dad used to have MC cassettes in his car) rattle coming from the low range shifter area. When I was holding the shifter, the rattle was not present, it was no problem with shifting into low range and back and the rattle was gone after I stopped the car and let it rest for about 2 hours. The t-case fluid was changed about 2 years and 20.000 kms ago (AFAIK MB recomends to change it every 60.000 kms) and my mechanic noticed a light vibration when accelerating from a full stop which he thinks is caused by the gearbox to t-case driveshaft joint.
Now how much should I be worried? When looking on the t-case prices- about 1700 euro from a wrecked car with no warranty it is going to work or about 3500 euro for a refurbished one I would really need some good news...
Edited by Luky 6/23/2014 3:52 AM
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AlanMcR
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, CA, Los Altos
Vehicle(s): G300DT E300DT 230SL
Posts: 3500
| RE: Low range shifter rattle
That is the first sign of the center drive shaft lube drying up. Fix it now and all it will cost you is labor and new boots. Wait and you will need new CVs at each end.
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4x4abc
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: La Paz, Baja California, Mexico
Vehicle(s): 02 G500
| RE: Low range shifter rattle
Alan,
CV joints started in 3/92 |
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AlanMcR
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, CA, Los Altos
Vehicle(s): G300DT E300DT 230SL
Posts: 3500
| RE: Low range shifter rattle
4x4abc - 6/23/2014 9:32 AM Alan, CV joints started in 3/92 If so, then I presume it is simply dried up prop shaft U-joints. Even better. I'll bet that shaft gets skipped all the time. An audio clip of the sound would help, but my initial take on transfer case shifter rattle is to look at the shafts.
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Luky
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Bratislava, Slovakia, EU
Vehicle(s): 300GE LWB auto, E320CDI 4M, VW Polo Classic 1.6
Posts: 1062
| Re: Low range shifter rattle
Harald is right- all my propshafts have U-joints, the workshop greased them last year during the last oil change, but it looks like they are showing their age. |
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