W211 4-Matic Front Driveshaft/ Propshaft Choices
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Joined: Jun 2017
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From: PA
W223 S500 LWB 4-Matic, W222 S450 LWB 4-Matic, A238 E400 Cabriolet 4-Matic
W211 4-Matic Front Driveshaft/ Propshaft Choices
Was under our '04 E500 4-Matic wagon and noticed the front driveshaft, also known as the propshaft, had a lot of play in the universal joints towards the differential. Sure enough, I looked at the lower plastic engine/ transmission cover and found some needles from the U-joint bearings sitting on top of it. I now see that the factory driveshaft has non-replaceable bearings so you can buy an entire brand new driveshaft or used or rebuilt.
The rebuilt ones have grease-able replaceable bearings. Kinda nice but seeing how the original drive shaft lasted more than 150K miles I'll probably settle on a used or new one. Anyone have an extra one lying around or know an inexpensive source for a new one? I have also noticed that the E500 unit has a different part number than the E320s. Not sure if it is a length or strength difference. I see that the same unit from an S430 or S500 will fit the E500s.
There is one part number that seems to be correct for my ' 04 E500. MB# 2204107006. I see that maybe MB # 2114107506 will cross? Any one know of any other part numbers that will cross so I can find an inexpensive replacement front drive shaft? Thanks.
The rebuilt ones have grease-able replaceable bearings. Kinda nice but seeing how the original drive shaft lasted more than 150K miles I'll probably settle on a used or new one. Anyone have an extra one lying around or know an inexpensive source for a new one? I have also noticed that the E500 unit has a different part number than the E320s. Not sure if it is a length or strength difference. I see that the same unit from an S430 or S500 will fit the E500s.
There is one part number that seems to be correct for my ' 04 E500. MB# 2204107006. I see that maybe MB # 2114107506 will cross? Any one know of any other part numbers that will cross so I can find an inexpensive replacement front drive shaft? Thanks.
Last edited by Sleeper Benz; Nov 29, 2017 at 08:48 AM.
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Super Member
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 577
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From: PA
W223 S500 LWB 4-Matic, W222 S450 LWB 4-Matic, A238 E400 Cabriolet 4-Matic
No one knows the difference between the E320 & E500 4-Matic front driveshafts? They look identical with only one number off on the OEM part so I'm wondering if MB just labeled the parts with different number for the different model even though they are the same exact part? If I knew for sure it would open up more parts available to fit and hence more $aving$.
E500 # 2204107006
E320 # 2204107106
Update: Found out there is a company out of Denver called Colorado Drive Shaft that makes a new front drive shaft that is stated to fit several of the MB 4-Matic's. Price was the least expensive @ $240 shipped free from the eBay site and it has up-sized replaceable & grease-able U-joints. Comes with a 1 year warranty. For comparison the new Doorman brand replacements are price fixed at $290 & up. Junk yards wanted $300 & up so the new unit from Colorado Drive Shaft is the one I ordered. I still have a suspicion that the E320 & E500 series drive shafts are the same part.
http://coloradodriveshaft.com/mercedes.htm
FYI, if you haven'y checked your 4-Matic front drive shaft in a while (or not at all) I suggest you do as ours gave no signs of impending failure. No noises or vibrations. It's conveniently hidden by the plastic lower engine cover. Once the front of the car is on the jacks, you can rock a front wheel and if you notice any major play in the U-joint, it could be going. There was a fair amount of rust powder around the front U-joint area and on the top of the plastic cover below. Again, ours was far enough gone that there were needles from the front u-joint bearings laying on that same cover. Seems, from info read on the internet, that the front u-joint on the front axle is the one that fails the most.
E500 # 2204107006
E320 # 2204107106
Update: Found out there is a company out of Denver called Colorado Drive Shaft that makes a new front drive shaft that is stated to fit several of the MB 4-Matic's. Price was the least expensive @ $240 shipped free from the eBay site and it has up-sized replaceable & grease-able U-joints. Comes with a 1 year warranty. For comparison the new Doorman brand replacements are price fixed at $290 & up. Junk yards wanted $300 & up so the new unit from Colorado Drive Shaft is the one I ordered. I still have a suspicion that the E320 & E500 series drive shafts are the same part.
http://coloradodriveshaft.com/mercedes.htm
FYI, if you haven'y checked your 4-Matic front drive shaft in a while (or not at all) I suggest you do as ours gave no signs of impending failure. No noises or vibrations. It's conveniently hidden by the plastic lower engine cover. Once the front of the car is on the jacks, you can rock a front wheel and if you notice any major play in the U-joint, it could be going. There was a fair amount of rust powder around the front U-joint area and on the top of the plastic cover below. Again, ours was far enough gone that there were needles from the front u-joint bearings laying on that same cover. Seems, from info read on the internet, that the front u-joint on the front axle is the one that fails the most.
Last edited by Sleeper Benz; Nov 29, 2017 at 01:12 PM.
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Joined: Jan 2009
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From: V E G A S
1922 Ford Model T / no OBD
$240 for major MB part is cheap no matter what you say.
Still check the builder reputation as the market is flooded with aftermarket crap. Vladimir is Russian name BTW
Also check local google maps for driveshaft rebuild shop. Chances are they will do job with installation for similar price.
Still check the builder reputation as the market is flooded with aftermarket crap. Vladimir is Russian name BTW
Also check local google maps for driveshaft rebuild shop. Chances are they will do job with installation for similar price.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 577
Likes: 196
From: PA
W223 S500 LWB 4-Matic, W222 S450 LWB 4-Matic, A238 E400 Cabriolet 4-Matic
Installed the Colorado brand Driveshaft and all is good again. Just in time as the bearing cup in the old front U-joint was completely cracking apart after all the needles came out.
As usual this took a bit longer than I thought. The muffler support bracket that is in the way needed the bolts to be removed very carefully as did the drive shaft mounting bolts. When I say very carefully, this means "crack" the bolt loose and you might get a 1/2 turn out of it before it wants to snap off completely or or strip the aluminum case it goes into. That's when you need some Kroil, PB Blaaster or WD40 to spay the b-jesus out of it before turning it back in, then out again a bit, spray then back in, then out a bit, then spray...well you get it by now. Tedious but no striped out or broken bolts
I put the car up on jack stands because you need to put the transmission in Neutral to get the drive shaft to spin to gain access to all the mounting bolts. This can be done by spinning the tire a bit in spurts. Then put it back in Park so the driveshaft doesn't spin & you can loosen, then also later tighten the mounting bolts. I now have a new front drive shaft with beefed up replaceable U-joints and it's fully grease-able.
As usual this took a bit longer than I thought. The muffler support bracket that is in the way needed the bolts to be removed very carefully as did the drive shaft mounting bolts. When I say very carefully, this means "crack" the bolt loose and you might get a 1/2 turn out of it before it wants to snap off completely or or strip the aluminum case it goes into. That's when you need some Kroil, PB Blaaster or WD40 to spay the b-jesus out of it before turning it back in, then out again a bit, spray then back in, then out a bit, then spray...well you get it by now. Tedious but no striped out or broken bolts
I put the car up on jack stands because you need to put the transmission in Neutral to get the drive shaft to spin to gain access to all the mounting bolts. This can be done by spinning the tire a bit in spurts. Then put it back in Park so the driveshaft doesn't spin & you can loosen, then also later tighten the mounting bolts. I now have a new front drive shaft with beefed up replaceable U-joints and it's fully grease-able.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 577
Likes: 196
From: PA
W223 S500 LWB 4-Matic, W222 S450 LWB 4-Matic, A238 E400 Cabriolet 4-Matic
Universal joints, or U-joints as I call them, are regular maintenance items. At least in all of the cars and trucks I've had over the years. So for 150K miles on original MB factory "lubricated for life" U-Joints isn't too bad. It wasn't until the day before I was to replace the shaft that it actually started making the "eek-eek-eek" noise of a blown U-Joint bearing cap. It probably ran that way for a few hundred miles before the other bearing caps started failing and made then enough play for that rusted steel on steel noise to develop.
Tip: When replacing the shaft, make sure you mark with a paint pen or similar, the location of the transfer case mounting flange and the differential flange as they sit with the old driveshaft connected. This is so when you put the new shaft in, the transfer case output flange and differential case input flange are clocked and synced as they were before with the old shaft. This goes for either the front or rear drive shafts. I was told this is to help alleviate drive line vibrations. Just something I've always done regardless.
Tip: When replacing the shaft, make sure you mark with a paint pen or similar, the location of the transfer case mounting flange and the differential flange as they sit with the old driveshaft connected. This is so when you put the new shaft in, the transfer case output flange and differential case input flange are clocked and synced as they were before with the old shaft. This goes for either the front or rear drive shafts. I was told this is to help alleviate drive line vibrations. Just something I've always done regardless.
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2006 Mercedes Benz E 500 4matic
I need driveshaft bolts it a T50 torxhead bolt all I keep finding is the ones to big
Installed the Colorado brand Driveshaft and all is good again. Just in time as the bearing cup in the old front U-joint was completely cracking apart after all the needles came out.
As usual this took a bit longer than I thought. The muffler support bracket that is in the way needed the bolts to be removed very carefully as did the drive shaft mounting bolts. When I say very carefully, this means "crack" the bolt loose and you might get a 1/2 turn out of it before it wants to snap off completely or or strip the aluminum case it goes into. That's when you need some Kroil, PB Blaaster or WD40 to spay the b-jesus out of it before turning it back in, then out again a bit, spray then back in, then out a bit, then spray...well you get it by now. Tedious but no striped out or broken bolts
I put the car up on jack stands because you need to put the transmission in Neutral to get the drive shaft to spin to gain access to all the mounting bolts. This can be done by spinning the tire a bit in spurts. Then put it back in Park so the driveshaft doesn't spin & you can loosen, then also later tighten the mounting bolts. I now have a new front drive shaft with beefed up replaceable U-joints and it's fully grease-able.
As usual this took a bit longer than I thought. The muffler support bracket that is in the way needed the bolts to be removed very carefully as did the drive shaft mounting bolts. When I say very carefully, this means "crack" the bolt loose and you might get a 1/2 turn out of it before it wants to snap off completely or or strip the aluminum case it goes into. That's when you need some Kroil, PB Blaaster or WD40 to spay the b-jesus out of it before turning it back in, then out again a bit, spray then back in, then out a bit, then spray...well you get it by now. Tedious but no striped out or broken bolts
I put the car up on jack stands because you need to put the transmission in Neutral to get the drive shaft to spin to gain access to all the mounting bolts. This can be done by spinning the tire a bit in spurts. Then put it back in Park so the driveshaft doesn't spin & you can loosen, then also later tighten the mounting bolts. I now have a new front drive shaft with beefed up replaceable U-joints and it's fully grease-able.
