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Just bought a 2006 E500 4Matic AMG Sport…Have some questions
Hello everyone. I just purchased a 2006 E500 4matic AMG Sport. I've never seen a E500 with the AMG appearance package before this one. Its pretty loaded. Pano roof, bixenons, keyless go/push button start, heated and cooled seats, Harmon Kardon, rear sunshade, navi/satellite radio, electric open/close trunk, etc.
I purchased it for a steal from a Mercedes dealership with 156k miles. I was aware of a few issues that the car had prior to the purchase, one of which being the fact that it needs a new rear diff, and the pano roof doesnt work... The air suspension and SBC brakes work excellently though, and it runs great.
My question is, how common is it that these cars' rear diffs go bad? And where do you guys recommend I get a rear diff from? Don't want to buy a brand new one.
Thank you!
(First 2 pics are of my E500 and the last pic is of my C32)
I'm NGL I think the diff on my E350 is on the way out( I changed the fluid and chunks came out). Since we're on the topic, if you don't mind, my VIN is WDDHF5KB8DA747610 thank you in advance Konigster
It's very rare for the rear diff to go bad. You can find one on Ebay but make sure it's the same gear ratio! It's not a fun job to replace it either. I'm also concerned that your wheels are not original and appear staggered. 4matics must have the same diameter tire all around or you will damage the transfer case. It looks like you may have the same size tires but on different width wheels as the rear tires look stretched? These cars are also known to destroy the front CV axle boots often as well as the front diff u-joint which will cause catastrophic damage when it breaks.
Last edited by E55Greasemonkey; Oct 20, 2022 at 07:55 PM.
It's very rare for the rear diff to go bad. You can find one on Ebay but make sure it's the same gear ratio! It's not a fun job to replace it either. I'm also concerned that your wheels are not original and appear staggered. 4matics must have the same diameter tire all around or you will damage the transfer case. It looks like you may have the same size tires but on different width wheels as the rear tires look stretched? These cars are also known to destroy the front CV axle boots often as well as the front diff u-joint which will cause catastrophic damage when it breaks.
I don’t think they’re staggered. I believe these are the wheels from the factory. There are 3 different tire brands on the car right now (all of which are brand new and are 245/40/18), but I’m putting new Michelin pilot AS4s on this Saturday
also, what are signs that the front diff u joint is going bad? Right now the only sound coming from the car is in the rear diff…. Also, according to the carfax, the transfer case was replaced by a Mercedes’ dealership under one of the previous owners. So that’s most likely not going to give me any problems
The different brands may be why they look staggered. It's advisable to check each wheel size and offset cast on the back of the spokes to be sure. The front U-joint can only be checked from underneath, preferably on a lift. Look for red rusty dust around the u-joint, which is a telltale sign, and rock the front wheel back and forth with your hand while watching the u-joint for any excess play. They won't make noise until they are far into the failure mode. This is a 212 but the same failure, and this guy waited too long:
I'm NGL I think the diff on my E350 is on the way out( I changed the fluid and chunks came out). Since we're on the topic, if you don't mind, my VIN is WDDHF5KB8DA747610 thank you in advance Konigster
It's very rare for the rear diff to go bad. You can find one on Ebay but make sure it's the same gear ratio! It's not a fun job to replace it either. I'm also concerned that your wheels are not original and appear staggered. 4matics must have the same diameter tire all around or you will damage the transfer case. It looks like you may have the same size tires but on different width wheels as the rear tires look stretched? These cars are also known to destroy the front CV axle boots often as well as the front diff u-joint which will cause catastrophic damage when it breaks.
you might be right about the wheels being staggered. I came across this online…. There’s very little info online about the AMG Sport package and the cars not with me right now for me to check the sticker on the door. But I’m trying to confirm now
you might be right about the wheels being staggered. I came across this online…. There’s very little info online about the AMG Sport package and the cars not with me right now for me to check the sticker on the door. But I’m trying to confirm now
I can't recall seeing any MB of this era with 4matic and staggered wheels/tires. Even the 4matic sport/AMG package cars would run 4 "front" wheels/tires on all 4 corners. I looked up your VIN and your car does have option code 791 "AMG 5-spoke light alloy wheels." Interesting. Take a picture of the tire pressure label on the driver's door b-pillar it will tell you the factory tire size. The parts film confirms for your VIN those are the correct design wheels, and you should have 18x8 ET30 on all 4 corners. There is always the possibility the previous owner damaged a wheel and replaced it with the same style wheel, but the wrong width.
Last edited by E55Greasemonkey; Oct 21, 2022 at 03:47 PM.
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