Hello all I have what I would describe as a dull "rubbing" or rumbling noise coming from the front of my ML. It seems to be from the passengers side and is only present during decel or off throttle. How can I tell the difference between a bad wheel bearing and a bad diff bearing. Thanks, oh BTW 06 ML500 96k on it.

 

Noises are very difficult to detect over the internet. You must bring it to a front end shop where everything will be checked.

 

Sometimes a wheel bearing will be more prominent when loading up that side, (turning to drivers side hard if the road allows)

also sometimes a wheel bearing will be hotter if it is going

When you come to a stop (using minimum braking to keep disc cool) after a decent run, see if either hub is hotter than the other (obviously keep fingers away from the disc etc) -

These are just very "rough" tests

Could it be that you can just hear the noise more when decelerating etc as it isn't getting drowned out by engine noise?

Maj Dundee is also right in saying get the experts to listen - they have better trained hearing

 

May have figured this out. Found grease leaking from hole in passengers side cv boot. Going to change that first and see if it solves my problem. If not....its off to the stealership.

 

I've got a 2007 E63 and just decided to do the 3.06 Gear swap from a 07-09 Challenger SRT8 (eBay) whose differential was also made by Mercedes vis-a-vis the "Daimler-Chrysler" merger. I also bought an M-factory LSD for 1/2 the price of a Quaife that has the added benefit of shotpeened and cryogenically treated Helical Coils, unlike the Quaife!, and is apparently a tad lighter to boot! Well, being the M-factory was made for the C63, as referenced on its website, I e-mailed them questioning its being able to fit in my E63, to which they replied positively. I too could not find any parts info on STAR/EPC, so I searched for parts for a W210 aka E55 and guess what, all the parts were listed, so I bought em! Turned out the Bearings for the Carrier for the E55 are the same for the E63 and were pressed fit onto the M-factory perfectly. As for the Pinion Gears, interestingly I used the same shop to remove both Pinion gears after I had expended an inordinate amount of energy, time, angst while destroying a couple blocks of 4x4 as well as a now, not so new, defaced plastic hammer after getting absolutely nowhere! When I went to pick up the differentials, actually I left the casing for the challenger as I have no use for it, as well as the Pinions, the guy told me that the Bearings on the 3.06 were like new as was the gear itself as he showed me it was all shiny, aka perfectly broken in! To which I replied that I already had the new parts. However, he was practically insistent stating "if it were mine, I would use leave the Bearing on the Pinion and swap over the outer Bearing too!" When I told him I bought a 12 punch to get out the outer race, he said he could do it right there if I lent him a hand! Beforehand though, he showed me the condition of the races and it as well as both Bearings were unscathed as compared to those of my E63 which were pitted! 10 minutes later we were done after he pounded out both Pinion races from the Charger Diff, installed them in mine ( at this I was a little surprised they fit perfectly!) and then he had me hold the 3.06 Pinion, which already had the Bearing on it, inside the Diff pressed into position by hand while he tapped into place the bearing on the outside end of the Diff onto the shaft of the Pinion extended outwards! There's obviously gonna be more to it than that, but at least I'm halfway there!! One thing though, the parts for the E55 Pinion included a Crush washer, but neither the Charger nor my E63 Pinion had them!!! So it's going to be very touchy feely cranking down on that Pinion Nut to get it just right!!!

 

You've replied to the wrong post, but anyways I'm wondering who's going to program your TCU for the new ratio?