I'm not seeing a bearing in the assembly in the link I posted. I also can't remember if I noticed a bearing when I posted that link. If there was, then they changed the pics, probably due to your issue, if you've been able to hash this out with them. Let us know. I'm pretty sure there was never a bearing. I would have remembered seeing it.

 

I called them about the missing bearing . A guy admitted the order clearly says the bearing is included and it still said in their pages while I called. Told me he will send the bearing after he gets the part number from his "engineers". This was on last Thursday, still waiting for anything on this, no email for the shipment like he promised, no nothing.

I noticed they had the bearing bracket alone listed at less than $100, now they just show a picture of a box saying it is the bearing for $99. A double price for just the bearing compared to very reputable sellers. I paid $200+ that was supposed to include the bearing. I don't even know if the bracket fits before I try but I will not try before I have the bearing in my hand.

So far the ECS Tuning for me is very bad investment. Anybody reading this keep your hands away from them. If they do this by mistake, which I don't think they do, it is totally unprofessional organization or just a pure scam. A sign of scam is how fast they reacted to change their internet pages after the problem with my shipment. No real company in the net has time and resources to do that.

I will get my bearing from reputable sources like FCP Euro and eat the cost of the difference. I just learned not to do business with ECS Tuning.

Below take of the order document and it clearly says bearing is included. Interestingly enough, they do not have this in their pages any more, like you said they perhaps changed it like they did. Clear sign of a fraudulent company.

I don't want to spend more time with them so I'll get the bearing from elsewhere and hopefully the bracket fits. I just want everyone know this ECS Tuning seems to be a hoax delivering just a part of the order so legally you cannot hang them like if they did not deliver at all. They can run "wrong deliveries" or "misunderstandings" forever and the customer never gets what he paid for. I'm afraid to return the partial shipment in fear of losing all of it as if they don't return the money it will cost well more to recover than it is worth. I have seen some other businesses using the same method of not delivering counting on the customer not going after them due to the cost of it.

If you had better luck with them then lucky you, for me, not good at all.

 

If I may suggest.....

Whatever misalignment occuring between : Tranny output >>>2 piece propeller shaft with center bearing + flex discs >>>Differential ( has a mounting too ), it is only 1/3 of the total equation.
First 1/3 is controlled by engine mounts
Second 1/3 is controlled by tranny baby small mount.

If you suspect any misalignment to the 2 piece propeller shaft region, not wear and tear on spinning component, I am speaking of purely misalignment........ sort out the 1st and 2nd upstream component first.
Flex Disc or Guibo will outlive engine and tranny mounts by a few times over.

This is a decently good read : https://www.mbwholesaleparts.com/con...-Vibration.pdf


Arrie wrote :
So, I did not drive my car last week as I thought there might be an issue with the bearing in the gearbox or the center bearing but then on Thursday I went to driver it to check and it really sounded like something is dragging on the drive shaft. On Friday I went on a 700 miles trip with it and this convinced me that it is not a bearing but something touching the shaft.

Today I went under the car and noticed how the aluminum heat shield is very close to the shaft at the far end of the shield. I would say less than 1 mm between shield and shaft.

Now, assuming if the sound shield did not get its position disturbed, doesn't that mean there is a possibility that the shaft is the one getting closer to the sound shield ?



This is from a W212, but concept is the same. Measuring these values is not possible for us. The tools and the jigs involved are way too expensive, but at least we get to know 1.5 degree positive or negative is the limit.

















So why 1.5 degrees allowed ? Its seems it is still an acceptable misalignment value if based on Single Universal Joint, where we use universal 2 joints ....so more forgiving I guess.








Yes, there is a mount for differential too, but it is not as soft like the tranny mount.







Hope the input helps.


I went on a wild goose chase for a low magnitude and extremely unique "vibration" starting at 140 KM/H+ in 2020, which finally was discovered coming from a damn freaking bad batch Michelin PS4 having 110Nm road force variation.
I never expected this bad-luck from a Michelin PS4 and so I learned a lot on all driveline components during the quest for what was the actual cause and surely driveline is the region I "raped" too

 

Site still says bearing included

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...ge/2214105181/

Sorry you had an issue. I've been ordering from them for a while and never a problem. Hurry up and sort it out so you can fix your car and tell me it worked Lol

 

S-prihadi,

You go to great detail with your post. Thanks a lot for it.

My vibration issue most definitely is drive shaft related and I think I found out what it is, i.e. the center support bearing rubber mounting.

When the vibration was quite bad before I did anything I had the engine mounts replaced. This made huge improvement but I still had some that I don’t think a S-class Mercedes should have. My E-class don’t so this one should not either.

When my dealer replaced the flex discs as they showed some dry-rot cracking, I asked them to check the center bearing. I was invited to come look at the bearing still in the car and I noticed how easily it moved around with very light force. I questioned this but the mechanic said they are all like that from new.

When I got the car back I had this rubbing sound and it appeared only during slow down when some engine braking was present. No sound when engine pulled the car at all.

Above behavior tells me the drive shaft is moving sideways in the bearing rubber support and made the shaft touch the heat shield that the mechanic obviously installed closer to the shaft. I pulled the shield down and it took care of the noise issue.

But the slight vibration is still there but not quite always. When it sometimes is good the car is so smooth and I believe this is when the bearing in the rubber support happens to be in the correct position.

I believe this rubber bearing support is the culprit for lots of vibration issues when usually tires are blamed for it.

I will have the center bearing and holder replaced and I believe it will make my car smoother than ever. With replacing these parts I have all parts new so it should be good.

 

Cool. Let us know.

 

Sounds good Arrie, you are on the right track.
I believed you have replaced the tranny mount too yah. Sometime people call it rear engine mount.
I hope you sort it out soon.
Take many photos please, I want to see how much the rubber in the bracket has worn out to create enough sagging and sort of shaft whiplash effect one get.

On my W212 parts catalog the bracket with rubber insert as per photo below is 1 part and the bearing is another separate part and the boot is another separate part.
https://catalogs.ssg.asia/mercedes/?...Z2U3MD09LTE%3D






When I was in the "unique vibration" wild goose chase, I spotted my center bearing bracket moved a tiny bit... So I corrected it back again. Maybe MB Indonesia did not tighten it well and during my fun at the track use, it 'moved".





There is a set Left and Right peep hole for the screws/bolts on mine, I am sure on ur S class there is a set of peep holes too. That is how I discovered the bracked "moved" without needing exhaust system to be removed.




For future readers wanting to see how the center bearing looks like installed on the car, find below.

 

Photo of central support bearing for W221, the left is brand new one, rubber is not soft and not easy to move up and down once it installed, the right is the one take out from car and rubber completely lost a centric.

interesting that this S550 4Matic W221 using the same central support bearing from E class and the left one is for E class feom FCP auto with price around 25$. My car also S350 W221 but propeller shaft is 03 pieces and central support bearing is completely different

 

Wow Minh ... that is once sunken rubber. I guess S class total prop shaft length is longer-heavier than my E400 and the center bearing rubber thingy work harder

 

I am sorry this happened to you. I had a horrible experience with ECS Tunning as well. Purchased rear spacers and correct length rear lug nuts. Only received the spacers. They said on how the lug nuts " should " have been there. Well they weren't. Then they gave me the run around on how they were going to check with their shipping department and every time I called to check on it, they were looking for this person or that person to talk to. So I just gave up and purchased them from a different place. I WOULD NEVER USE ECS TUNING AGAIN. Only FCP for me. Hope all works out for you man.

 

Yeah, it is a hoax. I called them today and the guy knew I called them a week ago. Said the other "guy" who knows the pricing is sick and he needs to wait for him to give the pricing so he can send me the bearing. I questioned how they only have one person doing something like this and why does he need someone for this anyway as the bearing pricing in on their web page. He then asked to wait and came back saying the "guy" will be back on Monday and he will get the info he needs.

People, STAY AWAY FROM THIS HOAX COMPANY ECS TUNING!!!

If the member Senecat had luck with them so be it. I did not and they just robbed me of a $99 bearing by their own site. I hope the bearing bracket is the correct part...perhaps "stiger" can tell the bracket part number for the 2013 S550 RWD...?

 

Looking at the bearing bracket part it has part number that matches Senecat's earlier post of parts list. I also ordered the bearing from FCP so after it arrives I can plan this job.

 

I guess I just deal with businesses a little less passively than people who have problems with "hoax" companies. I get what I want, or I am compensated. The end. There is no discussion. If you don't deliver, I get my money back, and most of the time with interest. Just because I'm not a bank doesn't mean you get to hold my money, preventing me access to it, without being charged for it. You bet your *** I get at up to 30% most of the time when I call. Often they pay me extra just to shut me up/get me off the phone. I have no idea what it's like to go back and forth with a business. I deal with it in one call, on the rare occasion I ever have to call.

ECS is not a hoax, they've been around forever. They deal with thousands of orders a month. Read the negative BBB complaints, most of the problem customers can't even spell, speak English, or are just plain stupid. The majority of transactions are positive. Amazon has a few bad reviews too, you gonna close your account with them? Not sure what to say man, figure it out. Stop whining and fix your car.

 

You went a bit far with your "whining" comment. I'm not whining, just telling the facts.

A legitimate company that "has been around forever" hardly depends on only one person doing "pricing" for customer service who depends on him to send pricing for a part to be able to fulfill the impartial shipment. Why would they need pricing for a part they owe me?

By the person I talked with this one person had been sick for the week since I called and first did not know when he returns. When I started asking questions he then told me the "guy" is coming back on Monday. I don't think this "guy" even exist.

For me this is very clear sign of a company who does not even intend to fulfill the order.

They were supposed to send me an email after my call a week ago to update me but nothing came.

Perhaps you ordered only one item each time so they could not send partial shipment. It is either supplied or not. If not you could blame them for taking money but not shipping but with partial shipment you cannot blame them for not shipping. They just made an error, you know.

I'm done with this topic and be done with them never to spend money with this bogus ECS Tuning company again.

 

Arrie,
They gave me the same exact story! Guy was sick and coming back on Monday and on how they were sending me an email as soon as he was back and so fourth...I wrote it off and been done with them when I never heard back. Don't care how long they been in the business, to me they ****ing liars!

 

Well?

 

Never heard back from them and never will. They perform fraudulent business that is a crime. They are criminals, period.

I got the bearing from FCP Euro but have not had time to do the job yet.

 

Sorry to hear about that nasty mishap . I really wish them they just get what they deserve

 

Any updates?

 

No news at this point.

 

Finally got this done. I don't know how much this had to do with vibrations I could feel. It probably was a combination of issues. But, it is done now.

Biggest job for me was to get the car jacked up high enough to fit under it with a creeper. Would be so much easier if I had a lift to get the car up.

The first part of the job was to remove the rear tail pipe sections, then to remove the rear portion of the plastic bottom shield and then the aluminum heat shield sections. At the ends of the tail pipes I find butterfly valves actuated by vacuum or pressurized air. Does this car use these valves for cruise control for controlling car speed down rather than using brakes when slow-down does not need to be aggressive?

For the drive shaft removal after removing the two bolts for the support bearing bracket and the four bolts for the flex disk I first pulled the rear shaft half out from the flex disk and then separated the shaft by just pulling the rearward shaft half out. This saves lots of work as to be able to get to the flex disk at the transmission end you would also need to remove the quite massive cross member that acts as the transmission support. I was not sure if it would be safe to just remove the cross member without supporting the box so I elected simply to separate the drive shaft parts. Before this I marked the parts so I can get it back together the same way.

Center bearing seemed to be in fine condition but the rubber support had compressed at the bottom so the shaft had been running at about 1/4" lower position than it was designed to do. Now, does this cause vibrations I'm not sure. After putting all back together the car drove a bit smoother but still had vibrations at 65+mph speeds. Had the tires balanced and now my car is smooth.

My car had vibrations also on idle and these went away with replacing the cam shaft position sensors. This also helped with vibrations while driving. Replacement of these sensors was perhaps the biggest help. Wheel balance was also quite big. I have had wheels balanced 4 times before but the vibration did not go away but this time it did. May be that other vibration sources kept it vibrating while wheels were ok.

But, now the center bearing is not a suspect anymore as I know it is new with new bracket. If I get vibrations again I can go after the most likely source, i.e. the wheels.

 

Good to know it was fixed for good
Happy Driving

 

Sweet........ thanks for the update

 

Top notch post, thanks for the insights