stevebez

Hi all,

Well finally got round to getting my Quaife installed but what I have done instead is source a breaker yard SL55 diff ('05 suppossedly 5000 miles) - this has the 2.82 gearing as standard. This was definitely the most flexible and cost effective option. I will fit the Quaife to this (having the ATB internals done by Quaife themselves), and then re-re the diffs. Easier to bring back to stock if I so wish.

I'll document the story and hopefully will have this install done for the fighting torque showdown on 16th August.

Also going in are a set of HEM's courtesy of Vadim, (hopefully they arrive soon Vadim!)

The removal and reinstall of the diff is going to a back breaker. Lots of stuck bolts and heavy lifting, but Ill take my time and hopefully we can get it done.

Thanks to BrianS for the "how-to" on this - been invaluable.

The TCU and software tweaks will have to be done as and when a problem arrises. For some reason my MB tech does not think Ill need to do anything to the TCU / Star setup. We shall see.

So this is part one Ill add pics as and when things are done.

Zod

um from what i recall you need some ecu or tcu work for the gears
also not meaning to take anything away from the 2.8 , and i look forward to hearing back, but i raced a carlson car with it and it got pulled mid race and up top

prodigymb

as far as i remember reading you will need to get your TCU tuned to avoid getting the "wrong gear ratio" light.

chawkins2001

race it from a dig and see what happens that is where they shine not on the top end.

dyno

so it finally was the correct 12 bolts crown ring ?

stevebez

Took a chance actually and opened the diff with a little trepidation but yes was the 12 bolt. The only problem is quaife need 2 weeks to do the atb install which is very disappointing as it does not give me allot of time to resolve any problems with the ecu.

I am surprised you guys don't think it will be quicker up top... This gearing maxes out top speed at around 205 , the old gearing 226 ... Cannot see how this gearing won't help top end? We shall see I guess.

stevebez

If anyone has any detail of what and where in star the diff ratio needs to be calibrated / changed, this would be most helpfull!!!

Zod

All i know is carlson knows how to do it
but like i said car has super sprint LT's, pully, airbox, lsd, SL gear ratio.
It got pulled bad up top. At low speeds fair enough...but can u get traction ?

bottem line when ur pushing a little more hp dig races are mute on normal roads

but like i said It would be great if you proove they work in street applications, not just the papper part

stevebez

HEMs have arrived ... Thx vadim! Will go in tonight / tomorrow.

Nice and light btw... A point to note on the code3 h/e is that it's a heavy piece of kit. The oem unit can be picked up with one hand easily - not so with the code3. Also was missing the oil cooler bracket with this kit So need to wait a week for one to come from Germany.

After HEMs tear the back end down and pull diff and replace rear discs. Still contemplating doing Quaife install myself .. Their turnaround is going to be very marginal.

Pics to follow tonight.

Auraraptor

*watching this thread*

Love to know how you work out the TCU issues, as I am going this route on my 600.

stevebez

Here some pics...

bassn_07

WOW!!! Everyone that I know of that bought Code 3's HE kit was missing the oil cooler bracket. WTH is up with that!!! Is it really that hard to make sure the brackets are included? I would highly recommend the HE but just make sure to specify "PLEASE MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE THE OIL COOLER BRACKETS"!!!!!!!!!!!! Good luck with the install and please keep us updated.

stevebez

Think I may just end up making this bracket... just need to find the right size grommets.

bassn_07

That seems to the common solution. It just sucks that the extra efforts are needed for such a silly mistake on their end.

stevebez

Here is a pic of the W220 rad I have installed - dont think I have shared before. Would really like to relocate the power steering coolers as it is just in the way and a real PITA. Finny had a nice, neat rad he used. That may be next in the agenda. Just to confirm any oil cooler rad should be ok right - nothing special to note here is there?

Also a pic of the donor diff, ring gear and Quaife.

BTW the 2.82 ring gear part number is 230-353-3512 ... dunno what the pinion gear p/n is tho... I was quoted ~$1000 for a new ring gear and pinion set by the stealers - there was some confusion of the gears were available as a set or if you had to buy the whole diff. Oddly NONE had been imported into the UK before according to the stealer. I got a whole SL diff for $750.

BTW the iphone camara sucks big time. I'll try a proper unit from now on.

DAGREEKNYC

What was the stock gear ratio ? i wouldve went at least a mid 3 ratio for some increased out of the hole performance .
gonna see if they make it for my 63

dyno

you have been lucky to get the ring for that price (given it really is in good conditions)
afaik, it isn't availabole as a spare part alone

- the 220 rad what for .. as an additional HE ?

Auraraptor

Where / how did you source the diff...I could only fing one and the want $1250. :-(

Benz-O-Rama

For those interested, I've got a set of these same VRP HEMs for sale. PM me if interested.

stevebez

HEMs are in. One side had a slight overweld issue blocking one of the threads that would not allow the bolt to push through. Chopped the bolts and all is well. Pity this was not right out the box though. It did come with new nuts and gaskets.

stevebez

What a surprise! Quaife called me yesterday morning. Your diff is ready! Bargain.

Anyhow got started on the re-re of the diff and also swapping in new rear brake discs. The caliper bolts are fully siezed. Taking off the whole wheel carrier off and then torching those suckers. The rest of the wheel bolts came off relatively easily.

One thing on Quaife's ATB install is they did not fit the ciclips with the oil hole in the open space. Is this a bad overshight or on purpose? I will give them a call anyway to hear what they say.

Pics later

Auraraptor

Question Bump....Where / how did you source the diff...I could only find one and they want $1250. :-(

Also, are you going with Kleeman(sp?) to reprogram you TCU for the new gearset, or someone else?

ECBAOBAO

haha dang, good luck!

im in the UK studying abroad now, maybe ill see you driving by, haha

stevebez

Place called Dronsfields. Not bad... packaging needed to be more robust, but they try and sort things out. There was another one going somewhere else but they wanted £1100 for it !!! Go to breakeryard.co.uk I think was the site I used... or google breaker yards.

I am chatting with Wetterauer and MKB re the software... Ill try Kleemann next. I first want to see what the car does when I drive with this ratio. It will certainly throw a code but I just want to see if it will go into limp mode - or still be drivable.

Got all the stuck bolts loose. The Caliper bolts were a nightmare as well as the rear casing diff bolts. Unreal - they must have used a can of locktight on each nut... Diff (now "loose") gets pulled tom and the new one goes in. May need to change back plates on the donor diff with the oem unit but thats minor. Hopefully it fits as is. If not the bits inside the SL diff get swapped into the oem diff casing ...

So far so good. Would definitely been done already if I had use of a lift but trestles it is for now... and the work continues.

Would have been quite enjoyable were it not for the stuck bolts and the carmped working conditions ... but hopefully the hard stuff is done.

Auraraptor

Thanks for the info!! I can't wait to see how it works out! I definitely want to go the 2.82 route.