New member to the Mercedes world I have a 2003 E55 AMG. Not stock. had it for over a year now. I searched the forums before posting but i cant find anything on the axles for the E55.
I need a bit of help helping me diagnose a symptom i have on my E55. Recently i started to feel a bit of grinding on towards the center rear of the car.
I did replace my Differential ( used ) and the mechanic said it was good working condition before installation. I replaced the Diff because i blew it to smithereens, hole through the casing and all.

Now i left the car sitting there for a while do to additional fixes here and there, sensors, air pump etc. The car had been running great, shifting great and "smooth" ( E55's do not shift smooth, if you have one you know ) i started to feel a bit of grinding and it was not concerning at first because it was so minimal that i could have just been a bump on the road that made the car feel odd. Day after day the symptom got worse.

I will describe the symptom as best as possible. It feels as if im running over the center divider lights on the floor, but i know im not because you don't feel the tires lift. Also i feel the vibrating on the shift knob and on the pedal. Its not loud and it feels like something is grinding. The feeling is only present when i accelerate from a stop, the feeling is there for about 2 seconds and as im picking up speed symptom disappears and i can accelerate and you cant tell anything is wrong, no sounds no grinding no noise no nothing. Reminder, the Diff was replaced not long ago ( i don't think its the Diff ). Disclosure, my inner axle boot has been ripped for not sure how long and i see it has leaked lots of grease. Could it be that its the Axle that makes that grinding feeling/noise? Thanks in advance.

 

Early production '03 had smaller rear diff and axles which were replaced with larger units from late 2003 and onward, because they were breaking. Bolt-on rear axle shafts are the weak ones, snap-in are the newer stronger ones. Your description sounds like a collapsed transmission mount. Engine mounts may also need attention.

 

moved to W211 AMG forum...

 

Personally getting ready to go LSD. I'll do the center support bearing too

 

I think you are right about the transmission mount. apart from that. You do think it is my axle then? One other related symptom. It gives the same geind feeling when i turn, not all turns but sometimes at certain speed, about 10-25mph at a normal take off.

 

Yup



Drive line vibrations; motor/trans mounts, flex disks, center carrier, axles and diff.

 

Does anyone think that the culprit can be a worn-out wheel bearing?
i have not changed the axle, i have not had time to get to it. Its just odd that the grinding thumping sound is only there on initial acceleration and then at higher speeds ( 20mph+ ) the sounds goes away, and i have gone 70MPH and i can not hear aany noise.

 

An easy check on wheel bearings would be to jack the car up and grab the tire top and bottom and push inward and outward. If there is no movement most likely not the wheel bearing.

I know my C55 has bad axle boots and it can be heard as a popping/clicking sound at lower speeds. I can even start to feel it through the car more around 20mph, but goes away at speed.

 

I will test the wheel bearing. But that clocking popping noise is exactly what i hear coming from the car and i can feel it throughout the car to and it goes away at about 25+mph. I already ordered an axle, not new but its better than what i have now.

 

Yup, and axles for these cars cost a mint. You may be able to have the old ones rebuilt, I know some kits are sold depending on which part is bad. Maybe worth to get done to have a strong replacement for the future.

 

They are expensive as they are non-serviceable according to Mercedes.

 

FIXED!!!!! Thank you all for your help

Man i have not been on here for a while but i just wanted to post update on what i fixed. It was the center carrier bearing. Changed it and it was like new!