EASY Mercedes Transmission Shifter Bushing Replacement - W126 - 1984 300 SD

#impalamansgarage
In this video I replace the shifter bushings
on the Mercedes 300 SD. Specifically I replace
the lower two shifter bushings on the shift rod
which connects from the bottom of the console shifter
to the transmission.
No special tools were required other than cobbling
together a home made press to install the bushings.
Shift bushings: Mercedes p/n 115-992-03-10

[@angusmccamant6998]

Thanks for this helpful video about shift bushings on the 300td. I had replaced the rear bushing but had not found a way to get access to the front. After watching the entire video, I use sockets and bolts to press things regularly, the last minute was exactly what I needed. For some reason I had ruled out moving the shifter for better access to the front. The tip about putting it in L was exactly what I needed to hear.

[@ImpalamansGarage]

Thanks! Glad you found it useful !

[@aliza6915]

Please continue making w126 videos! 43 yr old woman over here working on a 420 as a project car and savvy enough to do a lot. Thank you for the ones you have posted!

[@ImpalamansGarage]

Yes ma'am. I intend to!

[@pacm586]

We need more honest people like you in KZbin, that was so helpful thank you.

[@ImpalamansGarage]

Thank you. glad you found it useful. 😁

[@angusmccamant6998]

Now that I have completed my repair I realize how to do it much quicker and easier. If you don't have a lift removing the shift mechanism allows you to only spend ten or fifteen minutes under the car. Here are my suggestions that add to your video. First, get both the linkage and the shift mechanism bushings. If your linkage bushing needs replacing your mechanism bushings probably need replacing. These bushing fail over time, they degrade and fall apart. Then remove the front transmission shift arm. If the tranny is in D or 2 you can get a 1/4" socket and extension on the 10mm nut. Adjust the transmission gear to make it possible, it goes much faster with a ratchet. Take a picture of the shaft to ensure you put it back in the right way. The third step is to remove the clip from the back. They you can get the whole assembly out and install the front clip before reinstall. Push on the front bushing and reassemble, including the front clip. The next step I recommend is removing the shift mechanism from the top. This does two things, you get to inspect the bushings in the mechanism and it makes it very easy to push the rear bushing into place. I spent about an hour trying to get the socket assembly mounted on the back shift lever arm to push it in from the bottom of the car, and then more time because you can only turn wrenches on the 300TD wagons a small amount due to the parking brake cable. With the shifter out it is trivial to push the bushing on to the shift linkage. I also recommend two washers on the bushing end of the press assembly with a socket to minimize distortion on the end you push on, a large one that fits down by the lip and a small one so the nut can push the large washer is well. You can check the bushings and service as needed. If I had followed this order I would have completed my job in under an hour or 1.5 hours. I took over four hours, most of it under the car.

[@elext9q]

Very similar job on a W124, good video

[@santiagoescalambre4738]

This is a A-1 video thanks a lot. You are right you don’t need a special tools. My advice use mc gayver brain. Thanks again

[@pfrischknecht]

Thank you sir... I am doing the same job

[@MonkeyWrenchMike]

One of my most unfavorite jobs on a Mercedes! Great video!

[@ImpalamansGarage]

Thanks !

[@BruceGbamboobruce]

Easy job, thanks. I watched all your videos on the 300SD. I have an 82 300SD and been going through it, doing everything you have done, and I'm no mechanic, I just follow your videos. You walk me through every process perfect. I have my old Mercedes almost looking and driving like a new 1983 Mercedes. I never work on cars before, but had my old Mercedes since 1988 and always like that car and kept in my garage as an extra. Always thinking someday I'm going to fix it. Like when I first got the car. Thanks to your videos, I was able to that.

[@ImpalamansGarage]

Bruce thank you so much for the very kind words. It's wonderful to hear that you are bringing your classic Mercedes back to its original condition.

[@wernerdanler2742]

Good job man! I had the shift rod fall out of my Peugeot back in the nineties. I had angle parked it so had to set the brake, get under the car, shift the trans into reverse, back up, get under it again, shift into drive and get home. I got the bushings next day and fixed it. It had a straight rod unlike the Merc so when the bushing crapped out the rod just fell off. Good French engineering.

[@helmn4]

Wow wish I saw your video before buying all the special tools the dealership explained that I needed 😬 awesome video , keep it up man!

[@tonibenton1931]

Thank you! I was dreading this, but my bushing came in today so might as well bite the bullet & go do it. Hopefully my my small hands will make the job even easier! You make it look not hard at all. And I will be that "on the ground" person you mentioned, since I don't have a lift. Wish me luck.

[@ImpalamansGarage]

Some people like to use the special after market pliers for this job but I preferred doing it another way. Recommend a little lubricant to assist the bushing insertion. WD40 or similar.

[@henrysalem5516]

Good job.

[@TK-fk4po]

Thanks a million for posting this! It worked great for my W123 wagon. I was able to do most of the work while sitting in the car.

[@stephenduclos9693]

Great idea of pressing the bushing into its bracket. I find it even easier to simply use a bench vise pushing against the bushing with the 19mm 12-point socket on the other end while in the vise. Front and rear bushings are done easily once the floor shifer is removed - might as well remove it and replace its bushings as well.

[@pazakkattack]

So many super helpful tips in here. Thanks heaps.

[@santiagoescalambre4738]

You got it right , perfect tool for that job is just what you did....that's talent , thanks

[@lebmingling]

Very informative and to the point. Thank you

[@Lizpolygigiblissgirl]

Excelent video. I was crawling around under my 126 today and saw the bushing was gone, looked just like yours. Im about to change trans fluid and im going to order this bushing tonight. Thanks for listing the part number!

[@ImpalamansGarage]

The way I do it may not be for everyone. They make a pair of pliers for the job as well. I just thought there might be an easy when that didn't require a special tool.

[@Lizpolygigiblissgirl]

@@ImpalamansGarage Do you mean your socket/bolt solution for getting the grommet in place? Yeah, thats going to be fun to duplicate lol. I keep an odd assortment of alternate or customized tools around. Its always amazing to me how much improvisation goes into even the most routine procedures. The one im dreading is the bosch a/c pods... actuators... Mine is a 1990 and was the first year to lose the glove compartment for the airbag. There isnt much info out there on unravelling those cars underneath the dash

[@ivanmartinezgarcia5973]

This 3rd of July I spent about 4 hours trying to snap that bushing into its place, with the car on the ground next to the sidewalk. I couldn’t remove the little metal arm from the transmission as mine is slightly different (190D 1984) so I had to do this under the car. I used a screwdriver, then a smaller one, then pliers, then a socket with screwdriver. All methods failed. The bushing/grommet is just too tight when new. I gave up by midnight and finally pulled out of there. I am watching this wonderful video approx. 3 AM and I’m very excited to try your method. You have a great talent explaining all the decisive details necessary for success. I will try your compression method with the metal rod/arm inside the car. Thanking you!!!

[@ImpalamansGarage]

There is a special pare of pliers made for installing these bushings. You might try that as well. I did not because I wanted to see if I could do it without buying tools. Good luck!

[@johnwight6041]

Great video thanks man

[@joshuapena1314]

You know what happens if I brake it, I’ll buy another one” lol thanks for the video

[@MrJohnnyblazed]

I need to do this on mine... I have to find the position in neutral... then start it up!! (: great video as always

[@ImpalamansGarage]

This car was like that. It was a guessing game.

[@ImpalamansGarage]

For the rearward bushing installation I used a closed end wrench and a large washer (as opposed to a socket) to serve as the make-shift press receiver cup. There was not enough room for a socket.

[@k.j.g.9601]

Dude, Thank you so much for this! what an awesome tutorial!!

[@ImpalamansGarage]

Glad you found it helpful.

[@k.j.g.9601]

@@ImpalamansGarage Very helpful. Did it fix your gear selector issue? If not, do you have to complete remove everything again in order to replace theinternal bushings? Thanks again Just subbed

[@ImpalamansGarage]

@@k.j.g.9601 I did not do anyrhing to the internals of the gear selector on this car. Didn't need it fortunately.

[@ImpalamansGarage]

@@k.j.g.9601 This fixed all of the slop for my car.

[@k.j.g.9601]

Thanks for your replies. I am having a tough time getting linkage arm back over the bolt it attaches too. I had a hard time getting off as well (still not sure how it came off) I have the bolt screw and washer that attached to the bottom of the arm, but I am not sure how to get it back on. Did you separate it at the bottom and then tightened it when you got it back on. Kind of like a battery terminal? The bushing compression worked perfectly. That was a great tip

[@Hugo_Furst]

Do you have a video for replacement of interior shifter bushings? Thanks for your videos - you've saved me thousands of $$$ by DIY my 380se..

[@ImpalamansGarage]

Unfortunately no. I did not replace those but if they break I will. 😅😅

[@Phrofetic_MayaN]

When you have a lift it's already made half the battle of fighting gravity with the car thanks for the Info

[@ImpalamansGarage]

No argument here!

[@mzee5533]

I’ve the same problem on my W211 E320 2004 the dealership guys gave me the the bushing for the back side of the rod

[@jerrywilderman1569]

I ordered the grommets but ended up using neoprene insulators for wiring.....slit them and install easily...have lasted over a year now.

[@ImpalamansGarage]

as long as it works. good alternative!

[@user-ld3zb7vu4h]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@popoffthenisonline4155]

I wish you could come do mines my Mercedes been sitting for 3 weeks for the same reason plus it lowers so I cant even get under it 😫

[@chez6405]

You made this look do-able. Does anybody know if the W124 is a similar arrangement? I saw a video where someone fitted new bushings in situ and it looked difficult.

[@wm7111234]

What's the Green and white plug on the transmission shown in this video? I suppose I need to do this as well, as mine is crumbling. Thanks, fun videos!

[@ImpalamansGarage]

Vacuum modulator. Controls shift quality. It's controlled by a vacuum line from the engine.

[@bill3894]

Great video thank you. I'm struggling with the clip. Does it just slide down on to the shaft or does it need pushing on to it?

[@ImpalamansGarage]

Those clips are tricky. Removing them or installing them they need to be spread apart just a bit to get some relief. Reinstallation can be a pain. You might try a thick piece of electrical wire or a small pocket screw driver. Insert it into the hair pin turn area to widen the gap some before sliding it on. They are tricky. Takes some fiddling but you'll get it.

[@ImpalamansGarage]

Check out the ghost face at 1:46. Spooky !! Clearly an optical aberration but spooky !!

[@kentuckyburbon1777]

Impalaman's Garage you mean to the left of the girl, or just the girl?

[@cdsandiego]

I noticed the same thing. I thought it was deliberate just to mess with people. LOL

[@ImpalamansGarage]

@@kentuckyburbon1777 Now you're messin with me. LOL

[@dinud4028]

Can I use the same technique for W201?

[@shaazy]

I know it's been a while but was the knackered shifter bushing causing jerks/jolts when the gear would engage from P to D or D to R or R to D?

[@ImpalamansGarage]

No. You simply had to fiddle with the shifter to ensure it was in the correct position to select a gear. When the transmission slips into gear you should should feel a smooth lunge requiring one to press the brake to hold the car in place.

[@thedreadedgman]

you can do this under the car with pliers, I've done it... it's just not as fun

[@nakicavdic3642]

Do you think this would be the same job on a W124 250D from 1991 ?

[@ImpalamansGarage]

According to a parts search at FCPEuro, these parts fit your car. I do not see why this procedure would not work for your car as well. It all depends on how much space you have to work with on that 250D.

[@lattermanstudio]

is this the same on the 1982 300 SD ??? ( I have not been under there yet to take a look)

[@ImpalamansGarage]

I'd bet money that they were alike. Crawl under therr and see!

[@jonfrazier7827]

Hi part numbers for bushing are where did you purchase them Thanx again

[@ImpalamansGarage]

115-992-03-10 You can get them at www.pelicanparts.com/ or www.fcpeuro.com/

[@jonfrazier7827]

Appreciate it keep up the good work

[@jonfrazier7827]

How many do you need for transmission shift Linkage and what is socket size.

[@note_finger]

not gonna lie the job was pretty annoying. I had lay on my back on dirt, and i didn't have the special tool. did this method on the removable bracket and it worked great. but the bracket thats underneath the stick shift was a bitch to put on even with this method cause you have the driveshaft on the left and the body chasis on the right so theres barley room to work with to get everything to fit properly lol but nontheless i got the bushings in even though the one of them looks beat up

[@mzee5533]

Mine is just easy to access bcoz its not a 4matic i can put my hand easy

[@ImpalamansGarage]

This job is not as hard as folks would make it out to be if you use the press method.