Installing the the steel bushing into the right axel housing

[CJHenderson]

How should I install the steel bushing onto the right axel housing or the right axel swing pin?

[Shvegel]

I probably shouldn't say anything since it has been awhile but I am pretty sure they should be a slip fit on both the housing and the pin.  I would assume your new bronze bushings need to be line honed to fit and that there is some long adjustable hone on the world of Mercedes for doing the job.

[CJHenderson]

I'm thinking along the line of buying dry ice put the bushing into the ice for several hours then fitting them into the brass bushing. After that do the same with the pin. My question is does this sound feasible?

[Benz Dr.]

The steel bushings are supposed to easily slide into the brass bushings and just barely slide over the tube that holds everything together. There is a MB tool for checking alignment of the two eyes that hold the brass bushings to see if anything is bent or twisted. Normal wear really won't distort anything on the axle but a collision could. If your car has never been hit odds are your axle will be straight.

I have one of these MB special tools and I've only seen one axle out of the several I've looked at that needed to be straightened - brass bushings need to be installed first. These axles are considerably stronger than you might imagine.

[Shvegel]

Dan is right.  Slip fit on the bushings otherwise you will end up having your steel sleeves locked in the bushings and the whole thing turning on the pin.  Adjustable reamers are not super expensive and I am sure there is a youtube video somewhere.

[CJHenderson]

Great idea all, thanks.

[Benz Dr.]

Brass bushings should not require any reaming and the steel bushings should easily slide into the brass bushings. I've never had to do anything to make them fit and if you're having a problem maybe the bushing was damaged during install. Never hit directly on any sort of soft brass bushing - you will peen it for sure.

You will find that the brass bushings can wear but that the hardened steel sleeves or bushings actually seem to wear faster. There must be some explanation why a hard object will wear faster than a soft one when placed in the same area and then allowed to move against each other. I know brass will get work hardened and maybe that's the answer.

[tel76]

Correct me if I am wrong but the steel bushes are selective, perhaps someone with a parts list will confirm.
I had the same problem that the steel bushes would not go into the brass bush, I purchased steel bushes a few thou smaller.

[dirkbalter]

Not sure about the Mercedes philosophy on a perfect fit for brass bushings , but having had and worked on quite a few British roadsters in the past, it was quiet common that the brass bushings were slightly undersized and needed to be reamed to a perfect fit. Personally, I would prefer it that way in order to control the fit that I want.

[CJHenderson]

I had to end up reaming both the brass and steel bushing. Trying to assemble them without doing that I would end up with locking up the right axel housing. Some times things don't go as expected and that is why we have forums. If it wasn't for this site I would be parting out this Pagoda.

[George Des]

I used dry ice to shrink the pin so the steel ones could be fitted without much effort. I did use an adjustable reamer on the brass ones. Worked out well.