Author Topic: Copper grease hubs  (Read 1357 times)

Crestfyre

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  • USA, CA, El Cajon
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Copper grease hubs
« on: October 12, 2019, 22:54:29 »
I recently purchased an entire front suspension setup because I needed certain parts and it saved a boatload of money over buying them separately. After cleaning the mud off I noticed the grease caps were solid copper. So I pulled one and noticed there was a contact point on the hub and a point similar to electric brushes from a motor on the axle side. So my question is were these for radio suppression and were they ever used on a 64 230sl? Attached are pics
CRESTFYRE
Euro Model 1964 230SL
Light Ivory - 4 speed manual- Kinderseat
Owned for 44 years - parked for 37

ja17

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Re: Copper grease hubs
« Reply #1 on: October 13, 2019, 00:00:22 »
Yes for the radio also notice if your car has the copper contacts next to the center hood latch for the radio also. I do not know when these came into use.
Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio
1969 Dark Olive 280SL
2002 ML55 AMG (tow vehicle)
2002 SLK32 AMG (350 hp)
1982 300TD Wagon turbo 4spd.
1963 404 Mercedes Unimog (Swedish Army)
1989 flu419 Mercedes Unimog (US Army)
1998 E430
1974 450SLC Rally
1965 220SE Finback

Benz Dr.

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  • Canada, ON, Port Lambton
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  • Benz Dr.
Re: Copper grease hubs
« Reply #2 on: October 13, 2019, 03:34:02 »
Dust caps are copper plated.
1966 230SL 5 speed, LSD, header pipes, 300SE distributor, ported, polished and balanced, AKA  ''The Red Rocket ''
Dan Caron's SL Barn

1970  3.5 Coupe
1961  190SL
1985   300CD  Turbo Coupe
1981  300SD
2013  GMC  Sierra
1965  230SL
1967 250SL
1970 280SL
1988 560SEC

wwheeler

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Re: Copper grease hubs
« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2019, 18:08:17 »
For whatever it is worth, I have copper colored grease caps with the ground straps on both the '68 W111 and the '60 W128 coupes. The '60 is a Ponton. I would assume they started no later than 1960 with the ground strap in the grease cap.
Wallace
Texas
'68 280SE W111 coupe
'60 220SE W128 coupe
'70 Plymouth Roadrunner 440+6