Need to have a Mercedes rear carrier/ differential worked on
 

Recently purchased a 2007 E350 wagon that has a loud rear end. I have diagnosed it as needing rear bearings in the differential but i don't have the press and expertise to set the lash on the gears.
Once I mention Mercedes, ..I'm getting stupid quotes for labor just to put bearings in even with me doing the R&R. To me, $600.00 plus parts is robbery; does anyone know a good indi mechanic that won't rape me on this? Atlanta area would be nice but shipping isn't that bad on this thing.

Did you shop junk yards ?

My experience is that once they get noisy, they often fail to quiet down after repair.

There is some strange mystique with Mercedes rear ends.

Way back in the 1960s my in-laws bought a new Mercedes 200D. My FIL did all the maintenance himself. After 30,000 miles my FIL noticed a rear end noise so he took it in to the dealership. They said Mercedes never have rear end problems but the top mechanic rode along and agreed the rear end was whining. The mechanic said he had never worked on a rear end and there were no tools or workshop manual on the unit. The dealership called the regional guy and on up the line.

When Mercedes in Germany heard of the issue they sent a mechanic from Germany and a entire new rear end. The German mechanic was amazed but the rear end was whining. He did the rear end replacement and took the old unit back to Germany to be carefully inspected and to determine how that unit had failed.

12 years later my in-laws decided it might be nice to have a faster car as there are few cars slower than a 200D. They took the car in to the dealership and they were paid more for the used car that it cost new. The dealership put it on the showroom floor and kept it for a long time before some collector from Belgium heard of the car and bought it.

I cannot understand the mystique as it is simply a rear differential. I may just have to do this myself but would much rather have a mechanic who's is knowledgeable do the repair.

I've owned quite a few Mercedes-Benz cars and never heard of a diff problem either. I've even had some w leaky pinion seals and high miles, no issues. How many miles on the '07? Is it 100% diagnoses on the bearings?

I can inquire for you tomorrow when shop is open in CA.

It sounds like it would be better/faster/stronger to just buy used one from a junk yard and swap the unit..

If it whines there might be teeth damage that you are unable to see before you open it. Also, flange seals might be gone (usually, that is how it starts whining. Seals go bad, oil goes low and galling occurs).

Last time it happened to me (Audi UrS4) I just didn't bother renovating it and swapped it as a unit. Setting backlash is rather cumbersome. I did it only once (on SAAB og900 transaxle) and I used paste to see the pinion gear inprint on crownwheel.

This is the ticket. Just swap it out, cheaper/easier.

Yup...it's carrier bearings and not that "rare" in this year 4 matic rear end...there were Polish bearings installed by the factory that have proven to be low quality. The car only has 100k on it. Been searching for weeks but haven't found one yet; plenty of other years and diffs for non- all wheel drive but this one for 07-09 seems to be hard to find. Have found a few used ones but they all have around 100k miles and the sellers wants over 1k.????.