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| fernweh Date registered: Apr 2006 Location: Calabasas, CA - Centenario, BCS - Luebeck, Germany Vehicle(s): Few Mercedes-Benz, a Toyota Amphibious and a Vespa  | Crack in W463 Chassis Frame found During my pre-adventure trip maintenance/inspection I did find a problem which concerns me just a bit. A crack has been developing at the steering box mount of the chassis frame. The broken paint surface around one of the mounting provision revealed the crack to the naked eye. I guess, having had a similar problem long time ago (on a 1959 180D), kept me scanning those areas for any damages. I cleaned that area with a wire wheel and it looks like the, crack extends approx 3/4 around that mounting hole. I believe, that mounting provision is a steel tube welded into the chassis frame on both sides, for a long through bolt. I did not check yet the other side of the frame, towards the engine compartment, for a similar crack. Not sure which action I should take: 1.) Do nothing about it - that thing lasted for 170K Miles  2.) Make a claim to MBUSA, the truck has only 170K Miles, almost never used Offroad  3.) Repair it myself, using a MIG-welder 4.) Repair it myself, using a Heliarc-welder (TIG) I like to hear some suggestions from the usual suspects....  Thanks, Karl (Frame Crack.jpg) Attachments ----------------  Frame Crack.jpg (168KB - 1 downloads) | |
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| AlanMcR Expert Date registered: Apr 2006 Location: US, CA, Los Altos Vehicle(s): G300DT E300DT 230SL Posts: 3500 | ||
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| Titus Pullo Elite Veteran Date registered: May 2007 Location: Ottawa, ON, Canada Vehicle(s): '90 Wolf 240GD, '06 G270 CDI. Posts: 1010  | RE: Crack in W463 Chassis Frame found Had a similar problem with my '88 - almost new vehicle, unknown mileage and never offroaded :boink:. Went option #3. Not a problem since. If allowed, I would recommend #2 and #4. Again, if allowed I would say that this MUST be repaired, so #1 is not an option. | |
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| drey Extreme Veteran Date registered: Sep 2012 Location: Scottsdale AZ Vehicle(s): 04 G500 Posts: 364  | ||
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| dai Expert Date registered: Apr 2006 Location: Oregon USA Vehicle(s): 300GD 300TD BMW R100RS Landini 80F Posts: 2110 | ||
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| AlanMcR Expert Date registered: Apr 2006 Location: US, CA, Los Altos Vehicle(s): G300DT E300DT 230SL Posts: 3500 | RE: Crack in W463 Chassis Frame found Took a look at mine. The mounting is strikingly different. I can't find the brace as a separate part, so it might be welded onto the frame. That oil came from a weeping PS return hose. I can't convince myself to remove the free rustproofing.
Edited by AlanMcR 11/10/2013 12:10 PM (SteeringBox-463.331.jpg) Attachments ---------------- SteeringBox-463.331.jpg (230KB - 0 downloads) | |
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| Titus Pullo Elite Veteran Date registered: May 2007 Location: Ottawa, ON, Canada Vehicle(s): '90 Wolf 240GD, '06 G270 CDI. Posts: 1010 | ||
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| fernweh Date registered: Apr 2006 Location: Calabasas, CA - Centenario, BCS - Luebeck, Germany Vehicle(s): Few Mercedes-Benz, a Toyota Amphibious and a Vespa | RE: Crack in W463 Chassis Frame found The steering box got moved forward on the later W463's (1999?) I shall remove the front skid plate in a while, to inspect the inside of that frame rail. That mounting bolt bushing has to go through as one piece.....and I'm afraid to see a crack on the other side as well. Will keep you updated, after returning from church Karl | |
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| bram_r Expert Date registered: Apr 2007 Location: the Netherlands Vehicle(s): 1984 MB 280GE, 1982 MB 300GD, 1986 Subaru XT 4WD Posts: 1659 | ||
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| Titus Pullo Elite Veteran Date registered: May 2007 Location: Ottawa, ON, Canada Vehicle(s): '90 Wolf 240GD, '06 G270 CDI. Posts: 1010 | RE: Crack in W463 Chassis Frame found fernweh - 11/10/2013 12:35 PM . That mounting bolt bushing has to go through as one piece.....and I'm afraid to see a crack on the other side as well. Will keep you updated, after returning from church right Watson... yes its one piece sleeve, and has to be throughly inspected inside too.... mine was cracked inside too, actually more than outside Karl | |
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| BlueG Elite Veteran Date registered: Aug 2009 Location: DC Vehicle(s): 2003 G500 Posts: 714  | ||
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| Inkblotz Expert Date registered: Apr 2006 Location: Georgia Vehicle(s): 90 300GD "Thundering Turtle II", w/ 603A turbo Posts: 3186 | RE: Crack in W463 Chassis Frame found Mine looks the same as Alan's. If the surface is completely flat perhaps you could make a bracket/plate like this (or 2 for both sides) that could be tack welded to the frame at various points which would not compromise the structure of the frame. Mark Funny you mentioned the 180D I had the same problem with my 59 180D. Edited by Inkblotz 11/11/2013 7:30 AM (Frame-repair.jpg) Attachments ---------------- Frame-repair.jpg (13KB - 1 downloads) | |
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| GwagenLover Extreme Veteran Date registered: Apr 2006 Location: Winston Salem, NC USA 27104 Vehicle(s): 2016 G550 & 2016 GLE350 Posts: 473 | ||
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| fernweh Date registered: Apr 2006 Location: Calabasas, CA - Centenario, BCS - Luebeck, Germany Vehicle(s): Few Mercedes-Benz, a Toyota Amphibious and a Vespa | RE: Crack in W463 Chassis Frame found Thank you all. Upon further inspection, I found the crack was extended almost completely around that welded-in support tube. Not just following the outline of the factory weld, but going through the existing weld towards the heavy walled tube as well. The situation/problem was not as dire as first thought. That thick walled mounting tube goes all the way through the chassis box frame and extends past the welded-on frame bracket for the steering gear box. I believe that tube must be at least 6" long, and it is welded at the in and outside of the box frame plus at that frame bracket, where the crack appeared. No cracks were found on the engine (in)side of the box frame, but the other frame side could not be inspected, as the steering box bracket covers that area. I did clean the to be welded area very well, but were not able to grind down on the existing weld very much. Forget drilling any 1/8" holes at the start or end of the visible crack, as the steering box limited the access to it. Using the MIG welder, set for a good penetration, I was able to weld around that tube. Not continuously, but in a stitch pattern due to obstructions. After the welded area had cooled off, I used an Acetylene torch to heat the new weld and surrounding areas, in order to normalize the affected metal. Just before repainting that area, the flat seat for the steering box at the end of the mounting tube had to be partial restored, as the new weld had penetrated part of it. Starting with a Dremel tool to carefully grind away the weld ridges and finish the seat with a flat file, to match the mounting plane of the other mounting tubes. One coat of primer, the next one with a BMW black paint (please forgive me) and some cavity protection spray to the back side of the welded areas. True to the old Germany saying: Farbe erhaelt, was sonst zerfaellt..... I will watch the repair for the next 170K Miles Karl (IMG_4525.JPG) (IMG_4526.JPG) (IMG_4531.JPG) (IMG_4535.JPG) Attachments ---------------- IMG_4525.JPG (159KB - 0 downloads) IMG_4526.JPG (147KB - 0 downloads) IMG_4531.JPG (171KB - 0 downloads) IMG_4535.JPG (154KB - 0 downloads) | |
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| 4x4abc Date registered: Apr 2006 Location: La Paz, Baja California, Mexico Vehicle(s): 02 G500  | ||
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| fernweh Date registered: Apr 2006 Location: Calabasas, CA - Centenario, BCS - Luebeck, Germany Vehicle(s): Few Mercedes-Benz, a Toyota Amphibious and a Vespa | RE: Crack in W463 Chassis Frame found 4x4abc - 11/11/2013 6:27 PM checked mine - no crack(s) but I don't do any dry steering either I must have forgotten to grease the wheels again G-AMG mentioned to re-torque the M12 steering gear box hex bolts, as described in the WIS. It would be nice of him to post that schedule and the torque setting for those bolts. I did notice that three of those four bolts (the through bolts with nuts) were not tight, when I removed the steering gear box for the weld repair. Karl Edited by fernweh 11/12/2013 7:16 PM | |
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| 4x4abc Date registered: Apr 2006 Location: La Paz, Baja California, Mexico Vehicle(s): 02 G500 | ||
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| djdinaz Extreme Veteran Date registered: Jun 2007 Location: Arizona Vehicle(s): 03 G55 Posts: 439 | RE: Crack in W463 Chassis Frame found The FSS service schedule (AP00.20-U-0001A.FSS.Sheet.pdf) shows it as being needed every 2 years (page 3 near the bottom). It lists AP46.20-P-4671G as the doc associated with it. I've attached both. Attachments ---------------- AP00.20-U-0001A.FSS.Sheet.pdf (253KB - 42 downloads) AP46.20-P-4671G.pdf (24KB - 30 downloads) | |
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| AlanMcR Expert Date registered: Apr 2006 Location: US, CA, Los Altos Vehicle(s): G300DT E300DT 230SL Posts: 3500 | ||
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| dai Expert Date registered: Apr 2006 Location: Oregon USA Vehicle(s): 300GD 300TD BMW R100RS Landini 80F Posts: 2110 | ||
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