Wiper Spindles
I had some advice when i was buying my last 460 to check the heater motor as the wiper spindles leak water into it. When the recent water leak was getting fixed I noticed the washer plastic caps are cracked and there is some sort of fibre washers hanging out from under there!
What exactly goes wrong with them? I’m paranoid now about water leaks!!
Hello johnnytheboy,
The plastic covers known as 'capsules' within M/Benz parts fraternity do usually crack over time; these are more cosmetic and to a small degree protects the spindle from excess water but by no means contribute to water ingress into the vehicle.
The fiber washer you have referred to is a sealant to a point but it is also a compressible washer to buffer the big spindle nut against the paint and body work. The washer is oversize to the nut hence, remains visible around the nut. Should a lager area of the washer be visible is one or some areas, more than the other around the nut, in that case the washer is probably split or damaged.
Water ingress mainly is through worn spindles or in case of seized spindles, the fiber washer is damaged also allowing water ingress. For worn spindles, try and rock the spindle head top and bottom or side to side, if you have movement; the spindles are worn. Alternatively operate the wipers and watch for any out of true movements of the spindle, it would be better in this case to remove the capsule. With the seized spindle the outer body tries to rotate to and fro as the wiper is doing the same.
Water ingress from this area(s) is noticeable as a stain directly below the line of the spindles. In heavy wet conditions water could collect by the corresponding foot wells or even in the center console tray.
Water could be leaking if a pool is collected in the heater matrix. The drain hole in the matrix well get blocked with debris and leaves; this can be cleared by carefully prodding a small tube or welding wire into the rubber grommet to physically shift any blockage.
The above mentioned areas are the most obvious and common sources of leaks but should those be sound and you still have complaints on water ingress, the windscreen itself is known for leaks; the screen has to be removed to cure these leaks.
You can simulate leaks by pouring water on the spindles firstly, and watch for leaks in the vehicle. If none are found, pour water on the windscreen line and observe the same.
Regards and a Happy New year,
My 460 spindles have leaked for a while. At least I am pretty sure it is them. There is movement but I greased up the spindles and was surprised to still see water making the driver carpet and footwell sodden. Maybe I have some ingress around the bottom windscreen seal too, but seems good there.
It doesn't help that my blower fan seized up and needs replacing. Without that, the interior moisture buildup is difficult to disperse!
Anyway, my point on this post is to say that replacing the spindles is supposed to be a pig of a job because you have to take virtually the entire dash out to get to the underside of the spindle hole, which is why so many, like me, have put up with it. I did manage to get my dash out once to repair the blower fan, so I know how to do it now and its probably a day job (out and in) just working away steadily at it. I wish I had replaced the fan, rather than repair it (temporarily!) but none was available at the time and also that I had replace those pesky spindles!
The wiper spindles do not require the entire dash board to come out. Access is gained by removing the glove box and instrument dash panel. The job its self is a little awkward.
To be sure before doing this job, ensure that the play is in between the rocker shaft and outer body of the spindle and not merely a loose nut of the spindle. The spindle kits are of under £30.00 each side in the UK.
You will need the chassis number to supply to the dealer for them to identify the correct one for your vehicle. The spindle kits or rockers are chassis number sensitive, i.e. chassis number cut - off's apply; the vehicle being either LHD or RHD affects the rockers.
Should the dealer come back as mentioning that certain rockers are no longer available and the whole link has to be bought, it may just be possible to get them from certain suppliers from European Main land; the price from them is inbetween €40.00 to €60.00 each plus p & p.
The drain to the heater matrix is from the vent box in the engine compartment. You will need to look directly over the vent box and looking down at the front, left of the vent box corner, is where the grommet is to prod through. The front, left of the vent box is looking at the box, from the front of the vehicle, looking rearwards.
The grommet may not be clearly visible, should there be a pool of water collected, I suggest putting your hand down to get feel of the grommet and make a mental note of its position.
Cheers,
.. Note even with right chassis numbers for a 1988 460 .. what came back from MB for the spindles was wrong so I ended up cutting shutting to get alignment right..
Hi mgrays,
Would you please care to elaborate on your predicament?
Can give the part number supplied to you and PM your chassis number?
In the mean time I will check to see what number I get for you with a reference chassis number.
Cheers,
Hi All
having spent the last 10 weeks attempting to make some sense out of the current MB RHD spindles logic >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
finally received via Germany Technical and Milton Keynes two complete assemblies... one for the RHD 463 and the other for the RHD 460...both come without the attaching parts ( £8.50 a kit) or black plastic covers £1.35 each ....the assemblies cost £125 and £135 respectively.and came with a declaration that NO LONGER will MB supply the spindles only....... and still they do not appear to be greased so will have to disassemble before installation
I just spoke with our local dealer and they quoted me exactly your prices Peter!
Mines is in the paint shop just now with the rear bumper and side arches off getting the ¼’s, back door and back panel repaired for corrosion, what looked like surface rust, went to a big bloody hole!!
I think operation wiper spindle can wait until the body project is finished
Hi
I have an 85 300GD. Spindles replaced twice over the last 4 years. Once last month because the body shop butchered one and replaced the fibre washer with metal allowing water ingress.
Both times the parts were available from Merc in Poole (well known as specialists for helping owners of old Merc's get through the official parts minefield) with no hassle. Last one was a passenger side only kit for circa £35ish supplied in Nov 2011.
They did mention that some parts were starting to show as 'Classic' now on the EPC for the 460's which means a) unusually expensive b) limited supply/made to order. This did not apply to the spindles though.
One final thought on all things leak related to the G. There are any number of holes (plugged usually) in the floor pan. Enthusiastic driving on waterlogged roads, and/or jet washing the car underside can be another source of water ingress to go with wiper spindles, clogged heater drain, windscreen seal and door seals!
Ta
Simon
Duplicated, Deleted thread.
Reply to thread number 9.
Basic answer is No. Spindle leaks are due to a cause of their own. Water ingress from other channels do not route to spindles.
Fording height is usually to the bottom height of the bumpers, roughly speaking, so if you are contemplating any deeper the door seal do need to be taped up to ensure sealing. The seal at the accelerator rod through the bulk head is a source for water to enter the vehicle but these leaks will show up on the floor, no higher.
Cheers,
Hi all
There seems to be a lot of confusion about these wiper spindles so i will through my ten peneth in and confuse it some more!!
***********************************************************************************************************************************************
Here are Approximate Current Prices and Availability in the UK from MB UK and supplied through their dealers as of 07/01/12.
Please PM me with Chassis Number for an Accurate Quote of the Part Numbers and the Availability.
Any W461 Chassis please enquire – but in general similar to W460.
Wiper Spindles Only
W460 LHD Early up to serial 058985
A0008204346 left £23.40 + VAT UK
A0008204246 right £26.50 + VAT UK
Available - Yes
W460 LHD Late from serial 058986
A0008207846 left £27.10 + VAT Germany
A0008207946 right £31.00 + VAT Germany
Available - Yes
W460 RHD Early up to serial 066443
A0008204246 left £26.50 + VAT UK
A0008204346 right £23.40 + VAT UK
Available - Yes
W460 RHD Late from serial 066444
A0008208046 left NLA
A0008208146 right NLA
Available – No - Complete Linkage Only
W463 LHD
A0008207846 left £27.10 + VAT Germany
A0008207946 right £31.00 + VAT Germany
Available - Yes
W463 RHD
A0008208146 left NLA
A0008208046 right NLA
Available – No - Complete Linkage Only
Complete Linkages
W460 LHD Early up to serial 058985
A0018207341 £94.00 + VAT Germany
W460 LHD Late from serial 058986
A4638200041 £132.00 + VAT Germany
W460 RHD Early up to serial 066443
A0018207441 £106.00 + VAT UK
W460 RHD Late from serial 066444
A4638200241 £129.00 + VAT Germany Awaiting Stock (May change number)
W463 LHD
A4638200041 £132.00 + VAT Germany
W463 RHD
A4638200241 £129.00 + VAT Germany Awaiting Stock (May change number)
***********************************************************************************************************************************************
Hopefully this will explain why some of you can buy spindles and some have to get the full linkage assembly.
Hope it helps.
Gav
All I can say is WOW!!,
I, for one, would like to Thank Gavin in this little Gem of information, I am a certainly going to copy this for reference, for the time you must have spent looking at all those numbers; I had looked at them and clearly shunned away from any such compilation. Well done and Thank you for your time.
Cheers,
No worries Rakesh :)
If it helps people clarify the situation its worth the effort. Just to be sure it is for reference and guide only.
I am more than happy to work out individual Part Numbers for forum members if you PM me your chassis number. At least you can go to your dealer with an idea of what to expect and a referance number should they struggle to identify or give you the wrong ones.
Can you save this somewhere on the forum as a reference guide? Its still all a bit new to me.
If there is any other parts like this where forum members would like clarification or a chart or list drawing up for reference please post or PM and i will look out for it and see what i can do.
Thanks
Gav
Hi all
Further up the post was talk of dash stripping and heater motors. A nice job i have done twice before on W460's. Nearly a full day as i remember. Anyway my point is the motor. The poster stated that they had repaired theirs. I can only think for reasons of cost or availability or both. I used the motor from the MB vans 77-95 207D/208D/307D/308D/310D/407D/408D/410D/210P/310P .The motor is the same to look at and just needed a small wiring alteration. At the time the motor was from MB £75 opposed £175 for the G one. I have looked now and they are £129 opposed to £155 for the G. Still a cost saving!!! You could also pick up the van motor from the CV dealer and get up to 25% discount. The main gain, and one of mine was this, is the second hand ones, the G is prone to failure as we know due to water ingress etc. The van one however is well tucked away and rarely fail, so good second hand ones are easier to come by.Even though the van has been out of production for over 15 years there are still plenty about and in the breakers as well. The MB number for the VAN MOTOR is A0008206242 and the G wagon one it can replace is A0008301308 non air con type fitted to most W460 some W461 and the early W463's.
Hope this helps
Hi
I can supply the van motor for GBP 90 and the 460 G' motor for GBP 120 + poatage these are new from the manufacturer
Excellent help in this thread.
Does anyone have pictures or a scan of the wiper spindle assemblies?
Also the blower since this is also covered in here. Maybe from a Maint Manual?
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HI There, thanks for the reply, the wiper spindle is moving about when you give it a shake, I have ordered the small parts kit of washers as the fibre washer was hanging right out and broken, plus the two capsules as they were cracked and hanging off. Whats the remedy for the wiper spindle play, just a new wiper spindle?
It is quite a clean car, I checked the sunroof washer holes they are draining out ok, and I’ll check the drain hole in the heater as you mentioned (where is it?), my only worry is the windscreen, the last thing I want is to have to take that out, although, if I need to It will just have to come out!