2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER Service Repair Manual

AXLE BEARINGS/SEALS
REMOVAL
(1) Remove rear axle shaft.
(2) With a punch and hammer straighten locking
ring (Fig. 7).
(3) Loosen bearing nut with Wrench 9279 (Fig. 8).
NOTE: Bearing nut with groove on left rear axle
shaft has a left-hand thread. Bearing nut without
groove on right rear axle shaft has a right-hand
thread. To dismantling insert two wheel mounting
bolts into the axle shaft and clamp in a vise.(4) Remove bearing nut and locking ring from axle
shaft (Fig. 9).
(5) Push Plate 9277 between bearing cover and
rear axle shaft (Fig. 10).
(6) Place axle shaft with plate in a press.
(7) Press axle shaft through the bearing cover and
tapered roller bearings (Fig. 11).
(8) Remove tapered roller bearing, sealing ring,
dust shield and bearing cap from axle shaft (Fig. 12).
(9) Drive shaft seal out of bearing cover with a
hammer and drift.
INSTALLATION
(1) Clean sealing surface of bearing cap.
(2) Drive axle shaft seal into bearing cover using
Installer 9278 (Fig. 13).
Fig. 7 LOCKING RING
1 - BEARING NUT
2 - PUNCH
3 - LOCKING RING
4 - BEARING
Fig. 8 BEARING NUT WRENCH
1 - AXLE SHAFT
2 - BEARING NUT
3 - WRENCH
4 - BEARING
Fig. 9 BEARING NUT AND LOCKING RING
1 - BEARING NUT
2 - LOCKING RING
Fig. 10 AXLE BEARING REMOVAL TOOL
1 - AXLE SHAFT
2 - PLATE
VAREAR AXLE 3 - 17

NOTE: Install flush to a max. 3 mm (0.12 in.) deep
inside the bearing cover.
(3) Check roller bearing, replace according to con-
dition.
NOTE: Thoroughly grease roller bearings prior to
installation.
(4) Install bearing cover with axle shaft seal,new
gasket and dust shield on the axle shaft.
(5) Install tapered roller bearings and race on the
axle shaft (Fig. 14).
(6) Installnewlocking ring on axle shaft.NOTE: The flat side of the locking ring must point
towards the nut (Fig. 15). The locking ring is fitted
to ensure that the pressing is done over the inner
bearing race only. The flat on the locking ring must
be aligned with the flat on the axle shaft otherwise
the axle shaft will be damaged.
(7) Place axle shaft through the hole in Plate 9277
and position the assembly in a press (Fig. 16).
(8) Press tapered roller bearing onto rear axle
shaft as far as the stop.
CAUTION: In order to avoid damaging the bearing,
the outer race must be turned while pressing on.
(9) Screw on bearing nut and tighten nut with
Wrench 9279 to 500 N´m (369 ft. lbs.).
Fig. 11 PRESSING BEARING
1 - AXLE SHAFT
2 - BEARING
3 - PLATE
Fig. 12 AXLE SHAFT ASSEMBLY
1 - AXLE SHAFT 6 - BEARING
2 - BEARING COVER 7 - SEALING RING
3 - RADIAL SHAFT SEAL 8 - LOCKING RING
4 - GASKET 9 - BEARING NUT
5 - DUST SHIELD
Fig. 13 SEAL INSTALLER
1 - INSTALLER
2 - BEARING COVER
Fig. 14 BEARINGS AND RACE
1 - BEARINGS
2 - RACE
3 - 18 REAR AXLEVA
AXLE BEARINGS/SEALS (Continued)

NOTE: Bearing nut with groove on left rear axle
shaft has a left-hand thread. Bearing nut without
groove on right rear axle shaft has a right-hand
thread.
(10) Bend locking ring with a hammer and punch
at both grooves in the bearing nut (Fig. 17).
NOTE: The grooved nut must be locked in both
directions of rotation.
(11) Install sealing ring onto roller bearing race
(Fig. 17).
(12) Install rear axle shaft.
AXLE SHAFTS - DUAL REAR
WHEELS
REMOVAL
(1) Remove wheels
(2) Remove axle shaft hub nuts (Fig. 18).
(3) Pull out axle shaft.
INSTALLATION
(1) Coat axle shaft flange with Hylomar SQ 32 M
sealant.
Fig. 15 BEARING AND SHAFT
1 - LOCKING RING
2 - AXLE SHAFT
3 - BEARING
4 - DUST SHIELD
Fig. 16 PRESSING AXLE SHAFT
1 - PRESS
2 - AXLE SHAFT
3 - PLATE
Fig. 17 LOCKING RING
1 - BEARING NUT
2 - BEARING
3 - LOCKING RING
4 - SEALING RING
Fig. 18 AXLE SHAFT
1 - WHEEL HUB
2 - AXLE SHAFT
3 - AXLE NUT
VAREAR AXLE 3 - 19
AXLE BEARINGS/SEALS (Continued)

(2) Slide axle shaft into axle tube.
(3) Install axle shaft hub nuts and tighten to N´m
65 (48 ft. lbs.).
(4) Install wheels.
AXLE HUB BEARINGS/SEALS
REMOVAL
(1) Remove brake caliper with support.
(2) Remove axle shaft.
(3) Back-off parking brakes.
(4) Remove outer hub nut with Wrench 9290 (Fig.
19).
(5) Remove locking plate, inner hub nut and thrust
washer (Fig. 19).
(6) Pull hub off axle tube.
(7) Pry out ABS sensor and remove seal from hub
(Fig. 20).
(8) Remove hub bearings from hub (Fig. 21).
(9) Remove inner and outer bearing cups from hub
with a hammer and drift.
INSTALLATION
(1) Install hub bearing cups with Installer 9291
and a hammer.
(2) Clean and thoroughly grease bearings with
Multi-purpose grease.
(3) Install inner wheel bearing.
(4) Coat outer circumference ofnewseal with
Hylomar SQ 32 M sealant.CAUTION: Do not coat seals rubberized sealing sur-
faces with sealant.
(5) Install seal into hub with an appropriate
installer.
NOTE: Sealing ring should be flush with wheel hub
or max. 3mm (0.12 in.) deep.
(6) Coat contact surface of ABS sensor ring with
Hylomar SQ 32 M sealant.
Fig. 19 HUB NUTS
1 - NUTS
2 - LOCKING PLATE
3 - THRUST WASHER
Fig. 20 SENSOR RING & OIL SEAL
1 - ABS SENSOR RING
2 - SEAL
Fig. 21 AXLE HUB BEARINGS
1 - REAR BEARING
2 - HUB
3 - FRONT BEARING
4 - ROTOR
3 - 20 REAR AXLEVA
AXLE SHAFTS - DUAL REAR WHEELS (Continued)

(7) Drive ABS sensor ring ring in as far as the
stop with a plastic hammer.
(8) Install hub on axle tube.
(9) Install outer hub bearing (Fig. 22).
(10) Install thrust washer (Fig. 23).
(11) Install inner hub nut (Fig. 24).
(12) Tighten inner hub nut with Wrench 9290 to
300 N´m (221 ft. lbs.) while spinning the wheel hub
constantly. Turn back inner nut and then tighten
until it touches the thrust washer without play. Then
tighten 1/8 turn.
(13) Install locking plate (Fig. 25).(14) Install outer hub nut and tighten with
Wrench 9290 to 250 N´m (184 ft. lbs.).
(15) Install axle shaft.
(16) Install brake caliper and support.
(17) Adjust parking brakes.
Fig. 22 OUTER HUB BEARING
1 - HUB
2 - BEARING
Fig. 23 THRUST WASHER
1 - HUB
2 - WASHER
Fig. 24 INNER HUB NUT
1 - HUB
2 - NUT
Fig. 25 LOCKING PLATE
1 - HUB
2 - PLATE
VAREAR AXLE 3 - 21
AXLE HUB BEARINGS/SEALS (Continued)

PINION SEAL
REMOVAL
(1) Remove wheels.
(2) Push back brake pads and release hand brake.
NOTE: If it is not possible to spin rear axle shafts
manually, detach rear brake cables.
(3) Drain rear axle oil.
(4) Remove propeller shaft.
(5) Spin pinion flange by hand and check axial
play of bearing.
CAUTION: There must not be any thrust bearing
play. If play excess or there are particles (shavings)
in the drained oil, replace gear assembly.
(6) Mark installation position of collared nut (Fig.
26) with respect to drive pinion.
(7) Unlock collared nut.
(8) Hold pinion flange with Flange Wrench C-3281
and remove nut.
(9) Remove pinion flange from pinion shaft with
Flange Puller 8992 (Fig. 27).
(10) Check sealing surfaces of joint flange for score
marks and replace joint flange if necessary.
(11) Remove both pinion radial seals (Fig. 28).
INSTALLATION
(1) Pack space between dust lip and sealing lip on
radial seal ring with multi-purpose grease.
(2) On radial seal rings without rubberized exter-
nal surface, coat outer circumference with sealant.CAUTION: Do not coat partially rubberized seals
with sealant.
(3) Drivenewpinion radial seals into rear axle
housing as far as the stop using Installer 9276 (Fig.
29).
(4) Fit coupling flange on drive pinion shaft.
NOTE: The groove in the drive pinion and the
groove in the joint flange must be in alignment.
(5) Hold pinion flange with Flange Wrench C-3281.
(6) Screw on the collared nut illustrated up to the
marking applied beforehand.
(7) Detach retainer wrench from joint flange.
(8) With a torque wrench, measure torque to
rotate pinion and record measurement.
Fig. 26 COLLARED NUT
1 - PINION FLANGE
2 - COLLARED NUT
Fig. 27 FLANGE PULLER
1 - FLANGE PULLER
2 - PINION FLANGE
Fig. 28 PINION SEALS
1 - SEALS
2 - AXLE
3 - 22 REAR AXLEVA

(9) Unscrew the marked nut.
(10) Reattach retainer wrench to joint flange.
(11) Screw onnewcollared nut and tighten care-
fully in stages until the previously value of torque to
rotate is exceeded by 0.5 N´m. (4.4 in. lbs.).
CAUTION: The total friction moment must not be
obtained by slackening the collared nut. Avoid over-
tightening the collared nut otherwise the compres-
sion ring inside will be compressed and will have to
be replaced. This requires total disassembly of the
gear set.
(12) Cut the collar of the tightened collared nut
(Fig. 30).
(13) Bend collar so it touches the wall of the slot
in the pinion shaft (Fig. 31).(14) Connect propeller shaft to pinion flange.
(15) Pour in oil up to bottom edge of oil filler hole
(Fig. 32).
(16) Screw in oil filler plug and tighten to 100 N´m
(74 ft. lbs.).
(17) Install wheels at rear axle.
(18) Operate brake pedal several times until brake
pads contact brake discs (brake pressure built up).
(19) Attach rear brake cables if removed and
adjust parking brake.
Fig. 29 PINION SEAL INSTALLER
1 - AXLE
2 - INSTALLER
Fig. 30 COLLARED NUT
Fig. 31 BEND COLLAR OF NUT
1 - COLLARED NUT
2 - DRIFT
Fig. 32 FILL PLUG
1 - FILL PLUG
2 - DRAIN PLUG
VAREAR AXLE 3 - 23
PINION SEAL (Continued)