News:

www.W116.org - The #1 resource for our W116! Established 2004

Main Menu

Steering wheel differences

Started by ptashek, 18 January 2016, 04:54 PM

ptashek

The part number for the steering wheel changes from A1164600003 to A1234600203 at chassis number 074163 for 116.032 and 033. Given my 450 is made mid-1979 (Oct 1979 first reg) and in the 95k range, I'd say the change is somewhere around late-1977/early-1978? It's not a simple replacement (i.e. "replaced by" in the EPC), but an entirely separate part number. Both are listed as valid for my VIN.

Is anyone aware of any noticeable design changes between those two?

Also, if anyone has a brand new, unused, steering wheel for floor shift models - please PM me.
I might be interested if the price is right.
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

rumb

I have a nearly NOS 116-460-00-03.  My dad put it on the W108 for about 2 years before I got the car and I put the original one back on. The wheel is very nice, still in original plastic inner bag and somewhat crumpled original outer box.  Includes horn pad center logo.

found this usage on the web:
UP to Chassis: (024) 102452, (033) 074163, (036) 003669. This Steering Wheel is secured to the steering column with a nut, as seen in the photos. This steering wheel will NOT work with the later W116's which use a Hex Bolt to secure the steering wheel.
'68 250S
'77 6.9 Euro
'91 300SE,
'98 SL500
'14 CLS550,
'16 AMG GTS
'21 E450 Cabrio

ptashek

Quote from: rumb on 18 January 2016, 06:46 PM
I have a nearly NOS 116-460-00-03.  My dad put it on the W108 for about 2 years before I got the car and I put the original one back on. The wheel is very nice, still in original plastic inner bag and somewhat crumpled original outer box.  Includes horn pad center logo.

I'll keep it in mind of finding a new one fails.

Quote
UP to Chassis: (024) 102452, (033) 074163, (036) 003669. This Steering Wheel is secured to the steering column with a nut, as seen in the photos. This steering wheel will NOT work with the later W116's which use a Hex Bolt to secure the steering wheel.

So it would seem the change was in the top of the steering column shaft. However the two ones I have do attach using a large hex nut (similar diameter to the fuel sender unit), not with a bolt.
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

UTn_boy

Since when did Mercedes have a different steering wheel for floor shift models verses column shift models?  This makes no sense......
1966 250se coupe`,black/dark green leather
1970 600 midnight blue/parchment leather
1971 300sel 6.3,papyrus white/dark red leather
1975 450se, pine green metallic/green leather
1973 300sel 4.5,silver blue metallic/blue leather
1979 450sel 516 red/bamboo

s class

The early and late wheels differ in terms of shaft diameter.  You therefore can't fit a late wheel on an early shaft or vice versa.  There is otherwise no cosmetic difference in the wheels (unless you consider the very early style fitted to 1973 116's and 107's)

The easiest visual clue is that the early wheels with the smaller shaft diameter are retained by a hex nut and spring washer.  The later wheels are retained by a countersunk in-hex screw, the same as on 123 and 126. 

107 models also experienced the same change in wheel. 


[color=blue]'76 6.9 Euro[/color], [color=red]'78 6.9 AMG[/color], '80 280SE, [color=brown]'74 350SE[/color], [color=black]'82 500SEL euro full hydro, '83 500SEL euro full hydro [/color], '81 500SL

ptashek

Quote from: UTn_boy on 18 January 2016, 10:57 PM
Since when did Mercedes have a different steering wheel for floor shift models verses column shift models?  This makes no sense......

The wheels are identical for both, and change part numbers at the exact same time. At least if EPC is to be trusted.
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

UTn_boy

PTASHEK, this is the quote I'm referring to in your first post: 

QuoteAlso, if anyone has a brand new, unused, steering wheel for floor shift models - please PM me.
I might be interested if the price is right.

What  you said in your last post negates what you said in your first post.  However, you seem to have realized the error, as all were the same....less the early verses late ones, as well as the small shaft verses late shaft.  And no, EPC can't always be trusted.  For instance, if you go to EPC to order a new black steering wheel for a W108/W109 car, EPC says it changes to  a steering wheel for a W116, and if you order what the EPC says to order, you'll get a W116 steering wheel for a W108/W109 car.  Totally wrong, obviously.  So there's that. :/ 
1966 250se coupe`,black/dark green leather
1970 600 midnight blue/parchment leather
1971 300sel 6.3,papyrus white/dark red leather
1975 450se, pine green metallic/green leather
1973 300sel 4.5,silver blue metallic/blue leather
1979 450sel 516 red/bamboo

Casey

As far as I am aware, there were no column shifter columns made to accommodate the later wheel.

ptashek

Quote from: UTn_boy on 19 January 2016, 08:32 AM
What  you said in your last post negates what you said in your first post.  However, you seem to have realized the error, as all were the same....

Ah, that. Unfortunate wording on my part :)
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

revilla

excuse my ignorance, but are there  W116s with column shifters? never seen one myself

Casey

Quote from: revilla on 19 January 2016, 05:09 PM
excuse my ignorance, but are there  W116s with column shifters? never seen one myself

Yes, I have two column shift columns and at least one center console tray, plus a metal plate that covers the hole in the transmission tunnel when there isn't a shifter there. :)

Also the instrument cluster gets a gear selector in the bottom center that is usually filled with black-painted styrofoam.

revilla

ok thx Casey.  so that explains the cheap looking styrofoam block in the cluster. :)

UTn_boy

Casey, column shift was available as an option through the whole production run of the W116.  It was also available on W114/W115, and early W123 cars.  I've seen a few early W126 cars with column shift, but they weren't U.S. cars. 
1966 250se coupe`,black/dark green leather
1970 600 midnight blue/parchment leather
1971 300sel 6.3,papyrus white/dark red leather
1975 450se, pine green metallic/green leather
1973 300sel 4.5,silver blue metallic/blue leather
1979 450sel 516 red/bamboo

Casey

Quote from: UTn_boy on 20 January 2016, 12:01 AM
Casey, column shift was available as an option through the whole production run of the W116.  It was also available on W114/W115, and early W123 cars.  I've seen a few early W126 cars with column shift, but they weren't U.S. cars.

Do you know if they updated the W116 column shift column in 1976?  Are there two separate part numbers for it?  Interesting to know in either case, thanks for sharing!

UTn_boy

There was a VIN split for different chassis, an "up to, as of" kind of split.  So it's hard to say what year the change took place.  Different chassis could have had the change earlier or later than other chassis. 

The first part number, (I'll use the 116.032/116.033 for reference here since this is what Casey has) is 116-460-09-16, shows to be used to to chassis number 043630, and the the later part number, 116-460-23-16, was used from chassis number 043631.  The first part number was replaced by the second part number at some point.

However, both steering column part numbers changed to one part number that fit all chassis.  The latest part number is 116-460-45-16, which I assume to be the one used in the 1980 models.    Additionally, there was also a right hand drive version as well.  It's part number is 116-460-13-16, and it has no VIN breaks.  One column was used from start to end. 
1966 250se coupe`,black/dark green leather
1970 600 midnight blue/parchment leather
1971 300sel 6.3,papyrus white/dark red leather
1975 450se, pine green metallic/green leather
1973 300sel 4.5,silver blue metallic/blue leather
1979 450sel 516 red/bamboo