What Is Intended Purpose Of Brackets Mounted Between Rear Springs & Sway Bar?

Started by Squiggle Dog, 10 May 2018, 12:18 PM

Squiggle Dog

Some W116s have mounting brackets between the rear springs and the sway bar. I've been wondering about their intended purpose. It seems only USA-market W116s have them (as well as the extra box tubing that runs between the rear bumper mounts and nearly to the rear axle). My guess is they were intended to be mounts for a factory tow bar/hitch which was never produced. I might use them for this purpose to make a custom tow hitch.


As you can see, the towing company nearly ripped off one of them when they used it to chain down my car to the auto transporter when my roommate and I moved to Arizona from Washington six years ago.


They also wrapped chains around the rear shock absorbers in his 1965 Ford station wagon and bent them.



Oh, and thanks to the driver driving illegal hours and arriving too soon even though we had agreed to have them delivered no sooner than a specific date because I had explained we were moving and wouldn't be there until then to receive the cars, the driver dropped off them all off (including another person's car that was supposed to be delivered to California) in an impound yard, so not only did we have to pay impound fees, but my new $400 wood-veneered instrument panel warped and buckled from setting in the hot sun with no tint on the windows (see around left gauge).


The tops of the cars were also covered in oil. The transport company complained that OUR cars dripped oil all over other people's cars, but ours were on the bottom, and then they said that they should have charged more because all the vehicles were inoperable. Every single one was driven onto the transporter and then home from the impound yard. They sure scraped up the bottom of the car, too. But, that's the past...


Anyway, I'd be interested in knowing the intended purpose of these brackets.
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1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Heated Seats, 350,000+

robertd

Very disappointing Squiggle, the lack of care from people in the industry.

In regards to the brackets, I don't think I have ever seen them on a 116 before.

anyway good luck with it all.

cheers Rob

116   1978 450SEL 6.9 #  4848
116   1979 450SEL  6.9 # 5884
116   1979 450SEL  6.9 # 6225  SOLD
116   1978 450SEL  6.9 # 5128  SOLD
116   1979 450SEL  6.9 # 5884  SOLD
116   1974 450SEL  DJet

daantjie

Daniel
1977 450 SEL 6.9 - Astralsilber

Max-NL

Both the 280S and the 6.9 (with a tow bar) don't have those brackets.
1971 R107 350 SL
1972 W108 280 SEL 3.5
1975 W116 280 S
1975 W116 450 SEL 6.9 #140
1977 W123 230
1992 W124 230 CE
2001 Ducati Monster S4

Squiggle Dog

On the left side of the vehicle, between the mystery bracket and the rear bumper, there is a stiffening brace. I wonder if all W116s have this, or only the ones which have the mystery brackets.


It could be a North American thing, or maybe it's something that was added to late-production vehicles (mine is a 1980). It sure seems like it could have been intended to mount a tow hitch. I remember long-gone forum member Casey having one that mounted on these, but the pictures and videos are gone.

I noticed that the rear bumper has a square hole on each side for mounting a carriage bolt. I wonder if it was another intended mounting point for a tow hitch, though I don't like the idea of mounting one to the rear bumper as it defeats the function of the bumper shock absorbers. Keep in mind that the bumpers are not original to the car and were removed from a North American-spec 6.9 of unknown year.


The tow bar setup that the rest of the world got had a mounting plate on the left side of the trunk floor and then it attached on the side of the spare tire well, then under the tow hook on the right side of the vehicle. The center section mounted at the area where the bumper filler goes on the North American models.
Stop paying for animal cruelty and slaughter. Go vegan! [url="https://challenge22.com/"]https://challenge22.com/[/url]

1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Heated Seats, 350,000+

Max-NL

Found this on EPC:


With this as footnote :


I think that bar is just to stiffen the rear end as an aid for the 5mph crash bumpers.
1971 R107 350 SL
1972 W108 280 SEL 3.5
1975 W116 280 S
1975 W116 450 SEL 6.9 #140
1977 W123 230
1992 W124 230 CE
2001 Ducati Monster S4

Squiggle Dog

It appears these brackets were offered throughout the entire production of the W116 as here is a 1973 model year with them. It is an early North American version car, so they probably have something to do with the North American market.


Here is a 1978 North American 6.9 with one on the front. I had not seen them on the front before.
Stop paying for animal cruelty and slaughter. Go vegan! [url="https://challenge22.com/"]https://challenge22.com/[/url]

1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Heated Seats, 350,000+

3l33ter

They look just like jack points on a Porsche.
'75 280S
'77 6.9
'82 300TD

Inshan

Replying to this old thread that came up in a search for rear springs.  Could it be tie-down points for the transatlantic voyage?
1980 300SD

Squiggle Dog

Quote from: Inshan on 02 November 2020, 11:44 AM
Replying to this old thread that came up in a search for rear springs.  Could it be tie-down points for the transatlantic voyage?

I'm thinking that's what they are. The auto transporter sure did a number on them, too, when I had it delivered from Washington to Arizona during the big move.
Stop paying for animal cruelty and slaughter. Go vegan! [url="https://challenge22.com/"]https://challenge22.com/[/url]

1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Heated Seats, 350,000+