Hello there patrons of SLK world! I needed to fix a minor inconvenience in my r171 and thought that in the process I would make a DIY in case someone experiences similar issues.
The problem: When the handle on the trunk divider is actuated (plastic barrier that is mandated for roof operation) only one of the "pegs" would retract. The other peg could still be moved by hand but it was annoying as hell.
The tools Required:
- T20 & 25 screw drivers
- Scissors
- String
- Grease (White lithium is what I used)
- Plastic Epoxy (Super Glue is not strong enough)
1) Secure the trunk open with the string on both sides of the trunk (Because a trunk falling on your head or locking you in is no fun)
2) Remove the plastic plate covering the handle assembly - It is held in by two T25 screws
3) Remove the plastic cover (once screws have been removed) that is held in by two clips - Wiggling both sides up and down will loosen the cover from the clips eventually
Picture of the clips and cover once it has been removed (this is important for re-assembly):
4) Make sure to store all your screws/parts in a safe area - I used the divet/upper shelf in the R171s trunk. Perfect for holding the screws in place!
5) Inspect the assembly and see what the problem is - In my case, the plastic arm that pulls the cable attached to the spring actuated "peg" had broken
6) Use your T20 to remove the screw holding the the plastic arm assembly - (sorry about blurry pic, hard to take pics with one hand)
7) Once the screw has been removed, the cable must then be disconnected from the arm to fully remove it - The cable is held in by vertical force in a "L" shaped groove, simply line it up with the vertical part of the "L" and pull out the cable using a vertical motion.
8) Since the issue in this case was the plastic arm was broken, I used epoxy to fix it - Super glue DOES NOT WORK as too much force is applied via the handle. Give the epoxy 5 hours to fully dry, once it is dry smooth out the inside of arm to allow smooth articulation once re-assembled.
9) Once epoxy is dry and the interior residue has been smoothed you can put the arm assembly back in. HOOK THE CABLE UP FIRST. - It is impossible to hook the cable back on once the arm is re-seated on its point of articulation.
10) Apply some lubricant/grease to the inside of the arm and the surface of it's articulation point - This is VASTLY reduce the chance of the arm snapping again from to heat/friction.
11) Once lubed up, slide it back onto it's articulation point. Screw it back in using your T20 to get it back in position. - IMPORTANT: Once the screw is "snug" loosen it up one or two turns. Leaving it "snug" or tight can cause two things to happen; the first is more tension on the arm making it more likely to break again, and the second is that the peg will not automatically go back out once the handle is released (due to the spring on the peg not being designed to go against such force).
12) Quickly test actuating the handle to make sure that the arm freely actuates and that the screw is not too tight - Be careful of over-actuating the handle (which is usually stopped at a certain point by the plastic cover) which can cause the arms to "click" in behind the handle. This causes extra stress on the arms and can lead to them breaking. Simply confirm the proper movement of the arm and leave it alone after that point.
13) Now you can re-assemble the plastic cover! - First step is to clip in the plastic cover to the metal clips, just slide the plastic tabs in with some force. After that, you just need to screw in the two T25 screws!
14) Once the cover is back on you can fully test your work! - They both are working perfectly now!
15) Once you have tested it's actuation a few times and are happy with the result it is time to cut the string!
There you have it, a fully working trunk divider! It is definitely not a necessary fix and is mostly a convenience thing, but it is easy and cost effective to do. Considering that Mercedes considers those arms to be a non-serviceable part, your only alternative to this is to replace the whole divider... which is not cheap.
Anyways, this was my first DIY! Any criticisms would be much appreciated! You can find all images used in an album here.
Regards,
Ak
Edit: If you mess up the application of the epoxy you can use acetone (nail polish remover) to soften it up/dissove the epoxy. Be very careful with acetone as it is strong enough to remove paint and melt through weak plastics. Use at your own risk and with extreme care.
The problem: When the handle on the trunk divider is actuated (plastic barrier that is mandated for roof operation) only one of the "pegs" would retract. The other peg could still be moved by hand but it was annoying as hell.
The tools Required:
- T20 & 25 screw drivers
- Scissors
- String
- Grease (White lithium is what I used)
- Plastic Epoxy (Super Glue is not strong enough)
1) Secure the trunk open with the string on both sides of the trunk (Because a trunk falling on your head or locking you in is no fun)
2) Remove the plastic plate covering the handle assembly - It is held in by two T25 screws
3) Remove the plastic cover (once screws have been removed) that is held in by two clips - Wiggling both sides up and down will loosen the cover from the clips eventually
Picture of the clips and cover once it has been removed (this is important for re-assembly):
4) Make sure to store all your screws/parts in a safe area - I used the divet/upper shelf in the R171s trunk. Perfect for holding the screws in place!
5) Inspect the assembly and see what the problem is - In my case, the plastic arm that pulls the cable attached to the spring actuated "peg" had broken
6) Use your T20 to remove the screw holding the the plastic arm assembly - (sorry about blurry pic, hard to take pics with one hand)
7) Once the screw has been removed, the cable must then be disconnected from the arm to fully remove it - The cable is held in by vertical force in a "L" shaped groove, simply line it up with the vertical part of the "L" and pull out the cable using a vertical motion.
8) Since the issue in this case was the plastic arm was broken, I used epoxy to fix it - Super glue DOES NOT WORK as too much force is applied via the handle. Give the epoxy 5 hours to fully dry, once it is dry smooth out the inside of arm to allow smooth articulation once re-assembled.
9) Once epoxy is dry and the interior residue has been smoothed you can put the arm assembly back in. HOOK THE CABLE UP FIRST. - It is impossible to hook the cable back on once the arm is re-seated on its point of articulation.
10) Apply some lubricant/grease to the inside of the arm and the surface of it's articulation point - This is VASTLY reduce the chance of the arm snapping again from to heat/friction.
11) Once lubed up, slide it back onto it's articulation point. Screw it back in using your T20 to get it back in position. - IMPORTANT: Once the screw is "snug" loosen it up one or two turns. Leaving it "snug" or tight can cause two things to happen; the first is more tension on the arm making it more likely to break again, and the second is that the peg will not automatically go back out once the handle is released (due to the spring on the peg not being designed to go against such force).
12) Quickly test actuating the handle to make sure that the arm freely actuates and that the screw is not too tight - Be careful of over-actuating the handle (which is usually stopped at a certain point by the plastic cover) which can cause the arms to "click" in behind the handle. This causes extra stress on the arms and can lead to them breaking. Simply confirm the proper movement of the arm and leave it alone after that point.
13) Now you can re-assemble the plastic cover! - First step is to clip in the plastic cover to the metal clips, just slide the plastic tabs in with some force. After that, you just need to screw in the two T25 screws!
14) Once the cover is back on you can fully test your work! - They both are working perfectly now!
15) Once you have tested it's actuation a few times and are happy with the result it is time to cut the string!
There you have it, a fully working trunk divider! It is definitely not a necessary fix and is mostly a convenience thing, but it is easy and cost effective to do. Considering that Mercedes considers those arms to be a non-serviceable part, your only alternative to this is to replace the whole divider... which is not cheap.
Anyways, this was my first DIY! Any criticisms would be much appreciated! You can find all images used in an album here.
Regards,
Ak
Edit: If you mess up the application of the epoxy you can use acetone (nail polish remover) to soften it up/dissove the epoxy. Be very careful with acetone as it is strong enough to remove paint and melt through weak plastics. Use at your own risk and with extreme care.