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DIY: Repairing the R171 Trunk Divider Pegs

28K views 38 replies 21 participants last post by  Drakigns 
#1 · (Edited)
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.
 
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#2 ·
Very well made! I have stickied it in the diy section!
 
#7 ·
Thank you! I am honored :D

Excellent and very detailed DIY. Thanks for posting!
^_^ Thanks!

Great DIY , a friend of mine had both his break , unfortunately beyond repair and what a suprise , Mercedes don't sell them seperately , you have to buy the whole shelf at around 200€ !!
Both of them, eh? That is rough. My local dealership quoted me $1,000 taxes in for a new shelf :S

Nice Job. Such self-satisfaction from a simple fix rather than the dealership ripping you off......Y)
Definitely :)

Excellent DIY and very clear. I'm sure it will be of help to anyone who needs it (fortunately not me currently!) .
Nice one. :bannana:
Thank you :D Let's hope that you don't need it lol :p
 
#14 ·
So my left trunk peg has failed once again, and this time it seems epoxy is not enough to solve it.

I have two options - have it be mildly annoying to have the trunk divider open unevenly or buy a new divider from MB to the tune of ~350$...

Or I could say screw it and design my own 3D printable replacement part in CAD software!



I made some improvements to my part such as beefing up the arms and their supports. I also increased the thickness of the main cylinder to increase durability.

Once I print a prototype and confirm it fits/make any needed changes I will flip the coordinates and make a R version as well!
 
#19 ·
So my left trunk peg has failed once again, and this time it seems epoxy is not enough to solve it.

I have two options - have it be mildly annoying to have the trunk divider open unevenly or buy a new divider from MB to the tune of ~350$...

Or I could say screw it and design my own 3D printable replacement part in CAD software!







I made some improvements to my part such as beefing up the arms and their supports. I also increased the thickness of the main cylinder to increase durability.

Once I print a prototype and confirm it fits/make any needed changes I will flip the coordinates and make a R version as well!

I wonder if anybody going to make this part by aluminum (like the manifold flap), I would like to sign up for a pair too....
 
#18 ·
While that would be the nice thing to do why would I do that when I can just print them myself and sell them for 25$ a set!? >:D Bwahahaha!

In all seriousness I may consider doing this for members with 3D printers.

...There is a simple work-around: use one's index fingers to push the movable tabs at each side of the trunk/boot partition to release/open the partition. The tabs are spring loaded so even if the cable does not work the tabs will spring back to the closed/engaged position. One just have to use both arms outstretched each time.
I know, I did it before I fixed it the first time and have been doing this since it broke again!

Much easier to just design a new part from scratch... right? :|

Once I get a working prototype done for L I will make a R. Timeline will be within the next month or so hopefully.
 
#17 ·
Mine failed on the right side but it was not the L- shaped arm.

It was the main cylinder at the pivot point (where the single screw threads in) that broke. I repaired it best as I can with Gorilla Glue but think this will fail eventually.

There is a simple work-around: use one's index fingers to push the movable tabs at each side of the trunk/boot partition to release/open the partition. The tabs are spring loaded so even if the cable does not work the tabs will spring back to the closed/engaged position. One just have to use both arms outstretched each time.
 
#23 ·
I have some good news and some bad news...

The good news: I printed a prototype for the trunk divider peg in faaaabulous pink!



The bad news: I accidentally used the default scale of mm > Inches (did not watch it print so I did not realize it until it was too late) and it resulted in a slight... complication. :grin: (original part for comparison)



Going to re-print it soon in mm > cm so hopefully I can report back on fitment and if all goes well do some durability testing!
 
#25 ·
Finally got around to printing it at the proper size!



It turns out I made the main cylinder a little too thick and as a result I had to modify it's design a bit more along with one or two other minor tweaks. Aside from being too thick (which I solved on the current model with a dremel) it fit perfectly!

Feeling confident that the next iteration will be close... stay tuned!
 
#26 ·
These are excellent instructions. I decided to investigate this morning and found that sure enough one of the pegs needs repair. Unfortunately I also found that the right hand side one has been repaired previously and that whoever did it had tightened the retaining screw so tight the spigot it screws into has broken away from the divider. Not sure if araldite will be up to that but I guess it is worth a shot
 
#27 ·
Hello! This is Robertgp I am new in this forum, I am an user from the spanish mb forum.

In my case I had the same problem both parts broke and the mechasism did not work and I had to force the shelf to open the roof. Because of that I made the same as the last posts making the part using a 3D printer. The result was excellent and I actually replaced both psrts for my 3D printed ones and it works perfectly.

Best regards.

Robert
 

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#28 ·
Welcome to SLKWorld.com: The #1 Mercedes-Benz SLK Forum from Valrico, Florida!

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Follow exactly to update: ‘Usercp’ at the top of page, then ‘edit your details’ on the left side, ‘additional information’ near the bottom, edit your ‘location’ and ‘vehicle’. Info in your garage does not update your profile.

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#30 ·
After reading this thread I have also 3D printed my own parts for my 2009 200 Kompressor. They turned out ok and work well, however durability is yet to be proven.

I have posted the 3D files on a community 3D printer file sharing site if anyone wants to try them.
Go to: Thingiverse (website)
Search: Mercedes SLK Boot Separator Catch
This will supply you the base .stl printer file which, to my understanding, is fully editable if you want to tweek it.
 

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#31 ·
Thanks for the share. :tu:

Welcome to SLKWorld.com


Join the gang! Your 1st thread should be your introduction so we can welcome you properly so post an introduction in the ‘New members introduce yourself here’ section. http://www.slkworld.com/new-members-introduce-yourself-here/

On a smartphone: http://www.slkworld.com/new-members-introduce-yourself-here/330737-how-update-your-profile-post-intro-smartphone.html

If you haven’t, please use the 'search' feature at the top right of the page for your questions as they have probably been asked before. Remember, ‘Search’ is your friend.
If you wish to become PM (Private Message) capable or to ‘edit’, you need 15 posts. To get those 15 posts quickly, just go to the ‘New members introduce yourself here’ section and welcome enough new members to obtain your needed posts to PM/edit. You can always pm a moderator.
Want to post a picture? Start a new thread or make a post, click ‘edit’, click on the ‘paper clip’ or ‘advanced’ and/or ‘manage attachments’ then ‘choose file’ then ‘upload’ and ‘submit’! If Iphone pics, you need to rename any additional pics as Iphone names its pics all the same, image.jpg.
Want to ‘like’ or thank’ someone’s comments? Use the ‘like’ button to the right or the ‘Thanks’ button, bottom right of any post you like. This saves you having to comment.
New members should be aware that the 'New Posts' link next to the 'Search' link top right of the info bar is a great way to see all of the posts you have missed since you were on the forum last. Remember to click 'mark forums read' under ‘quick links’ when you leave.
FREE!! Post your vin in the Vehicle Datacard Request section to get a free datacard (options on your car). You must update your profile with vehicle info and your location and post an introduction first.
http://www.slkworld.com/vehicle-data-card/67706-free-how-get-free-datacard.html

Thank you
 
#34 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi,
to NGUYENPHANANH
(I cannot send private message)
I did not print myself.
I did that through a pro 3D shop in PARIS
Stereoleapâ„¢ - Impression 3D à Paris
they have the files - let me know if they print and send you. or if they print and I can send you in case.
I order the print 2 days ago. this are my reference in the shop : Vous trouverez ci-jont votre devis 18020449, d’un montant total de 17,00€,euros
pour l’impression 3D de x2 pièces symétriques en PLA blanc.

you can order the same


Let me know.
stereoleap.com
 
#35 ·
Hi,
to NGUYENPHANANH
(I cannot send private message)
I did not print myself.
I did that through a pro 3D shop in PARIS
Stereoleapâ„¢ - Impression 3D à Paris
they have the files - let me know if they print and send you. or if they print and I can send you in case.
I order the print 2 days ago. this are my reference in the shop : Vous trouverez ci-jont votre devis 18020449, d’un montant total de 17,00€,euros
pour l’impression 3D de x2 pièces symétriques en PLA blanc.

you can order the same


Let me know.
stereoleap.com

Once you have 15 posts you will be able to message all members.
Until then you can only message Admin and Mods.


7 to go :tu:
 
#36 ·
Both of mine broke, repaired with super glue before reading this (durr). Lets hope it holds. Great idea to 3D print part. Got some clever people on here. Did they ever get made?
Just listening to Tina Turner singing Proud Mary on Spotify. Wow. Seen her twice. Once in Boston UK about 1980 (Got shake her) and again at Birmingham, again uk, NEC about 1986. Guess what going see the Tina Turner musical in London in July, can't wait
 
#38 ·
are you on a phone?
if so, get out of enhanced mode
or get off phone on to a pc or tablet
 
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