Can't select first gear - possible gear linkage problem - also applies to any gear.

From Facebook

Hi, can anyone help. I have a S700 on a Mercedes chassis and have a problem getting 1st gear, the previous owner said he had changed a linkage on the gearbox and since then had trouble getting 1st gear all other gears are ok.

OK this should be pretty easy to fix. The crucial information is that you said "ever since" the previous owner had changed a linkage. In my book, that means he fitted it wrongly. The "left and back" first gear on the Merc box has always been a challenge for most, but it should work perfectly with practice - it isn't faulty by design. If you look at the side of the gear box you will see there are several arms about 6 inches long coming out of the side of the box, attached to rods running forward. If you get somebody to go through the gears (engine not running) while you look, you will see how the mechanism works, and you will see by a process of deduction which arm is responsible for selecting first gear.
The arms are attached to the little shafts that stick out of the box. Those shafts are splined - they have little grooves in them, and the round holes in the arms are similarly grooved where they locate onto the shaft. There is a bolt that attaches the arm to the shaft. It is my theory that the arm has been reattached to the shaft just a single groove (or tooth if you like) either way, incorrectly. So you should loosen the bolt and gently work the arm off the shaft, then relocate it one tooth to the left or right - I can't tell you from memory which way, you will have to do it by trial and error, but it will probably be in the direction which results in the arm traveling further, and thus engaging the gear more fully.
Having moved it one groove, either clockwise or anticlockwise, retighten it, and then jump into the van. Start the engine and depress the clutch, and then select first. You should notice straight away if you have got it right - first should select with a satisfying feel, no grinding of gears, and as you lift the clutch you should feel the power go to the wheels, without it jumping out of gear. If not, repeat the process one groove in the opposite direction. It is unlikely but not impossible, that you may even have to go two grooves - depending on how inaccurately it was originally fitted - but the fact that you say it is a problem selecting first gear, and not that you can't select it at all, indicates that it should only be one groove.
Of course I can't guarantee this fix, but from what you have said, and based on my own experience, it is certainly the favourite thing to try first. It is highly unlikely to be an internal problem in the box.
Somebody else mentioned bushes and it is also correct that the plastic bushes on the linkages can get worn, resulting in a similar problem, but on the basis of how you have described the problem, you should try this first.
If you are not mechanically minded, and in possession of a tool box, or at least a spanner, then just pop into your local or favourite garage and explain the problem, plus my comments, and they should be able to do all this in about 15 minutes.

Like · Reply · 1 · 3 hrs · Edited

Ron Bentham This is a picture of a 410D box,  You can see where the arms attach to the box - the opposite end from where the rods are attached. You can see that moving the arm one groove to the left or right on the little shaft will have quite a big effect - it only has to be one groove out to cause trouble.

Further thoughts. It pays for Merc owners to be familiar with the gear linkage mechanism. Many a holiday has been ruined when after a long trip, especially on rough roads, suddenly you can't get a gear, or any gear, and the stick feels like a bag of spanners. The obvious reaction is that the gearbox is knackered and that this is going to be catastrophically expensive, especially if you are abroad. In fact total gearbox failure is extremely rare, and the Merc gearboxes are as good as the engines - I have run them for 400,000km with nothing more than oil changes.

It is the linkages that cause the problems, as I have found out several times over the years. If the gear change is getting stiff, and giving the impression that it just isn't like it used to be, then it is usually just in need of a good clean. It is quite a complex mechanism that converts the movement of the stick into pushing and pulling the lever arms on the side of the gear box. If you look at the pic above, you will see that there is an assembly on top of the box that has the base of the stick sticking up out of it. This assembly contains a lot of levers and linkages that over many years can get very dry and dusty. There is a plastic cover about 3 inches by 2, which when removed exposes the mechanism - photos are hard to come by - it is not shown in the pic above, but if you get under there and have a good look, you will find it. The cover just pops off. Inside of there needs a good clean out and lube. You will be amazed at the difference.

The next problem is the dreaded "knackered box" scare. What has usually happened is that one of the selector arms, as in the photos, has simply worked loose and either started to slip, or even fallen off all together. If you are lucky you will find it still hanging around - if you are unlucky it will be gone, and it's a garage job, but won't be expensive. The problem is that if just one works off or loose, it is likely that the whole mechanism gets out of kilter and you can't select any gear. This happened to me in Italy once and the only gear I could get was third, but it was enough to limp off the autostrada, save myself a hefty fee, and limp to a local garage where they fixed it in 30 mins for 20 euros cash. I could have fixed it myself but it was raining and my back was killing me!

The selector arms attach with a single bolt - as detailed above, and they do have a tendency to work loose over the years. The problem when they come loose is getting them back on in the right position. I am sure there is a Merc workshop manual procedure for this, but out on the road you just have to do it by trial and error. Any decent rescue mechanic should be able to get you going again, especially if he is over 50! 

Finally, another lesser known problem is that where the actual gear stick fits onto that stubby stick on top of the box, there is a rubber sleeve fitted to dampen the feel. This can also get very worn after 20 years, and can also create the impression that the box is sloppy and  "on the way out" - a new sleeve for a few quid (if you can get one!) and the box feels like new again.

So be familiar with your gear selection mechanism and avoid that sinking feeling if it ever happens to you. It is usually always an easy fix, and of course regular maintenance is also important.

About Hymer door hinges

For newcomers - the story so far. Hymer habitation doors are held on by 4 aluminium hinges. Many never have a problem, but it is fair to say that a significant number do. The biggest culprit is the wind catching the door and either slamming it open or shut, and after many years one or more hinges break.
A temporary repair can be effected by using a large washer, but until recently it was easiest just to order spares from Hymer/Brownhills.
Then several years ago the news came out - don't know whether it was true or not, that the hinges were no longer available because the supplier no longer possessed the tooling.
The technical background to this is that in order to produce a hinge with the relatively complex profile of the Hymer one, you use a process called aluminium extrusion. This is where you take a lump of solid machine tool steel and carefully carve it out until you get a hole of the exact same shape as the profile you want - ie hinge shape! Then you harden it in a furnace, and polish it up. Then you mount this special "tool" in a bloody great machine called an extruder which takes lumps of raw aluminium and under huge pressure forced it through the hole in the tool. The pressure is so great that the aluminium becomes plastic and flexible just as it passes through. Then out the other side of the machine pops long lengths of perfectly shaped hinge and all you have to do is to chop it to the right length and insert the steel pins and voila - thousands of little hinges.
This is how aluminium windows are made, and thousands of other everyday objects made from aluminium. The same process is also used to extrude plastics.
The problem is that the tools are very expensive to make - several thousand pounds usually, depending on size and complexity. Usually the cost is borne by the customer, and amortised over the life of the product. So the Hymer people would have projected how many hinges they would need over the life of the design, and divided the cost of the tool by that. Example - £4000 of tooling divided by 10,000 hinges = 40p plus cost of material - probably another 40p, plus labour and overhead say another £1, plus profit and then greedy markup as it goes from manufacturer to Hymer through wholesale and retail and eventually us poor buggers end up paying £20 a hinge!
AND NOW THEY SAY THEY HAVE LOST THE TOOL!! This sounds like it's worse than leaving the baby on the bus, but the reality is that small companies get gobbled up by big ones, things do get lost. Personally, being half engineer myself, I reckon that the original tool was modified to make a different profile, in the mistaken belief that the original tool was obsolete. Or some bloke at Hymer stores had such an enormous bucket of them that they thought bloody hell we'll never shift all these....so they never got re-ordered for many years until slowly but surely us lot used them all up.
So now we are all unhinged ... Hymer understandably don't want to pay out for a new tool because they won't sell enough to cover the cost. They may only sell 1000 over the next 10 years, so using the same formula, That's 40p in tooling, which doesn't sound a lot, but the extruder won't set up the machine for such a small quantity - so the whole job becomes uneconomical.
However it is new news to me from Brownhills that Hymer are maybe going to do something about it - there is a PR element at play as well. So maybe the problem will go away.
Meanwhile, there are other methods of making hinges in smaller quantities, and Peter Curry is looking into this.
My own solution, when my entire door blew off in a sandstorm in the Sahara, and ended up 200 yards away....was to cruise around Moroccan hardware shops until I found a standard steel hinge that did the job. I'll post a photo in a separate post.

TV reception and antennas

The thing to remember about TV nowadays is that since the digital changeover things have improved greatly for campers. The new digital signals are generally stronger, so coverage with a weaker caravan aerial is quite a bit better. However the big difference is that digital either works or it doesn't - not like the old days where you could hear the audio and watch a fuzzy picture.
The aerial that PC recommends, the Status directional, is indeed one of the best, but it is "directional" - which means you have to rotate it for the best signal - usually it will work in any position, but the more remote you are, the more likely you will have to rotate it before you view. If you don't fancy this (and I don't) the same company make an omnidirectional aerial - the one that you see often that looks like a flying saucer - and this works almost as well. When I park up, I just switch on the TV, get it to scan the channels, and if it works it works and if it doesn't then we do something else with the radio or computer. Most of the time it works.
Sometimes you will get channels, but you will see little blocks of interference in the picture, which makes viewing difficult. These are the situations when the directional aerial would have been better. But it is also a useful tip that if you do see the square blocks just moving the van forward or back a yard can make a difference. This is because the wavelength of the radio signals being received is less than a metre, so moving the aerial just a short distance can make the difference between the signals arriving "in phase" or "out of phase".
I have never tried the small amplified aerial in the post by MF, but I have read good reviews - good enough anyway, and not bad enough to advise against. It will work in most situations.
But it is fair to say that the only way to maximise your chances of reception is to have the biggest and best aerial you can afford, as high as possible. Thats why you often see caravaners on sites putting up a pole with a traditional aluminium house aerial on it - they are the best of all.

interesting turbo articles

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=122132

http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums/show-us-your-van-motorhome/40941-yes-possible-fit-turbo-into-old-hymer-but-do-i-recommend-no-3.html

On old alarm systems in old camper vans.....

The reality about alarms on old vehicles. Many vans have alarms fitted when they are new. It makes sense, and it's often an insurance requirement. At the time they might have been fifty grand vehicles, and if any van is going to get nicked, then the thieves are going to choose a new one - just like cars.
Now wind the clock forward 20 years. That same alarm system, with it's wires and connections and it's radio key fobs has survived 20 summers of use and 20 winters of storage, and basically they start to go wrong, and worse they go temperamental. Corrosion is usually the biggest culprit. And of course they always let you down at the most inconvenient time.
It is almost impossible to get competent maintenance and spares on a 20 year old alarm system. Not impossible, but time consuming and potentially expensive.
So why bother? Just disconnect or bypass the bloody thing and remove it from your life altogether! The reality for most of us classic owners is that a thief won't even look at our vans. 
Now I am not advocating zero security - but it does all depend on your circumstances. If you live in an area where vehicle security is important, then you should replace, rather than try and repair - you will get modern alarm technology and a warranty.
But if you live or store in a relatively safe area, then you can probably do without. And don't forget the good old fashioned hidden immobiliser switch and physical devices like the Crooklock family.
Then of course there are intruder alarms for when you are in the van. If you feel you want these, then there are easily fitted standalone units that fulfill that purpose.
Of course security is a matter for individual owners, but when it comes to a temperamental 20 yr old alarm system, I suggest to bin it or replace it.

refillable gas bottles

Question

About to head off to Europe for 8 months and need to keep warm. We currently have one 6kg red Propane in our B534, 1990. Obviously this won't last long enough so trying to figure out best options - what gas is available there and can it be used with our regulator etc. Advice and facts welcome please! Unfortunately don't have photo of our regulator as currently away from Hans the Hymer.

Reply

By far and away the best solution for long term travellers in Europe is to fit refillable bottles which you then fill up as and when needed with LPG at around 50p a litre - often less. It works out about half the cost of equivalent bottles and with a set of adaptors you can fill up anywhere, and get away forever from the insane situation of having different bottles and connectors in different countries. A simple one bottle solution will cost you less than that, and a more sophisticated twin bottle system a bit more. Have a Google for Gas-it systems - it is possible to DIY if you are confident, or Peter Curry will I am sure offer you a professional job. We are long termers and our refillables are basically essential equipment. When it's really cold we keep our S700 toasty warm 24 hours a day for approx 20 litres a week - about a tenner. LPG stations are all over the place - some countries less common than others, but there are plenty of websites and / or POI's for your GPS that tell you where the stations are, and you just build it into your schedule. We still have our half full 6kg bottle stashed away for emergencies .... but haven't needed it yet!

suspension noises .....

Question - 

We had a crunching noise on our Merc S700 front suspension. Changed the shockers last week but it was there again as we set off this morning after being parked from Thursday. It was at every movement of the van but almost disapeared after a good run from Doncaster to Darlington. As we entered the gate to the CL here, John braked hard a couple of times and it was there on the way up after the initial dip from braking. The springs look fine. We have had this sound for the last 6 months but think it is getting worse. Suggestions.

Reply

 I'm pretty sure I know what this is - you have described it pretty well. At the end of each leafspring, where the spring is formed into a circle for attachment to the body, is a bush - a circular chunk of rubber. The leaf springs attach to the body with brackets. But the springs have to pivot here, so they have a rubber bush with a pin through it, which acts as both a pivot and a shock absorber, allowing the spring to flex quietly and smoothly. I am pretty sure you will find these bushes to be worn out. The rubber wears away and eventually there is no (or very little) rubber between the pin and the bush, so it's metal on metal and that's what causes the crunch and groan - personally I call it "graunching"! The reason I am reasonably sure is that you say it does it on braking or bumps - that's when the springs are flexed - when the nose goes down under braking or gravity. At first you only hear it occasionally, but as the rubber wears away it gets gradually worse, until you notice it!
Mine got so bad a few years ago that I couldn't walk about the van without the springs graunching! When I got it fixed it was like getting in a Rolls - like a new van. It's a garage job unless you are skilled  - probably around £200 if you are lucky - but could be more depending on your garage.
And don't forget to do both front and back spring bushes - thats 8 in all - it's usually the front springs, but it could be the rears too, and it's daft not to replace them all at the same time.
Now of course I could be wrong - I've been caught out several times! But I am sure enough to suggest it. 
If you get underneath and look at each end of the leaf springs, you may well see bits of rubber sticking out - sometimes you even can see how the spring end joint doesn't quite look right. I can post a photo tomorrow if you want. If you see any evidence of this, then we are on the right track.