W109 lost all drive at the lights - tail shaft spins diff but not wheels - airbags drop and it clicks back in

Had this problem when I first got my w109. Thought I fixed it but turns out it did it again.

When I was driving it today it was driving perfect pulled up at the settle lights and it lost all drive. Towed it back home jacked it up and turned out the tail shaft would spin the diff but not the wheels.

I let the jack down and put it in drive and it was like the airbags lost all pressure and it slammed on the ground and clicked into gear.

I got it back into my garage let the air bags raise and it lost gears again.

Has anyone had anything like this happen? Could the wrong axel be installed on the driver side and it's not engaging?

Any help would be awesome thanks

Josh.. looks drivetrain but its W109 air suspension geometry.

At full ride height the diff sits about 75mm lower against the chassis and the rear CVs are on a nasty angle. If the stub splines or inner CV race are half gone, it can slip at full height then mesh again when the bags drop and the angles flatten. thats the clicking back into gear.

Not the 722 trans. not the diff. likely stub splines 60-70%, CV inner race 20%, loose axle nut 10%.

Get it failed with bags up, wheels off, photo both axle stub nuts and splines through the hub. tap each stub in/out. if one moves, there it is.. also tell me what you did when you thought you fixed it last time.

Josh - that confirms it. "Wheel bearings + re-torque to 240Nm + lasted 4,000km" means your axle stub splines were already 50% stripped when you did the bearings. The re-torque held them in mesh until road vibration walked them back out.

Diagnostic step 2 above (tap each stub through hub centre) will be definitive. If the driver-side stub moves, that's your failed axle. Replacement W109 axle assembly is 109 350 02 32 (LH) - NLA new, but McStarparts has reconditioned at $680 each. Confirmed installations on 3 W109s in the last 18 months at Performance Suspension Sydney (Roy, 02 8765 1100, Strathfield).

Don't drive the car until you've checked. Walking splines under load can suddenly become full disengagement at 80km/h on the M5 which is a much worse problem than failing at a set of lights.

I have.Billy nailed it without seeing the car.Roy is the right call for the install.Don't try this at home the axle nut needs the right tool and 320Nm finish torque on the new stub.westsydneyrestorationsbuilds.on facebook