Other Products and Services




Copper/Brass ceramic fuse upgrade kit for early R129 and other models

Early vintage Mercedes vehicles, including earlier R129 roadsters, use older style ceramic fuses, dating up to the early 90s. These fuses are 6mm X 25mm in size and are made with a ceramic base and an aluminum fusible element. The fuse boxes have copper seats and contact arms which lock the fuses firmly into place. The weakness of this design is the development of corrosion around the contact points where two dissimilar metals meet.

Although it may not be easily visible, rings of corrosion form around the contact points causing poor contact, and eventual fuse failure. Faulty contact leads to erratic electrical issues affecting several functions within the vehicle. For the R129, fuse #9 is responsible for instrument failure during signaling, convertible top retraction failure, and various other issues.

Nearly unnoticeable, this early R129 fuse is indeed faulty

Copper contacts and aluminum ceramic fuses cause corrosion


Fortunately a simple solution exists. Available from a leading German OEM and aftermarket electrical product company is a copper/brass ceramic fuse upgrade kit. The copper/brass element is naturally compatible with the copper contacts of the fuse holders so corrosion is avoided, yet still retaining the correct fast-blow nature of the fusible element.

All fuses included in the kit, are sufficient for upgrading the complete contents of the fuse box, with several spares remaining. Simply clean fuse-box contact surface with a fine wire brush, and replace fuse with equivalent copper/brass rating. Note: Ensure battery is disconnected while replacing fuses!

According to the fuse designation usually printed underneath the fuse-box housing, the fuse breakdown for various models are summarized below:

R129 Fuse Designation

Fuse Colour

Amperage

Quantity Needed

Quantity In Kit

yellow

5

0

0 *

white

8

18

20

red

16

4

10

blue

25

2

10

W201 Fuse Designation

Fuse Colour

Amperage

Quantity Needed

Quantity In Kit

yellow

5

0

0 *

white

8

15

20

red

16

5-7

10

blue

25

0

0

W126 Fuse Designation

Fuse Colour

Amperage

Quantity Needed

Quantity In Kit

yellow

5

0

0 *

white

8

13

20

red

16

4

10

blue

25

4

10

W124 Fuse Designation

Fuse Colour

Amperage

Quantity Needed

Quantity In Kit

yellow

5

0

0 *

white

8

11

20

red

16

6

10

blue

25

5

10

W123 Fuse Designation

Fuse Colour

Amperage

Quantity Needed

Quantity In Kit

yellow

5

0

0 *

white

8

9

20

red

16

8-9

10

blue

25

0-1

10

* 5A fuses are not used for typical Mercedes applications,
although, they are still available for purchase for other vehicles


Fuses can be included in the return package if your instruments are currently being serviced, otherwise consult mailing prices below.


Pricing

Copper/Brass ceramic fuse upgrade kit (all models)

$19

Shipping Canada (bubble envelope mailer, standard ground)

$3

Shipping USA (bubble envelope mailer, standard ground)

$4

Shipping International (bubble envelope mailer, standard ground)
  • United Kingdom
  • others


$9
Contact

Copper/Brass ceramic fuse, 5A (Quantity 10)
Useful for other non-Mercedes applications, ex. BMW

$5

Note: After July 1, 2010: All Ontario & BC residents add 13% HST, other Canadian provinces add applicable taxes.
United States and other foreign countries do not add taxes.


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LED Instrument illumination upgrade


Backlighting for your instruments provide illumination to all the gauges during nighttime driving. The lighting is supplied by 4 bulbs which give ample coverage and visibility, as can be seen below.

Instruments - shown illuminated with standard bulbs


If you are noticing dark areas of our instruments at night, likely you have one of these bulbs burned out. To replace these bulbs, unfortunately, the instruments must be removed from the vehicle first. The standard bulb which comes stock with the unit is an incandescent or filament-based light bulb. The life expectancy of these bulbs is estimated at about 2,500 hours, thus replacement of these bulbs during our repair procedure is highly recommended. Our replacement bulbs are higher quality than the originals, named "Long Life", they can expect to provide about 10,000 hours of service.

A relatively new introduction to the automotive market are LED based bulbs. LEDs have several improvements over the old standard bulb design including longer life, little heat output and lower power usage. Most newer cars are equipped with LEDs and are rapidly becoming standard issue with car manufacturers. MBCluster is now able to replace the standard bulbs with new LED type bulbs to give your instruments a new look.


See LEDs page for more information.


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Mercedes Becker / Bose Radio Systems


Sound systems installed in Mercedes vehicles are high end Becker systems, which use the Bose brand amplifiers and speakers. The reason why the Bose systems sound so crystal clear is because of the low speaker impedance and high amplification which enunciate every sound wave in the audio stream. In the early 90s, it delivered the best quality sound available in any vehicle then, and is still comparable to sound systems today. Each amplifier is specifically tuned to the speaker it drives with unique frequency response delivering deep bass, rich mid-tones or highs, depending on its location in the vehicle. The occupants are meant to be given a concert-like experience reproduced by crystal clear modern electronics. It is this specialized integration of electronics which makes Mercedes sound-systems the best in the world.

The drawback, of course, is repair, maintenance, and upgradeability. Bose Amplifiers degrade over time, losing their crystal clear sound and eventually begin to hiss, pop, and eventually explode into loud buzzing as components expire. The unique characteristics and impedance of the speakers are incompatible with modern head units, thus there are no aftermarket equivalents to substitute with OEM equipment. Upgrading to CD-RW, DVD, MP3 or iPOD interface is difficult. Blindly installing an aftermarket head unit and amplifier in place of the OEM equipment will result in clipped audio, incorrect frequency response, and generally unbalanced frequencies. It will never sound as good as the original.

Aftermarket stereo installers will butcher your vehicle replacing wires, speakers, running cables and installing amplifiers, while running the risk of damaging the carefully laid out Mercedes electronics. Horror stories abound of door panels never aligning, power seats never working again, and batteries that mysteriously drain too quickly. There is realistically no recourse, so don't fall into this trap! The best option is repairing the OEM Bose equipment, to be once again matched with the speakers. New head units can then be carefully swapped in place of the originals, thus maintaining the original sound balance, while upgrading to the features sought after in modern electronic head units. MBCluster is now able to repair the OEM Bose amplifier, return it to factory specifications, and correctly install modern head units in your vehicle.

The following diagrams illustrate some component layouts used in various models :



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Bose Amplifier Repair


Application: 1990-1993 Bose Beta Sound System w/optional CD Changer

Models: 1990-1994 W140

Part#: 140 820 00 89

Features:

  • 2-Channel inputs - left & right
  • Thumbwheel cross-fade - front to rear
  • 7 Channels / Amplifier modules, driving 11 speakers :
    • 1 Centre speaker (CF)
    • 4 Front speakers - left & right (LF,RF)
    • 4 Rear speakers - left & right (LR,RR)
    • 2 Mono Bass speakers - left & right (LW,RW)

Application: 1989-1995 Bose/Becker stand-alone amplifiers

Models: W140, R129, W126, W124, W201 Mercedes, Cadillac, Corvette

Part#: 124 820 10 89, 126 820 18 89, 800, 533, etc.

Features:

  • Single or dual Channel
  • Impedance-matched to intended speakers
  • Customized frequency response depending on application:
    • Bass/Subwoofers
    • Midtones
    • Tweeters

Application: Becker Tuner/Amplifier

Models: W126, W201, R129

Part#: 001 820 92 89

Features:

  • Full AM/FM radio receiver
  • Built-in amplified output (full-range)
  • Auxillary Line-out module for next stage Becker stand-alone amplifiers (low-pass)


Bose Amplifiers degrade over time, losing their crystal clear sound and eventually begin to hiss, pop, and eventually explode into loud buzzing as components expire. The unique characteristics and impedance of the speakers are incompatible with modern head units, thus there are no aftermarket equivalents to substitute with OEM equipment. MBCluster can repair the amplifier, bringing the music experience back to original factory specifications.

What type of service to expect:

  • Complete tear down of all components - amplifiers & motherboard
  • Thorough determination of source of failure
  • Replacement of all electrolytic capacitors with equivalent or better Japanese types
  • Comparison of all amplifiers with OEM specifications including :
    • input pre-amp audio levels
    • output amplified levels and signal shapes
    • IO resistances based on OEM values
  • Thorough final audio test including test signals and real audio signals of frequencies spanning the spectrum

The repair procedure for sending in the amplifier is simple:

  1. Fill out, then print out the online Repair Form. Try your best to describe what issues you are having.
  2. Remove, then package the amplifier securely. Non-Canadian residents, please refer to the special shipping instructions as described in the FAQ page, a customs form needs to be filled out.
  3. Send the package to the MBCluster address, as seen in the Contact page.


Pricing

Bose Beta Amplifier Repair Part#: 140 820 00 89

$359

Bose/Becker Stand-Alone Amplifier Repair

$49

Becker Tuner/Amplifier Repair Part#: 001 820 92 89
(including Line-out Module)

$99

Return Shipping Canada (Regular Parcel)

$20

Return Shipping USA (Expedited Parcel)

$25

Note: After July 1, 2010: All Ontario & BC residents add 13% HST, other Canadian provinces add applicable taxes.
United States and other foreign countries do not add taxes.


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Aftermarket Stereo installation


The Becker stereo sound system in your Mercedes consists of a finely balanced multi-channel BOSE amplifier and perfectly matched speakers. Each speaker is tuned with a precise frequency response to enable every note in the sound stream to be enunciated with precise clarity.

As modern technology advances, the owner may wish to upgrade features not available in the year of production, such as MP3, GPS or DVD. MBCluster offers an aftermarket stereo installation kit and service that allows modern technology to be easily and intelligently integrated into your vehicle's existing system. The end result is a system that sounds as good as it did when it rolled out of the factory, with the features you want in today's technology.

As depicted to the left, the stereo layout of an early '90s W140 with the Bose Beta system is a carefully laid out system of speakers and components. The MBCluster installation kit carefully replaces key components and integrates virtually any aftermarket head unit into the system while maintain the Bose audio experience. The installation is non-destructive to your OEM wiring, no cutting or splicing is involved. The integrated mobile CTEL telephone system is unaffected and remains operative and compatible with the new stereo system.


Standard Becker stereo

Sony CDX-GT610UI stereo


Several aftermarket head units qualify for installation in your W140. There is an abundance of features available in today's head units in addition to a standard radio and CD player that will suite your needs. The following is a sample list of head units available in the market.


Sony CDX-GT610UI

  • CD/CD-R/CD-RW discs
  • MP3, ATRAC3, WMA, AAC etc.
  • USB input for portable drives
  • AUX input for GPS, etc
  • iPod interface cable

JVC KD-AVX33

  • CD-RW/DVD/DVD-RW/DVD+RW discs
  • MP3, DVD AUDIO, DIVX, JPEG, MPEG etc.
  • Colour 3.5" screen
  • Bluetooth Enabled

<
PYLE PLDNV36

  • CD-RW/DVD/DVD-RW/DVD+RW discs
  • MP3, DVD etc.
  • 3.5" LCD with Touch Screen
  • Built in RDS-TMC GPS Receiver
  • Maps of USA, Canada & Mexico

Alpine iDA-X001

  • MP3, ATRAC3, WMA, AAC etc.
  • Full Speed™ iPod Connection


The criteria for selecting a compatible aftermarket head unit is :

Currently supported models :


The procedure for ordering the kit (W140 Bose Beta or Pre 1993 R129) is simple:

  1. Disconnect battery, and remove OEM Becker head unit. This unit will be dismantled for re-use of the OEM specialty connectors that plug into your OEM harness. Unfortunately, it is destroyed in this process, but its parts are used to create the new head unit connector which simply plugs into the new head unit.
  2. Remove the radio tuner, which is located in the trunk. Pictures of the tuner, and of the complete removal and installation pictures are seen on the Media page. The tuner is also dismantled, but is rewired internally for seamless reconnection that integrates the new head unit.
  3. Remove and discard the old clunky CD-Changer if one exists, it's not used again.
  4. If the amplifiers are buzzing or popping, or otherwise unclear, they need to be rebuilt/replaced. The R129 has an extra amplifier under the passenger seat, the Bose has one large amplifier next to the tuner.
  5. Now for the fun part! Purchase a new compatible head unit from a credible consumer outlet such as Best-Buy or Future Shop. If you are unsure about making a decision, we can purchase one or recommend one for you.
  6. Safely package in a suitable well padded box these items :

    • the old head unit
    • the old tuner
    • the new head unit
    • the new head unit connector
    • amplifier(s), if they need repair
    • instruction booklet and wiring diagram for the new head unit

    We will create the kit based on these components, and be able to fully bench test the new system to ensure correct functionality before shipping the package back. Non-Canadian residents, please refer to the special shipping instructions as described in the FAQ page, a customs form needs to be filled out.
  7. Send the package to the MBCluster address, as seen in the Contact page.


The remaining steps to complete the process is to install the contents of the kit, as seen on the Media page. For W140 with Bose Beta system, a new antenna extension to reach the new head unit is also installed. Depending on the aftermarket head unit chosen, other features may need to be installed, ex supplimentary GPS antenna or iPod connector. The removal and re-installation can be done by yourself or taken to a professional installation shop. Alternatively MBCluster offers the removal, kit fabrication and installation on-site.


Pricing

Aftermarket Installation Kit - Bose Beta / early R129

$259

Aftermarket Installation Kit - BAA7/BAA8 & BHA1784R

$49

On-Site Removal and Installation

$300

Return Shipping Canada (Regular Parcel)

$20

Return Shipping USA (Expedited Parcel)

$25

Note: After July 1, 2010: All Ontario & BC residents add 13% HST, other Canadian provinces add applicable taxes.
United States and other foreign countries do not add taxes.


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Email : Info@MBCluster.com