Okay, the brake job...

[eXpLiCitW210]

great info!!! THANKS!!

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[Bryan S Barr]

Hey bro I have a question on my 2000 E320. I have whats sounds and feels like the brakes are sticking on when I let off the gas the car slows I feel it more so as I drive the car longer into the day, And when I pull up to a light it sounds like a thump comeing from the rear of car. I changed the rear rotors and pads they were in need but it is still happening. I thought it maybe the trans or rearend? It all shifts fine. Any help? Thanks

[azurE430]

don't forget the anti seize paste on the backside of the hubs so they don't rust back on and painted calipers don't run hotter and non painted...the paint holds the heat in.

[JunoJim]

It's , but where -- approximately -- is your ocean view?

Good luck and enjoy the ride,
Greg[/quote]

He never answered, but I have an ocean view in Juno Beach, FL...

Anyway, I'm about to do a brake job on my '97 SL 320. I assume all the basic information I've read here is common to my car. In fact, most of it is common to all the pads I've replaced...

Any "Gotcha's" that I ahould look out for ??? What are the best reletively inexpensive pads - I'd like something on the soft side, 'cause I'm not replacing the rotors... also (secondary) for low dust ???

[JunoJim]

Originally Posted by dotcomgator

I know this thread is already 3 months old, but I just wanted to add my 2 cents for those searching the archives for the brake job.

I'm a weekend warrior with NO experience working on cars whatsoever. I started by replacing my blower motor regulator, and no sooner than I had accomplished that, then the brake liner wear warning lamp had illuminated. Emboldened by my early success, I decided to tackle the brake job myself based on this post and this site:

http://www.chickparts.com/brake_pads.htm

Everything pretty much went smoothly, except for one big obstacle - getting the damn rotor off!!! I hammered, oiled, hammered, and oiled. Nothing!! So, I reassembled everything, put the wheel back on and then I got smart. I drove down, bought a little $10 2-ton hydraulic jack from Autozone. I braced that puppy against the inside of the wheel well and pumped it slowly, while oiling it. Popped off with a fight, but one that I was going to win. Yes, my rotors were rusted on, or "frozen." So, my only advice? Get a little hydrolic jack, wedge it between the rotor and the inside of the wheel well, and jack it right off! For lack of a better word...

Cheers

Well, that link is now a porn site - I guess it was sold...

[JunoJim]

I thought if I posted again, somebody would notice...

I'm about to do a brake job on my '97 SL 320. I assume all the basic information I've read here is common to my car. In fact, most of it is common to all the pads I've replaced...

Any "Gotcha's" that I ahould look out for ??? What are the best reletively inexpensive pads - I'd like something on the soft side, 'cause I'm not replacing the rotors... also (secondary) for low dust ???

[extension]

great post, I had in mind to check the brakes

[JunoJim]

Hopefully, someone will answer my questions... please ???

[Peter_02AMG]

Most brake system are 99% design the same way. European car are much easy then Japanese car.

I replaced my rotors and pad on my 02 E55 and it pretty mcuh like any other brake job i done in the past. If you have the right tool than the job should be simply! The front was easy, but the rear was little tough. I didn't have a punch tool to remove the pins so i used a large nail as a punch. also i didn't have a rubber mallet so i use a hammer to remove the rear rotor which distroy it pretty much. the rear rotors was rusted on there and the only way to remove it is to hammer the back side to get it out. SO if you have the right tool it should be very simply.

I only have a walmart jack and their $20 tool box to work with. All my crafsmen/snapon tools is at home 1900 mile away. it take me 3.5 hour to remove all rotors and replace the pads.

So when I got my Brembo big brake I just paid them to install it rather than try to tackle it with the limited tool I have.

hope this help

[ohlord]

pretty much straight forward,do one side at a time for comparison purposes.
Akebono pads,tirerack carries them I think,great pads or autohausaz.com
http://www.autohausaz.com/search/cat...00016@Mercedes
http://www.autohausaz.com/search/pro.../Brake%20Rotor
for oe material.
ohlord

[JunoJim]

Thanks for the info !!!

[E55 KEV]

great writeup. what is size of allen key to remove rotors?

[JunoJim]

I haven't seen or done it yet, but I understand it's not an allen key, it's a torx 45 - hard to find BTW...

[E55 KEV]

Originally Posted by JunoJim

I haven't seen or done it yet, but I understand it's not an allen key, it's a torx 45 - hard to find BTW...

thanks alot. I did not want to remove a tire/rim and then hunt for the tool and size. Pep Boys has a 4 piece Torx aka Star Bit) set for $10.99 with T45, T47, T50 and T53.

[JunoJim]

Thank you !!! There's a Pep Boys near me...

When are you gonna do yours ???

[E55 KEV]

Originally Posted by JunoJim

Thank you !!! There's a Pep Boys near me...

When are you gonna do yours ???

For my E55 I want to upgrade to Akebono pads in the spring. But I have a buddy that needs new pads and rotors on E320.

[ETP]

For what its worth..I painted mine with Hi Temp Rust Olem. Used a can of Brake Kleen to prep. One year later they still look new.

[aardvark]

A note of nuttiness and Coca Cola!
The rotors on my 190E were frozen on the car sooo bad that nothing seemed to work. I had the allen out and was banging on it with a hammer. and prying. The next resort was penetrating fluid. I used 2 differing types and waited overnight and still no result. I then got out a 5 pound hand sledge and started wailing on it. Nothing. Next was lifting the suspension on a floor jack on the disk directly whilst banging on it with a 5 pound sledge. Nothing. I also did the same thing after heating the disk with a hand held torch and then was using a 2 foot pry bar and the sledge banging on the bar . No luck.

Then a thought from my old street rod restoration days, and some of the old rusted bolts I have dealt with. Coca Cola. I used brake clean and cleaned off the penetrating fluid, opened up a Coke. Shook it violently, and sprayed behind the disk, Saturating it with the sticky goo. I went inside, had lunch and came back to try again.
" 1 TAP WITH THE SLEDGE AND THE DISK FREED UP!!! " The carbonic acid was enough to eat away at the rust.
I've used this method on many stubborn parts and it has never failed me.
SERIOUSLY It Works!

Aardvark

[ohlord]

word.
Kroil
kano labs or ask for local distributors on the kano lab web site.frees any stuck anything.

[aardvark]

Kano labs.
Sounds like a game show challenge is about to play out.... The new Pepsi Challenge!
Contestant #1 : I can free that stuck thing in 20 minutes!
Contestant #2 : I can free that stuck thing in 10 minutes!
Moderator : Free That Thing!!!!
Ding Ding Ding!!

With the Coke I believe it is the combo of acid and fizz. Gotta have the fizz. A little sticky though. Coke actually does work better than Pepsi, so so much for the Pepsi Challenge.

Thanks Ohlord.
I got by all my life...No help from my friends. Oh Lord.......

[texholdem]

Great DIY write-up. One question, for the pads there is wear indication per wear sensor, what are the signs/symtoms that the rotors need replacing?

Thanks

[JunoJim]

The indication is a yellow light on the dashboard that looks like a circle with a dashed circle around it. BTW, you probably have several thousand miles left (about 1/8 inch) after the light comes on.

One More - I replaced my pads, and left the scored rotors alone. After a few thousand miles, the new pads had smoothed the rotors almost flat again !!!

[rennwerkes]

Originally Posted by JKA

Excellent post.

Gregs210: What brand of Brake Fluid is good?

Unless I'm mistaken, any good DOT 4 or DOT 4+ is good to use.
I prefer to use Ate Super Blue or Ate Gold.
I know Pentosin makes good brake fluid and is actually OEM for many fluids on European cars but their brake fluid isn't as widely distributed as Ate.
But I love their products and am a sucker for their motor oils.

[newg]

Just wanted to say thank you for your time and effort. I do not need my brakes done any time soon, but I am sure many others will thank you as I do. It is guys (person) like you that makes me appreciate the world. Thank you again.

[#1Sleddog]

Excellent thread - Thanks. I just did my front pads and rotors. The tip on the #45 torx saved some fumbling. Heres a few things I ran into on my '99.
Lug nuts - 17mm -
caliper bolts - like mentioned #45 torx
Caliper Bracket 18 mm - need a box wrench or long handled 1/2" drive - these are tight .
Allen screw on face of rotor 6mm - Note there is blue threadlock compound on this screw. I heated with a propane torch to soften -
I had to beat the daylights out of my rotors to get them off ( I think they were orig ). I cleaned the area around the center of the rotor with a wire brush and heated that area with propane to get them off. ( I really need to get an acetylene setup one of these days ).
I didn't need to open my bleeder nuts to compress the caliper pistons - just slow steady pressure with a c clamp worked fine.
Reassembly was pretty straightforward.

I got started on the rears, but it got too late so I called it a day - FYI the caliber bolts are 16 mm
Hope that saves you some time.