Will the front rotors for a 1989 560SEL fit on a 1981 300SD? I need to do a front brake job on the SD and I have a set of new rotors sitting around from a car I owned previously and I sure would like to use them.

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I'm sick of .sig files

If the rotors fit the bolt pattern, are the same diameter, the same thickness, and have the same off set then they probably will fit. Put one on and see if you can install the caliper. If everything goes on w/o having to force anything then I would say you have a match.

I hope this helps...

I looked the two models up on FastLane and the rotors are different part numbers. This would tend to indicate that they are not the same dimensions.

89 560SEL
ATE N1000-16604

81 300SD
ATE N1000-16595

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02 S500
92 500SL
92 400E (Sold)
87 300E (Sold)
83 300D Turbo (Sold)
75 300D (Sold)
74 240D (Sold after 20 years)

Do a search on this, I asked about it a while back.

Essentially, everything would bolt up and fit correctly between a 126 and a 123 car. This gives you vented front disc brakes. The problem is that vented brakes are thicker, and will not fit in the calipers on the 123 cars, which are designed for solid rotors. All you have to do apparently is get w126 calipers, the correct rotors and pads, and put it together.

I will do this when and if I need a new caliper at some point. I think rebuilt 126 calipers at fastlane are about $70-80 each. Just make sure that the rotors arent too big for the wheels youre using; big rotorsa may not fit well in 14" wheels

JMH

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Current Diesels:
1981 240D (73K)
1982 300CD (169k)
1985 190D (169k)
1991 350SD (113k)
1991 350SD (206k)
1991 300D (228k)
1993 300SD (291k)
1993 300D 2.5T (338k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (265k)

Past Diesels:
1983 300D (228K)
1985 300D (233K)

123 ? 81 SD is 126 chassis bet they are the same as you 560 rotors would be easy to check. Rotors on my 86 Euro 500SE look the same as my two 81 SD's............

William Rogers........

I am putting this in the diesel forum because it's my 2000th post and my first post was about my 115 240 D. (Still runs) sure have learned at lot and met a lot of interesting people here.

I bought a 89 F150 4x4 short bed pick up yesterday .first car was a 49 ford with a full race flat head. Anyone here into that era Ford 4x4's would like to pick your brains.......

william Rogers........

74 240 D
81SD
81SD
86 Euro 500Se
81 2wd K5 Blazer 454 conversion
89 F150 Ford 4x4

OOPS, I missed the 'S' in the original post... DOH!

JMH

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Current Diesels:
1981 240D (73K)
1982 300CD (169k)
1985 190D (169k)
1991 350SD (113k)
1991 350SD (206k)
1991 300D (228k)
1993 300SD (291k)
1993 300D 2.5T (338k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (265k)

Past Diesels:
1983 300D (228K)
1985 300D (233K)

[QUOTE]Originally posted by william rogers
I am putting this in the diesel forum because it's my 2000th post

Congratulations.

Anyone here into that era Ford 4x4's would like to pick your brains.......

Try Warden. I'm pretty sure he's an old Ford man... strictly diesel though...

On the original topic, my guess (and its only a guess) is that they would fit, but the 560SEL has antilock brakes, and the 300SD doesn't . I imagine the rotor design was changed somewhat to accomodate that.

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Tjohn

82 300 SD
77 450 SL (gone)