I have a question. I just rebuilt all my brakes on a 83 240D. I got the parts from fastlane. New rotors, pads, etc. My question is on the front brakes they seem very tight. I only put one shim in them. You can turn them by hand when the wheel is on, but it is not a free wheel there is drag. Has anyone encountered this problem. I didn't know if I should take the only one shim back out or not. I've never heard of having to grind the pads down on disc brakes.

some drag is normal. if you can turn it by hand without too much effort all is well. the normal thing is for pads to rest against the rotor. this will keep the rotor free of water in the rain.

i think you are fine.

the only way to get free spinning is to pry the pads away from the rotor and not touch the brakes til after you get done spinning the wheel in question.

btw, what do you mean by shim? i have never heard of shimming brake pads.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

There are shims that go on the back side of the pads. They are a cushion between the caliper piston and the metal back of the pad itself. My only concern is if this tight fit warps the rotors I am back to where I started. I was wondering if maybe the pads were a little to big or something.

I have changed brake pads on 240D's many times and have never encountered any shims that go on the back side of the pads. Some sticky green goo they say is a lubricant and intended to stop the squealing noise, but no shims. There is a heat and debris shield that protects the rubber bellows, but no shims. As I recall it snaps over the piston lip that sticks out past the rubber bellows. Jim

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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

No shims on W123 brakes to my knowledge. Owned W123's since 1990 and have owned 4 of them.

Dave

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1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

If you look under brake parts on the forum it shows the shims for the front and the rear brakes. When I took it apart it had them on the rear & the front. The front ones were a metal cover on the outside with the soft material on the inside that faces the back side of the brake pad. They had the anti-squeal paste on them where they contacted the back plate of the pads.

lost me on the shim business. Is the drag possibly the hub was tightenrd too much; thus binding the bearings?

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82 300D Turbo 124,000 mi.

I checked the parts photos and they show shims, one for each pad. I have no idea if they are actually necessary or just another means to avoid the high pitch squeal.

If the pads fit in the spaces with the shims, drive the car for a few miles, lightly apply the brakes a few times and then see if they freed up a bit. People often have problems getting the new pads into the same space the old ones came out of, mostly because they push the pistons back in without venting the volume behind the piston. The caliper comes with a vent, and, if you dig out an old post of mine on the subject, I change the fluid when I change pads. I do this through the vents. If you push the piston back in with the vent open, it goes all the way in. Remember to do one side of a caliper at a time or the other piston will pop out. Another problem can be the brake dust and metal wear particles from the rotors combine to form a hard, tightly adherent layer of black crap all around the pads. As they wear the area where the new pads will "live" is free to be covered over and over again until a build up grows. I use a big screw driver and an wire brush to chip and abrade this stuff off. I then use a synthetic brake grease and lube the hell out of the channels the pads go into. I make sure the pad is loose in there before going to the next one. Jim

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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

Your right, it is there. I just checked the Service Manual and Maintenance Manual for the 82 300TD and no where in the manual does it talk about shims.
So they exist, but I have never installed any shims in any of the 8 Mercedes I have owned.

Dave

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1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

I am pretty sure that is the way they come from the factory, because when I took it apart they had the mercedes star on them. It, also, looked to me to be the originals on everything, and that it never had any brake work done on it until now. The shims and all were the silver star stamped and the logo was on there.

I had the same thing on my 82 240d. What I think is that the new pads are thicker than some of the older ones. I know that it wouldn't even allow me to slip the pads in with the backing plates on. I just took them off and put the anti-squeal stuff on them and never looked back. They are not necessary.
Bud

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1987 300D Turbo, 175k mi., 1998 BMW 323i Convertible, 1997 F250 4x4 7.3L PSD

What would be the purpose of shims?

I have no problem wearing the pads down to the point where the warning sensor light comes on, and I don't lose braking any time before that point.

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1982 300CD Petrol/Black Leather

SHIMS?? WHAT FU@#$%@ING SHIMS???:fork_off:

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:fork_off: MB ANTICHRIST:fork_off:

Rebe, if your original problem was warped rotors & are concerned with the brakes dragging, I would make sure that the calipers(if you haven't replaced them)are releasing properly after braking. Paul.

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1984 300CD red/blk 290,000 partial resto
1980 240D 4 sp Brn/palomino gone
1997 Mazda Miata STO edition wife's baby
1988 Lincoln Mark VII LSC next resto
1986 Subaru GL wagon daily
1993 Isuzu pickup field beater
2008 Honda Civic EX-L 5sp wife's new car
1978 Honda XL350
1974 Honda XL70 my Calif. ride in HS

I've had first hand experience with the brake hoses to the calipers being plugged up with deteriorated rubber that flaked off from the hoses. The restriction would not allow the caliper to fully retract. I replaced both hoses, cured problem!