My rear brakes are squealing and I'm due for my annual inspection by the end of the month. Wait, that's in 2 days...

So I bought the Textar rear brake set off Fastlane. Came home from work today with about an hour and a half of daylight to pop them in. No problem, right? Wrong.

After shaking, pulling, and yanking on the old ones to get them out, I got the outside one in. The inside one is another story. That thing will NOT go in. No way, no how. It looks like it's too thick to get past where the hose or whatever it is comes in the inside of the caliper.

Am I doing something wrong? Do I have to unscrew the caliper a little to get it in? Has anyone used these Textar pads? Are they no good for an '83 300SD? Am I going to pass inspection? Well, if I don't pass it won't be because of the pads. It took me a little bit just to find somewhere to jack the car up without worry of the jack busting through the rust.

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1983 MB 300SD Turbo Diesel

Are you sure you have the pistons pushed all the way back into the calipers? And if you can't push them in far enough for the new pads to fit, maybe they're gunked up inside and in need of a rebuilding.

Sounds like the piston is stuck. Open the bleeder screw and use a big screwdriver to force it back. If that doesn't work get some rebuilt calipers, even if it does work get some rebuilt calipers.

Did the old pads all look pretty even?

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

You may want to remove the pad you put in, open master cylinder top, this will relieve pressure similar as to opening bleeder screw, I think, and push back caliper as far as you can, by what ever means.

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83 SD

84 CD

I guess I didn't realize I would have to push the piston in. They came out without doing that, but that's probably because they were worn thin enough to slide out. And they were pretty evenly worn, so hopefully the calipers are ok. I did the front calipers in March and there was an obvious need for them. Nothing seems obviously wrong with the back ones.

So do I just use a big screwdriver to push back the piston so I can slide the pad in? Or is there something to unscrew? I've never just changed the pads, so sorry for the newbie question.

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1983 MB 300SD Turbo Diesel

put the old pads back in, and pry against them to push the piston back. you should not need to open the bleed screw. it the piston will not allow the pad back to touch the wall of the caliper, and loosening the bleed screw allows it to move, you may have an obstructed flex hose... have fun. oh, and do one side at a time, don't try to push both pistons apart so you can change both, one will move the other.

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

1) Squealing brakes do not mean they are bad

2) It sounds like you are trying to do this without removing the caliper from the hub. Easier way: Remove the (2) 19mm bolts that hold the caliper to the hub. Leave the fluid hose connected so that you don't need to do any bleeding. Use a twist-tie or zip-tie as needed to prevent the caliper from hanging by it's hose alone. With pads removed use a large C-clamp to push the pistons back into their bores. Make sure accordion boots collapse back appropriately. Put orange goop ("Disc Brake Quiet") liberally on the back of the new pads and reassemble them into the caliper. Then bolt the caliper back onto the hub, making sure the hose isn't twisted. You're done.

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Mark in MA
05 MB E320CDI 402k Granite Grey Metallic
05 MB E320CDI 267k Black
05 MB E320CDI 232k White
05 MB E320CDI 209k Tectite Grey
99 Dodge 2500 Cummins 5sp 148k
62 Jeep CJ-6 120k

if your not having the rotor turned it may still squeak... my car is doing that... right now... anyway. the rotor get super smooth and the pad is smooth so it will squeak like fingernails on a chalkboard. get some sand paper or a scotchbrite pad and scuff the surface of the rotor... or take and get it turned... but if you are lazy like me you'll just do the sand paper....

this coming from a guy who has a certification on this topic.... I'm a bad influence.

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Um, the 83 SD has a dual opposing piston calipers, there is no way to use a c clamp... the screwdriver method I described above is the best way. they do sell a piston screw device... not worth the time. just use a screwdriver.

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

If I understand it right, turning MB rotors is a no no.
Never resurface brake rotors for a Mercedes. OEM rotors are not manfactured with an extra thickness that can be machined off with a brake lathe.

www.mercedesmanuals.com/articles.asp?id=125

Charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

That is an often-repeated myth that is without scientific basis.

Trying to work on a dangling caliper with a C-clamp that has no good surface to sit against is an exercise in futility and takes 5X as long.

Just leave the caliper bolted to the hub and use the leverage of the rotor to assist in driving the pistons back into the bores.

There is a way.

Could you post a picture of this device being used on an MB caliper?

Maybe. Just refrain from turning to too thin, you might get a very unpleasant NON-reaction from the brake pedal.

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83 SD

84 CD

You can turn it thinner than specs and the brake pedal will respond just fine. In fact, you'll never notice the difference unless you put some severe demands on the brake system and really heat up the rotors. Then, and only then, will the heat be greater than the capability of the rotor to dissipate.