DAMN THE EYES OF THE PERSON WHO DID THESE LAST.... NO LOCKTITE = SNAPPED CALIPER MOUNT BOLT.
[IMG][/IMG]Tried easy out. have drilled out from behind. but i'm afraid I will drill out the threads on the knuckle.
If I run the right size drill thru will the left over threads just pop out? I bought the right size thread hole cutter. But...

If you're just swapping pads, how come you're messing with the caliper mounting bolt?

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Instructions I read said to remove caliper.

Last time I did brakes was 2000. I swore never again and it took me 12 years to forget.

How does the absence of thread locker result in a broken bolt?

Something is wrong with that picture.

My understanding is that threadlocker makes for a tight bolt but easy out down the road.

What is wrong?

Thread locker does just that, locks the thread. When it dries it expands. You are thinking of anti seize.

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Mine-2008 6.7 Cummins; 1980 240D
Hers-1979 300D- Soon to be turbo'd

No need to remove the caliper to replace the pads. Replacing the pads is about a 10 minute job. Remove the pins, remove the pads, push back in the pistons, install new pads, put pins back in.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I always try to be happy when a bolt breaks in my hand, in my garage; instead of while I am cornering, or braking, or otherwise needing things to stay bolted.

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Remember, Safety Third!
'99 E300 Turbodiesel, '82 300TD, 1996 12V Cummins Turbo, '94 Neoplan - Detroit 6V92TA

It's not a Formula I race car!!! The cheapest pads you find I imagine would be just fine. I go ceramic for the complete lack of dust. All will stop just fine.....

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

I may not be a Mercedes Tech, but I know that the napa el cheapo pad suck on just about any car.
I know it's not a speed demon, but it is not a lightweight vehicle by any means.

DAMN THE EYES OF THE GUY WHO DID NOT PUT ANTI-SEIZE ON THESE BOLTS LAST. DAMN BOTH HIS EYES TO SEE ONLY BROKEN BOLT AND HELI COILS FOR ETERNITY.

SirNic,

I'm sure you could have welded those rotors back together and get another 50K out of them......

I'm presently trying to teach my teenage daughter to (proactively) listen to her car. Don't just call me when the symptom is "it won't go anymore".......

nonsense. new pads are fine on old rotors. so long as the thickness of the rotor is within spec, and the rotor is not cracked or excessively rusty. "turning" rotors is pointless, since the labor cost of doing that is about the same as the parts cost of buying new rotors.

loctite keeps the moisture out. no moisture = no corrosion = bolt comes out nice and easy. if you omit the loctite, water corrodes the threads and the bolt seizes in its hole, and can break when you try to remove it. no fun.

wrong. on a part subjected to repeated heat cycling and vibration, anti-seize will allow the bolt to work itself loose over time. a very bad thing indeed on your brakes.

loctite on the other hand, will prevent it from loosening over time, and it will also seal the threads protecting them from water and corrosion.

On the broken caliper bolt, I recommend drilling it very carefully with a size that is small enough to miss the threads, then tapping the hole. If this fails you can always use the heli-coil as a fall back position.

The one thing about brake pads is always use the same pads front and back. If you don't, one end will lock up first and compromise your stability under heavy braking.

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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.

good point on the brake pad compounds. different compounds can have vastly different torque coefficients. the factory front-rear bias ratio is preserved only when using same brand/type of pads front and rear.

that said, you can use "equivalent" brands and types front and rear, if you are certain that they truly are equivalents. standard bendix pads on one end, and cheapo mintex pads on the other end are fine, as an example.