One of the great things i've always loved about my toyota 4x4's and my old gm muscle cars it the interchangeability of most parts and the ability to upgrade parts from another model.

Seems like there is also some of that with mercedes so I'm wondering if bigger brakes from another model would bolt up to my 300SDL


Going to be doing a complete brake job soon enough (new calipers,rotors, pads) so instead of getting the original equipment i'd just get bigger rotors and calipers from a newer model. Is there anything that fits this criteria?

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87 300SDL (work in progress) will be DD
92 Toyota Land Cruiser 4x4 monster (heavily modified)
build thread on mud http://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/288587-rotf-lt1fire.html

84 K1500 GMC Suburban 6.2 diesel motor...... dying to offer its engine to the Land Cruiser

I think you already have the largest factory brakes. The SEC cars got floating calliper brakes, not sure if they have more stoping power though.


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1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket

Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states!
Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels.
2014 Cadillac ELR
2013 Fiat 500E.

Try the performance forum. I know a 124 will take 129 Silver Arrow brakes with some modification to the LCA. I'm sure there are options for the 126. A problem, if it is one, is finding bigger wheels that look like they belong on a 126.

Did I mention Silver Arrow rotors are big?



Sixto
87 300D

It seems like the stock brakes are pretty awesome... I don't see a ton of cars that have drilled rotors from the factory (like mine appears to). EDIT: I have no idea why I thought this, I got mixed up with another car I looked at I guess.

I'm pretty new to Mercedes diesels though, I have only experienced the brake function on one of them.

You have an '85 300SD with rotors from the factory???

Sixto
87 300D

I think the main problem is that I don't even know what a rotor is but I'm trying to use that word as if I know what it means...

I looked at the parts for my car and I must be referring to the "disc", not the rotor. And my discs (apparently) are just smooth ones, not drilled or grooved, I just went out and looked. I think I may have looked at one of my mechanic's cars right when I bought this one and got confused.

Many of us use disc, disk and rotor interchangeably to mean the planar surface that rotates with the road wheel upon which the brake calipers clamp to slow down and stop the car.

Drilled and slotted rotors weren't factory options for passenger cars in 1985. I don't think they were available in the aftermarket except for very high performance cars back then.

And what I meant to question was the age of the rotors on your car. I imagine an '85 SD with 150-250K miles must have had a couple of rotor changes by now.

Sixto
87 300D

the above picture is of a "rotor" or a disc/disk one front, one rear. and, no, factory in 85 was nothing like the pictured ones...

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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!

Bigger wheels wouldn't be a problem but after posting this I remembered I just put 4 brand new tires on the car. So no upgrading for now i'll just do reman'd calipers and drilled/slotted rotors with performance pads.

I'd love to get ahold of some W140 or W220 brakes to see if they would adapt/bolt up.

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87 300SDL (work in progress) will be DD
92 Toyota Land Cruiser 4x4 monster (heavily modified)
build thread on mud http://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/288587-rotf-lt1fire.html

84 K1500 GMC Suburban 6.2 diesel motor...... dying to offer its engine to the Land Cruiser

My 85SD brakes fine with stock Brembo rotors and correctly functioning calipers. I replaced hoses, took a chance on Cardone reman calipers & bought new aftermarket pads. I forgot which pads but found some that had reviews where they had actually done some testing on the track instead of listing regurgitated subjective opinions.

A bigger problem is wet handling but I attribute the tendency to break traction to the weight of the vehicle. I'll look hard at tires when these need replacing.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

The brakes on a benz are very high quality. Unless there are problems functinally or the pads are very worn, changing all of them is likely not necessary.

You'll have plenty of other things to spend your money on in an older car like this. If it were me I would only change what is giving signs of excessive wear or other problems.

Welcome to the world of benzes and welcome to the forum.

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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.

The brakes on the w126 certainly are good for the time they were made. The brakes on my 92 cruiser were excellent also for the time (test confimed 60-0 at 132 feet) but I am currently trying to adapt tundra calipers onto it for more clamping power from the added pistons. A friend did this and it was like a night and day difference.
My rotors are fairly worn as are the pads and it seems my parking breaks are dragging so i'll be doing 4 new rotors 8 new pads and 2 new calipers at the very least. With 346k (broken odometer) I have no idea if these are original for the car or not so most likely i'll just change them all an not have to worry about it too much

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87 300SDL (work in progress) will be DD
92 Toyota Land Cruiser 4x4 monster (heavily modified)
build thread on mud http://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/288587-rotf-lt1fire.html

84 K1500 GMC Suburban 6.2 diesel motor...... dying to offer its engine to the Land Cruiser