Brake pad help is needed

[elau]

My brake sensor light is blinking for my 87 300E and I guess it is time to get some new pads. How long before the brake is render useless after the light comes on? Or damaging the rotor? I would imagine you should fix that at once being it is the most iportant part of the car, but I am just curious.

I check out the parts in FastLane, and I noticed that there are at least four or five brands to choose from. I need advise as to what I should look for before I make a selection. I noticed part #N1010-10731 by PBR for around $32 a set. Anyone use this brand before? Do I need to buy brake sensor for my 87 300E? I cannot find the sensor listed in FastLane.

[yal]

Double check that, I think you might only need two for the front because the rears have no sensors?

Bill, on floating calipers only the inner brake pad has a wear indicator. I believe my '91 300E has only one wear indicator and I expect the '87 is the same.

Bud

[J.HIDALGO]

Buy new ones and replace them regardless! They are cheap on line...

[yal]

Originally posted by TXBill
I thought you had one for each pad up front, that's how my old W123 and W126 cars were, so you needed two per side, 4 total. No, of course the rears have no sensors.

EDIT: The following page on the E class brake pad change shows two sensors on one caliper, so that would mean that to do both front wheels you'd need four sensors total.

http://www.peachparts.com/e_class_brakejob.htm

Yes the E420 has the two sensor caliper. But my car and a lot of the earlier W124's have the single sensor floating caliper. Thats why I want him to double check, its any easy mistake to make thats all