115 Calliper needed urgently!
 

Hi,
I've just decided to bite the bullet and go for new/recond callipers on my 1975 240D. Got nice rears, but the fronts had to be sent off. One came back nicely reconned, the other was refused - the casing is cracked.
So now I'm looking for a (preferably reconned) nearside ATE calliper.
I'm having a real porblem finding them. Mercedes don't stock them, most non-genuine parts people don't either. Does anyone have some suggestions?
I'm in the UK btw.
The last option is rebuilding myself with new pistions and a rebuild kit. The crack is very small, doesn go all the way through, and it's near the boot edge - not an area where piston pressure is applied through the wall. Is this suicidal?
Thanks
Harry

I dont know any places in the UK. But you can try http://catalog.peachparts.com/ and brakewarehouse.com

The shipping would be expensive though methinks.

i wouldn't use a caliper with a crack. there isn't much on a caliper that is not critical either to hold fluid in or hold the caliper to the hub assembly. finding a better used one or a rebuilt shouldn't be too hard. it is dead easy here. i have two good ones in my garage from when i upgraded my 115 to 123 calipers a few years back.

BTW you can bolt on the larger 123 calipers for more braking power. if you go this route get new hoses too. the old ones will leak because they hook up in different places on the caliper and crinkle the brittle hoses causing a leak after a short while.

it is a direct swap. all you need are the calipers, hoses and pads.

tom w

Mercman in Southampton?

as unleashed suggested, Mercman in Southampton, or try this guy - http://lichtenberg-classics.ie
Guys name is Ben, very helpful and friendly. Deals in a lot of W114/115s

Right, thanks alot for the help guys. Gave mercman a call, was the only place that helped, put me onto someone that said they were £200 new! Sent an email to lichtenberg too.
About the crack - it seems so minor. I'm at univeristy and have access to Non Destructive Testing labs, so thinking of giving it a careful look over.
Otherwise I'll look at 123 brakes. This was actually my next question. But seeing as I've already got one calliper rebuilt, I want to try and keep the price sensible.
I.e. not buying second hand callipers, then getting them both rebuilt... If I could find them already done for a reasonable price though...

Braze the crack
 

If the crack seems to be minor. I would braze it with a brass rod and some flux.

The part is cast Iron so you can't weld it, but my experience is that brass brazing is a easy and reliable fix.

I know that my fellow members are going to chastize me for recommending this, but as we say here in USA sometimes "you gotta do what you gotta do." BTW there will be many German mechanics rolling over in their grave if you do go this route.

Just my $.02

this idea isn't too far away from occasional thoughts. As the crack is very minor, and I'm sure could be ignored for many many years. But brazing might help it stop growing.
I've never attempted it, but I've seen people weld cast iron. But I would have thought with metal this thick, it'd be a real bastard. Plus you'd have to put a hell of a lot of heat in compared to brazing.
Might look into it any, thanks

brass is not as strong as iron.

i wouldn't do that.

tom w

Consider the consequences of a fractured caliper occurring while driving, the cost of a new or rebuilt caliper, and the value of your life. Select the most economical choice.

Think that you will pass MOT with a brazed caliper?

yeah you're right, a caliper failing and leading to loss of fluid pressure would be a total disaster. And I'm sure the mot man would love brazing ;)
But maybe I should post a photo of this crack - it's absolutely tiny. At first it looks like a blemish in the polished outer surface, you can't feel it when you run your finger nail over it. It's about 4 mm long. And it's in a no-pressure area.
I'm almost tempted to put it back together. The mot man would NEVER spot it, the brake rebuilders said it could be done but they couldn't put a warranty on it so they wouldn't do it.
But it would always be on my mind while driving it, so I'm still looking for other calipers. They international people with them for £50 seem to be totally out of stock.
Anyone know of someone breaking a 115 or 123?

yeah, if i saw a pic i might revise my opinion.

tom w

You would still have one side of the system given that it is a split braking system, so yes, a complete fracture would result in a loss of braking power, but not all power.

Worst I ever had was a rear brake caliper sticking on the interstate on my 250C (sold long time ago). The heat started to boil the brake fluid and I had virtually no pressure due to the bubbles in the system. Thank God I-85 was wide open! I got off to an exit without problems. Once it cooled off, I had brake power again.

Bert
'70 111 280SE/c 3.5 (4 spd) + MGs

photo attached. There is no sign what so ever of it on the inner wall. I'm going to try and do some non destructive testing on it before I try and dismiss it.
What do you guys think?

Looks like a go to me
 

The location is not a load surface from what I can tell. Hell, I dont think that brass would even flow into the crack.

If it was my ride I would install it and not give it another thought.