Ted,

Maybe I've just been lucky, but I've done brake pads probably a half dozen times on my 240D. I'd have to look in my logbook to know for sure. I've also put brake pads in a number of other vehicles belonging to myself. I've always used a set of jumbo channel locks, carefully, to push the piston(s) back. I've never experienced any problems like you describe.

Good luck,

------------------
Larry Bible
'84 Euro 240D, 523K miles
'88 300E 5 Speed
'81 300D Daughter's Car
Over 800,000 miles in
Mercedes automobiles