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  #1  
Old 04-12-2005, 06:20 AM
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Location: Kittrell, NC
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New owners - don't neglect your rear brakes and pkng brake shoes

After 10 months of owning a previously owned 1982 300sd I have learned a lot. Trying to fix all the neglected "little stuff" that other people don't takes time and $$. I had three mechanics - professional indy's and a dealer look the car over and make a list, but none mentioned the rear brakes. Everyone seems to focus on the front. But don't neglect the rear - here's what I learned. (see pictures)

1. Mercedes rotors are inexpensive. Replace when they have a significant ridge on inside and outside face of rotor from pad wear over the years. ATE rotors cost about $30 each. Grease the face of the hub flange where it touches the rotor and do this once a year. Rotors will rust to the hub flange and damage it - especially the rear ones that are not changed often. I had to knock one off with a hammer (gently).

2. Check your parking brake shoes. $30 for shoes for both sides. There is a cam lever that operates the two separate cables for the back wheel pkng shoes. One of my rear cables was frozen and I have been driving with the parking brake shoes engaged with LOTS OF DRAG on the rear wheel. Rear wheel bearing went bad on that side. New rear pkng cable $25.

I was completely amazed at how my car accelerated after removing the drag of frozen up pkng shoes that engage inside the rear rotors. This accounted for rear end noise and drag.

Grease all contact points where the shoes touch the dust plate. Make sure your cables are not frozen. My diesel accelerates beautifully now. BIG DIFFERENCE!!!!

Attached Thumbnails
New owners - don't neglect your rear brakes and pkng brake shoes-worn-pads.jpg   New owners - don't neglect your rear brakes and pkng brake shoes-worn-rotor.jpg   New owners - don't neglect your rear brakes and pkng brake shoes-worn-rotor-2.jpg  
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Old 04-12-2005, 10:15 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by willrev
Trying to fix all the neglected "little stuff" that other people don't takes time and $$. .........
I was completely amazed at how my car accelerated after removing the drag of frozen up pkng shoes that engage inside the rear rotors. ....
Congratulations, on your new car! Wow, I bet the difference is phenomenal!

I, sometimes, am amazed at how previous owners have let some minor, low $$, problems go until they turn into major headaches.
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Old 04-12-2005, 10:58 AM
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Location: Goleta, CA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SD Blue
Congratulations, on your new car! Wow, I bet the difference is phenomenal!

I, sometimes, am amazed at how previous owners have let some minor, low $$, problems go until they turn into major headaches.
That's when they list the cars on evilBay....
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Old 04-12-2005, 11:04 AM
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Location: Shreveport, La
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Thanks for the tip! I will be checking the rear brakes on mine as quickly as I can get to it. Mine are starting to squeal and it sounds like I'm getting some rubbing when I accelerate.
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Old 04-12-2005, 11:30 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Clayton, NC
Posts: 55
Checked mine when I suddenly smelled that familiar "something is really hot like burning rubber smell". Right rear capliper was stuck. Inspected both sides, neither is in very good condition. Ordered two reman caplipers with hoses from Phil. Expect to have a much better brake system eventually.
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Old 04-12-2005, 11:37 AM
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Location: Milford, CT
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Yep my parking brake shoes didn't even have any friction material left! It had cracked off! Also my rear discs were very old, probably almost original.

Now my new rear discs are in the prosess of warping. But this is a great opertunity to do a brake upgrade. Here is a cheap brake upgrade for W126's:

Zimmerman cross drilled rotors front and back
Stainless brake lines front and back.
textar pads for a nice bite
If you want looks get a set of rebuilt calipers and paint them. I am leaning towards just black because I feel that if you have red calipers they had better be Brembo/Bear. Another option is to try and color match them to your paint, ie silver car silver calipers. But you need to take the finish on your wheels into account.
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Old 04-12-2005, 11:40 AM
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Now my new rear discs are in the prosess of warping. But this is a great opertunity to do a brake upgrade.

What brand of discs did you use???
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Old 04-12-2005, 11:50 AM
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ATE, it is probably a fluke I wouldn't condem ATE. I find it strange that the rears are warping because my front ones are still perfect. I am very easy on my brakes.

They are starting to get worse in another 2 months or so I will probably have to change them.

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