I started driving my 230CE (just like a 300CD but with a gas engine) again and it seems now my front brake calipers are probably sticking. I get a constant squeeking noise while driving and with the window open I could hear a dragging sound while rolling. I had to rebuild my rear ones for a similar problem but then it sounded way worse.
Its so frustrating that no sooner did I start driving the car again, some other annoying problem crops up. Am I right to assume that I've got sticky calipers. The car stops normally and doesn't grab suddenly. The squeek/squeel goes away when hitting the brakes. I haven't pulled the front wheels yet. I'm saving that for the weekend, maybe. The problem is that my wife is already sick and tired of me working on the car so much lately. I know she's going to nag me again about getting rid of it, again.
Looking for a little extra advice here as well.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

No, not on the basis of the fact that brakes squeak. The noise is often caused by vibration between the metal pad backing and the piston. (Which is why the noise often stops with the slightest brake application.) The noise alone is not indicative of a larger problem. If a front caliper sticks, symptoms would include: car pulling to one side, wheel getting hot, hot brake smell, uneven pad wear. My rear brakes used to squeal when I backed up, never going forward. New pads stopped the problem.

The one thing that makes me think that the calipers are sticking is the constant dragging sound I hear when I drive at low speeds. Then as I speed up it turns to a hissing like squeel. There is no pulling whatsoever but from what I could see through the wheels, I think I saw a discoloration to the rotors possibly indicating overheating. Last I drove it, there was no vibration on stopping so the rotors are not warped. This morning when I told my wife I was driving the 300D instead of the 230, she asked why and I told her I needed to check the brakes before driving it again. All she did was sigh but I have a feeling when I get home tonight, I guess I can expect to hear some more nagging.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

An update, I pulled the wheels off on the weekend and saw no discloration. The brakes seemed to drag a bit more than they should but the calipers didn't show any signs of sticking. I was able to compress the pads without any problem.
I forgot to mention, I had recently replaced the pads but I didn't resurface the rotors since they didn't have any grooves or warpage. I'm thinking is it possible that the pads I was supplied with are too thick? At low speeds I can hear quite a bit of dragging.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

Do you use brake pad goop to stop squeaking?

If your caliper was sticking or slow to withdraw, would'nt you feel the pedal as harder?

Anyway, mice it ain't.

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1979 300D 220 K miles
1995 C280 109 K miles
1992 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe 57K miles SOLD
********************
1979 240D 140Kmiles (bought for parents) *SOLD.
SAN FRANCISCO/(*San Diego)
1989 300SE 148 K miles *SOLD

Hey,
It's always a good idea to spray the crap out of the calipers and rotors with some brake cleaner. After the old pads are removed of course.
I go to the dollar store and get an aluminum pan to collect the cleaner.

That and some anti squeal paste on the back of the new pads should do the trick.

Danny

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1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

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I'm not worried about the squeeling any more. It's the dragging I hear that worries me most. It quite noticeable especially when I pull into the gargage I park in at work. I never had that problem before. The car stops evenly, no pulling to either side. Maybe they just need to wear in?

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

That dragging you are hearing is your knuckles on the ground. Your working too much on your car and you are tired.

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84 300DT Puke Yellow. Totalled after 438,000
84 300DT Orient Red. 169,000 (actual mileage may vary)
2002 Explorer EB (wife's)

Maybe I'm just tired of working on the car.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

Bump,

Well I think I've put about 1000 miles on the brakes, they still seem to drag. I'm still puzzled. No overheating of rotors noticed but the front wheels seem to get black quicker than normal.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

More black stuff on the front wheels is perfectly normal, because something like 60% of the vehicles' braking is done by the front brakes.
If you want to reduce the black appearance significantly, get a set of ceramic brake pads and dump what you have now or sell it to someone who doesn;t have an issue with brake dust.
OE pads in particular are soft and leave lots of dark powder on the front wheels. Switching to PBR deluxe pads reduces the effect somewhat, but ceramic pads are the way to go.

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'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!

My issue isn't so much the brake dust on the wheels but more the dragging. It's quite audible when driving into the parking structure when I have my window open. It's as if the calipers aren't retracting far enough to release the pads after stopping. I've actually manually forced the pads back into the calipers to see if they were sticking but they weren't sticking. It's annoying but I worry there's something wrong somwhere.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

DJ,

Did you ever get that dragging/squeaking issue solved on your 230CE? I have a similar problem that just started on my '95 E320 wagon. It sounds like something is rubbing or dragging in the right front wheel as I drive it.

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John

1995 E320 - 115kmi+ Smoke Silver/Cream (Wife's Wagon)
1989 260E - 195kmi+ Black/Grey (My Panther)
1984 300D - 242kmi+ Black/Palomino (Retired)

if the brakes are not pulling and not heating up it is nothing to worry about. if it bothers maybe consider rolling up the window.

and hey, you dont have to tell your wife everything!

tom w

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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.