HELP!!! Something has finally broken down! - Page 5 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

rino · #61 03-01-2007, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spark3542

So, on the left side, the sway bar is still connected to the backing plate on the hub. I bet the bushing at the backing plate on the right side is missing. The bushing is in the street about a 1/2 mile from your house, and the nut that previously held it is now captured inside the cavity that houses the parking brake shoes, and is rattling around in there.

I hope you are correct, since that would be quite an easy fix...

Rino

biobenz240d · #62 03-01-2007, 02:28 PM

I would bet that you have driven for some time with the link disconnected. If you don't see any obvious rubbing or scraping then don't worry about the link for now. If your brakes feel good , then remove the caliper. DO NOT REMOVE THE BRAKE LINE FROM THE CALIPER , THEN NO NEED TO BLEED THE BRAKES. Pull the bolts out of the caliper , pull the caliper back and tie it up out of the way, You only need to compress the brake pads if you are putting on new pads .(DO NOT STEP ON BRAKE PEDAL OR YOU'LL HAVE THE URGE TO SWEAR AND THROW THINGS)

You'll need to pull off the big nut on the end of the axle to get the drum off. Loosen this nut before you jack the car up. If you find something stuck in by the brake shoes, most likely you can remove it and reassemble and be done. Replace the shoes if only needed, they just need to hold the car at a stand still, they are not used for braking purposes

rino · #63 03-01-2007, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spark3542

Brake work is within your reach. Since the rear brakes use two pistons, take a look at the pad thicknesses of inside pad vs outside pad. If they are drastically different, then you probably have a seized piston, and you should go ahead and replace the caliper.

The sway bar link is not rocket surgery either. It's pretty basic, it just bolts to sway bar nad backing plate, and must pivot to allow suspension movement.

The thickness of the inside pad is very small (2-3mm), and this IN BOTH OF THE REAR CALIPERS... Likewise, on both rear calipers, the thickness of the outside pads is much larger (possibly 6-7mm). But wouldn't this be unusual: two calipers with seized pistons at the same time? Could it be rather a hydraulic problem (hose, or whatever) causing it?

Yes, the sway bar is not rocket science, but how do I replace the homemade link in the homemade sway bar setup in my car with a commercial link?
So, you are saying, replace BOTH calipers? (since both rear wheels drag...)

Rino

rino · #64 03-01-2007, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by biobenz240d

I would bet that you have driven for some time with the link disconnected. If you don't see any obvious rubbing or scraping then don't worry about the link for now. If your brakes feel good , then remove the caliper. DO NOT REMOVE THE BRAKE LINE FROM THE CALIPER , THEN NO NEED TO BLEED THE BRAKES. Pull the bolts out of the caliper , pull the caliper back and tie it up out of the way, You only need to compress the brake pads if you are putting on new pads .(DO NOT STEP ON BRAKE PEDAL OR YOU'LL HAVE THE URGE TO SWEAR AND THROW THINGS)

You'll need to pull off the big nut on the end of the axle to get the drum off. Loosen this nut before you jack the car up. If you find something stuck in by the brake shoes, most likely you can remove it and reassemble and be done. Replace the shoes if only needed, they just need to hold the car at a stand still, they are not used for braking purposes

Rubbing and scraping where specifically? How do I compress the pistons back? (yes, I need to replace the rear set of pads). Could someone help me to figure out for what chassis number range I need to order my pads? Could you please tell me what size wrenches (hex keys, etc.) I'll need to do as you suggested? I think I should have everything I need, but I want to make sure before I get started.
Thanks,
Rino

Surf-n-Turf · #65 03-01-2007, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rino

Rubbing and scraping where specifically? How do I compress the pistons back? (yes, I need to replace the rear set of pads). Could someone help me to figure out for what chassis number range I need to order my pads? Could you please tell me what size wrenches (hex keys, etc.) I'll need to do as you suggested? I think I should have everything I need, but I want to make sure before I get started.
Thanks,
Rino

If you can wait till tonite, I'll do all the necessary steps with pictures to get the calipers and rotors off. What all tools you'll need and all that. I forgot I have a '79 240D in the barn.

biobenz240d · #66 03-01-2007, 02:55 PM

To press the pistons back to replace the pads, I use a big c clamp on the caliper and old brake pad . Gently tighten the c clamp to force the piston back into the bore. as far as any rubbing or scraping marks they should be quite obvious on the fender well, backing plate etc. I drove my subaru for over a year before i knew the sway bar link was broke. Which is why it handled like crap in the corners.

Surf-n-Turf · #67 03-01-2007, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by biobenz240d

To press the pistons back to replace the pads, I use a big c clamp on the caliper and old brake pad . Gently tighten the c clamp to force the piston back into the bore. as far as any rubbing or scraping marks they should be quite obvious on the fender well, backing plate etc. I drove my subaru for over a year before i knew the sway bar link was broke. Which is why it handled like crap in the corners.

Both sway links are broken in my W115 240D and it rides like a small boat going slow in 2' waves.

rino · #68 03-01-2007, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Surf-n-Turf

If you can wait till tonite, I'll do all the necessary steps with pictures to get the calipers and rotors off. What all tools you'll need and all that. I forgot I have a '79 240D in the barn.

You're going to do all that? You have no idea how much I appreciate it! And maybe you are even going to give me the good news that, yes, your '79 240D is built like mine, with the same awkward sway bar setup and that, yes, it is mounting one of those commercially available sway bar links... so that all that I would need to do is order a couple of those with relative bushings, rubber, etc. and I'd be all set... It would really be F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C!!!

I can't wait...

Thanks!

Rino

Surf-n-Turf · #69 03-01-2007, 11:46 PM

Well, I tore it all apart. '79 240D sway bar links are different. But not by much from the white plastic ones. The originals are metal and 1/4" longer than the common plastic ones. I really don't think it would make a difference in performance if you used the plasic ones. The bolts are all the same. I cannot see where any part of it would get into the parking brake if it fell apart. As far as the pads wearing differtenly outer to inner, but the same on both sides. That , in my opinion ( and I am not paid by MB) would not be an issue with anything other than the calipers. There is only 1 line going into each side (left and right) caliper. The calipers themselves are 2 peice (inner/outer) and dependent on 1 source of pressure (fluid).

Seems like the calipers you have are more than likely the original ones that came with the car and it might stand to reason that both would go bad at or around the same time. If you replace them, get the same brand for both sides. Probably ATE or Bendix. There are sources for purchasing them with new pads, pins, and spring clips all set to put in.

PS Rino, I sent you a pm to get ahold of me for all the pics. I'll e-mail them to you. Too many to list on here unless they want a DIY link.

rino · #70 03-04-2007, 01:45 PM

I ordered the commercial sway bar links, they are on the way... I just hope that once they get here they will be compatible with the receivers in my car... Are they usually secured with a nut on each end or is there some kind of more sophisticated setup on upper and lower receivers that I should know about? The old sway bar links installed on my car were completely different, so I have no idea what extra items I need to get in order to install them... Please advise, if you happen to have gone through the same thing with your car...

I did the brake fluid change this morning... I emptied the reservoir, filled it with new fluid, then opened the bleed valves in sequence RR, RL, FR, Fl and let the old fluid out while replacing new fluid in the reservoir as needed. It worked like a charm on all wheels, so it means no problems with the brake lines. At first the dripping was slow (gunky stuff came out) on each wheel, then faster as the liquid cleared. It took about 1 hour to do the complete process.

I took out the old pads and was about to move the cyls in the calipers back and forth, lubricating them, as suggested by someone in another thread, hoping to fix the calipers this way... but after looking closely I noticed that the rubber rings from the calipers (the ones that push on the pads) were worn out unevenly on both rear calipers... this causes the pads to push against the rotors at an angle, therefore wearing the pads at an angle... So these calipers either need to be rebuilt or I need to get a different pair...

What's your take guys, does it make sense to get my calipers rebuilt locally (by some local professionals) OR should I just dispose of them and go ahead and get a different rebuilt pair? Throwing away the ones I have to get a rebuilt pair seems a big waste to me: why not having mine rebuilt? And it should save me some money too... What do you think of it?

I've also asked this same sort of question in the other thread... I am trying to get several opinions ASAP, since I need to make a decision about this matter quickly.... The car has been sitting in the garage already too long...

Thank you so much,
Rino

Biodiesel300TD · #71 03-04-2007, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rino

I ordered the commercial sway bar links, they are on the way... I just hope that once they get here they will be compatible with the receivers in my car... Are they usually secured with a nut on each end or is there some kind of more sophisticated setup on upper and lower receivers that I should know about? The old sway bar links installed on my car were completely different, so I have no idea what extra items I need to get in order to install them... Please advise, if you happen to have gone through the same thing with your car...

The sway bar links just bolt on. There is a nut that screws onto either end.

rino · #72 03-04-2007, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biodiesel300TD

The sway bar links just bolt on. There is a nut that screws onto either end.

Then if they include the nuts with the new links, I should be all set. If not, I'll be missing the one on the right side... and I am not sure if the other one that I have will fit either...

Rino

biobenz240d · #73 03-04-2007, 09:02 PM

If it were me ,I would go with the store bought rebuilds for the reason that is what they do for a living . Correct tools , methods etc. The local indy who only does it a few times a year lets say most likely won't do as a quality job as a remanufacturer. I have rebuilt many calipers , brake cylinders and master cylinders over the years. To be honest, what you pay for a rebuilt vs doing it your self is about even. Plus you just bolt them on , bleed and go.

rino · #74 03-04-2007, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by biobenz240d

If it were me ,I would go with the store bought rebuilds for the reason that is what they do for a living . Correct tools , methods etc. The local indy who only does it a few times a year lets say most likely won't do as a quality job as a remanufacturer. I have rebuilt many calipers , brake cylinders and master cylinders over the years. To be honest, what you pay for a rebuilt vs doing it your self is about even. Plus you just bolt them on , bleed and go.

I agree in principle with what you say... Let me explain why I posed that question.
When I talked to the online company where I located the rebuilt calipers at a reasonable price, when I asked about availability the lady on the phone said, sure, just give us 2-3 days, that's how long is going to take for the local caliper rebuilding company to deliver them to us...
Uh oh, I thought to myself... So they are getting them from their local caliper rebuilding company... Why do I need to go through them at all then? There must surely be several caliper rebuilding companies in a huge town like LA (I searched for them like a devil, but could not find any...), and if I hook up with one of them I'll be able to do the transaction locally (no shipping expense on the cores), save myself time and some money in the process.

Now, does anyone here know how to locate a gd local "caliper rebuilding company?"

Rino

rino · #75 03-04-2007, 09:28 PM

Now, after ordering the commonly available sway bar links (at about $8 each), to complicate things a bit more I have just come across a company (Krager) which sells exactly the model of links that were on my car (so, they were not "homemade links" after all, as someone suggested earlier). You can see them here:

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?mfrcode=TRW&mfrpartnumber=18069&parttype=78&ptset=A

The only problem is that they cost a fortune ($27 each plus shipping) compared to the ones I have already ordered. Surf-N-Turf stated earlier that the original ones in my car are about 1/4" longer than the ones commonly available (the ones that are on their way to me...)

So, now the $64,000 question is: what the heck am I supposed to do? Try to install the $8 ones, or is it more advisable that I get an identical replacement for the ones (at $27 each) that came originally with my car?

Rino