95 E300 Front Brake Issue - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

stcbenz83 · #1 02-27-2012, 08:14 PM

So, about 3 or 4 weeks ago.., my E300 decided to more or less fall apart to the point that I had to take it off the road. Had a few minor issues that, I was hoping would wait until the spring to address. In the meantime, I'm driving my older brothers new Camry (mycar) as he's currently living in Whistler Canada until April so, thankfully have a free car to drive.

Anyways, to make a long and expensive story short, I'm now left with 2 issue's left to address. First of which is a DS ball joint or, LCA (not going to mess with refurbishing mine as, in the end it'll be easier to just replace the whole arm).

The second is a front brake problem. I had my front wheel bearings replaced by my dads mechanic as I've been really pressed for time and busy (why i let the issues go to begin with) anyways, after I got the car back, I noticed the whenever I was going slow or backing out of my driveway if I turned the wheel right about 90 degs, the front brakes would start grabbing??? This issue sort of became worse until I replaced the front hubs and when I would make a right turn i would notice a decrease in speed. Well, now that the hubs have been replaced, I still have the same thing EXCEPT, it occasionally will make this 'light metal on metal' ringing noise when I'm driving in a straight line But, have also noted that the noise will come on occasion (when no noise was present) when I turn either right or left. It's like the sound a wet finger on a crystal wine glass makes, if that makes sense. Sooooo, from what i've researched, it could be a number of things but, here's what I know:

It's coming from the driver side front tire and
the noise is inconsistent
It's definitely a separate noise from the lower ball joint.

I've read that the brake's on the 95 W124 are prone to warped rotors, what brand rotor is recommended so I wont have to replace them in 5k? Also, the ABS speed sensor in the rear dif. broke when replacing the rear subframe mounts. though its ordered and should be here tomorrow, would the ABS pump have any effect on putting the car into a (limp mode) other than turning the ABS off? Also, I noticed that the caliper on the DS, the pad is basically touching the rotor. I can't get the smallest feeler gauge to even fit in between?? I know they're more or less suppose to rest very close but...

Does anyone have a similar situation they have encountered or, any advice? I'd hate to just start throwing parts at it as i've just dumped $1500 in parts in the last 3 weeks.....

Thanks guys!

chazola · #2 02-28-2012, 05:41 AM

First off, get your ball joints replaced as these can go without warning leaving you stuffed. Do them as a pair. I replaced mine at about 200k as I noticed the front end was started to feel looser than it should, makes a huge difference to the front-end feel. The part itself is very cheap, just the labour is the bugger. At least you don't need to replace the whole CA.

With your brake problem, if it's still there after ball-joint replacement- was it ABS 'chatter' at the front (feels like they're going on-and-off) ? The ABS teeth on the back of the hub can get dirty and cause some ABS randomness. There is no 'limp mode' on this car AFAIK, the warming light would just come on. Mine has a slightly warped disc/rotor on one side and I get the woo-woo-woo glass sound on turning right at speed. It doesn't seem to affect braking- pulls up straight and tested balanced properly on it's last inspection- the wheel is also no warmer than the other side after a long run and the with the car jacked up the wheel turns freely, with no bearing play: you can just hear the pad swishing against the disc when it meets the warped part. All mercs I've had the brake pads seem to sit pretty much tight on the disc, and I've had the light metal-on-metal ringing at very low speed before changing pads or discs.

I wouldn't worry too much if the wheel spins freely when jacked up, and there is no play in the bearing. If you do decide to replace then go for good OEM quality like ATE or Brembo etc, there's no point scrimping a few bucks on cheaper brake parts.

t walgamuth · #3 02-28-2012, 06:10 AM

It sounds like your bearings might be loose. You may Grab your tire and rock the wheel to see if it is loose.

stcbenz83 · #4 02-28-2012, 09:11 AM

The front bearings were replaced 3 Weeks ago or so and, both hubs where replaced about 2 Weeks ago due to a few teeth breaking of on each one... Those are expensive btw. Along with new bearings and new hubs, all subframe mounts have been replaced and front tires as well (somehow slipped a belt) parts were OEM.

ringing is what I ment!! Though its not consistant?? And braking doesnt change the noise, usually turning the wheel while give it a different pitch or stop the noise all together?

the abs should be restored today or tomorrow though I'm not driving currently because of the brake issue.

stcbenz83 · #5 02-28-2012, 09:56 AM

as for the ball joint, it just started making the creaking sound so I shot it full of grease. are the ball joints on this model known to just bail or are you just saying in general? I just assume replace the whole control arm given the parts are about 80 dollars and the control arms are about 180. but I wouldn't have to deal with the time and from what I hear a real pain to replace the bushings and ball joint.

at this point just looking to get the brake issue straightened out so I can start driving the sucker

chazola · #6 02-28-2012, 10:18 AM

They are quite well-known for going on the diesel, you don't need to change the whole control arm like the petrol models unless you really want to or your bushes are stuffed. Like I say, I had mine done at around 200k and just the BJs were changed, not the CAs. I wouldn't drive it far if it's is creaking- they can snap without warning.

thatguy · #7 02-28-2012, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chazola

They are quite well-known for going on the diesel, you don't need to change the whole control arm like the petrol models unless you really want to or your bushes are stuffed. Like I say, I had mine done at around 200k and just the BJs were changed, not the CAs. I wouldn't drive it far if it's is creaking- they can snap without warning.

x2! The previous owner of my 95 E300 had just been packing the bad ball joints with grease to quiet their racket, and my mechanic said they were on the verge of popping apart.

I took a look at the old ball joints after he had pulled them out and they weren't pretty, mine had 150k on them and as chazola said, it made a HUGE difference in how the car drove.

Chris W. · #8 02-28-2012, 12:53 PM

Could not resist commenting about whether '95 E300D front brakes are prone to warping. Certainly not any more so than any other W124, and IMHO not any more than any other car at all. My non-scientific sample of experience with 3 different 124's and brake warping, or lack thereof, agrees with the information presented in "Myth # 1" promoted here:

-Warped- Brake Disc and Other Myths

I have over 80K miles on my current set of front disks, no "warping" and I broke them in using advice from that site. Disks were from Phil, can't recall if they were ATE or Balo.

Rgds,
Chris W.
'95 E300D, 361K

t walgamuth · #9 02-28-2012, 01:23 PM

New bearings could still be loose.

Might be worth checking.

stcbenz83 · #10 02-28-2012, 10:10 PM

Thanks guys for the replies!

I will double check the wheel bearings... I sort of suspect those anyways b/c this whole 'partial braking' first started AFTER I had the bearings replaced. After replacing the hubs though, it has turned into the 'ringing' sound. Which is inconsistent. Sometimes it start doing it in a straight line, other times when I move the wheel direction or am turning.

Is it possible to replace the ball joint without having to remove the whole control arm and spring? If yes, then the bushings could stand to be replaced at a later time. I've just heard that it can be a real PITA to remove the ball joints and bushing (I.e. time consuming / labor). While parts total around $70-$80 for both a ball joint and bushing kit, time replacing those could cost more than just replacing the control arm itself ($180 i think). Also, it's a mid-west year round car so, anything without rust is a big improvement.
Still on the fence with this one but, if I can replace it without removing the spring, I'm all ears.

I won't have any time until Friday to do anymore investigating but, I plan on taking the rotors to a local auto parts place where they can test the rotor for any warping...Just to rule it out

Otherwise, the pads look like they were just replaced not long ago.

So far, my list is to have the rotor's checked for warping, inspect wheel bearings for proper tightness (what tool do I need for this again? or can I do it the 'old way'?) replacing the broken rear ABS speed sensor and, see where I'm at then.

I need to get this baby back on the road! My brothers 07 Camry (38K) has developed a rather loud knock... water pump I'm thinking so, it has to go to the dealership asap (warranty) which leaves me without any transportation unless I want to shell out for a rental.

vstech · #11 02-28-2012, 10:53 PM

I was under the impression that the ball joint on the 94+ 124's were not replaceable... you have to change the control arm... no?

chazola · #12 02-29-2012, 03:25 AM

anyone actually reading what I've written?

you don't need to change the control arms on the w124 diesel to replace the ball joints! Unless they changed the design for US cars for some strange reason...

Check your bearings by jacking the car up, make sure it's secure then grab the tyre at 11 and 5 o clock and try rocking it in and out. Any play at the hub will be obvious by feel and possibly noise. Your wheel should spin freely, a little drag on the front brake pads is fine though. As t walgamuth said new bearings can come loose, I did mine around 6 months ago and after a week re-checked them and they needed very slight nipping-up again.

here's a ball joint that went without warning at low speed...

fdanielson · #13 02-29-2012, 08:55 AM

There is a DIY article on this site that shows replacing the ball joints. I personally replaced the ones on my 95 E300 a few months back. You can use the HarborFreight ball joint press with a bit of wrangling. I did not grind and modify the ball joint press as in the article but instead was able to catch the edge of the spacer on the lip of the casting around the ball joint. It makes more sense when you look at it. The hardest part for me was getting out the bolts that held the ABS sensors on and had to go through the propane torch, chisel, impact wrench routine to get those little guys out.

PeachPartsWiki: How I Replaced the Ball Joints and Tie Rods

If you've done ball joints before you can do it in a solid day in the driveway. The FSM helps to get all of the correct torque values for the various fasteners.

thatguy · #14 02-29-2012, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chazola

anyone actually reading what I've written?

you don't need to change the control arms on the w124 diesel to replace the ball joints! Unless they changed the design for US cars for some strange reason...

Perhaps it's not possible on a more specialized rig like the 500E/E500?

I'm not sure, but on my 95 diesel I just had them replaced about a month ago, the control arm is still original. Sure made a difference in how the car drives, now the steering is tighter and more responsive than my 05 Honda Accord with 30k miles, and my Benz is rolling up on 160k.

Gotta love the w124, it really is an engineering work of art.

chazola · #15 02-29-2012, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thatguy

Perhaps it's not possible on a more specialized rig like the 500E/E500?

I'm not sure, but on my 95 diesel I just had them replaced about a month ago, the control arm is still original. Sure made a difference in how the car drives, now the steering is tighter and more responsive than my 05 Honda Accord with 30k miles, and my Benz is rolling up on 160k.

Gotta love the w124, it really is an engineering work of art.

They're welded in on the gassers AFAIK, so you have to replace the CA, but not on the diesels. Another good reason to go diesel