1979 300sd (w116)

Will be replacing the front calipers to my 300sd.

I have Bendix calipers at the front and ATE on the rear

I own 2 W116 300sd's and noticed that my other 300sd has ATE calipers all the way around.

There is a stamp with the numbers "1572" and "60" on the outside of the Bendix calipers.

Not sure what these numbers refer to.

I have been reading the ATE vs Bendix topic on several forums but not much information referring to the w116 300sd.

I have the pads from the dealer (Vin number provided) and turned (cut, machined) the same rotors.

Question#1
Will the dealer brake pads fit both the ATE and Bendix Calipers?

My concern is that the new dealer pads might not fit just any brake caliper.
I think I should stick to the dealer calipers so that I won't run into problems.

Question#2
Is there an upgrade with rotors and calipers and do they both fit a 14 inch rim.

The reason I ask is because I read that on some of the other Mercedes Benz there is a difference when using a 15 inch rim vs a 14 inch rim.
Not sure if this is relevant to the w116 300sd.

I just want new calipers and need to be educated on my options

Any advice is greatly appreciated

I'm not experienced with the 116 but in the 115 and 123 and 126 chassis brands are completely interchangible.

__________________
[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.

The numbers refer to date of manufacture, and piston diameter.

The pad height and width are the same for both ATE and Bendix; sometimes a difference in thickness is encountered.

As to "upgrades", rotors and calipers from a Gen. 2 W126 could be fitted; they are the ones that require a 15" wheel.

Classic Center and other Dealers do not have the left front brake caliper anymore (part#116420008364 is no longer available).

Dealer asked if my car had the Bendix or Teves.
I told them that one of my diesels had the Bendix calipers.

Going based on the info I provided, they told me that the front left is no longer available.

So I'm going to call another dealer and will tell them I have Teves calipers and see if there is still nothing availble

Just called another dealer and gave them the cars info,
They asked again, Bendix or Teves?
I told them Teves and they told me that they are no longer available, both sides are no longer available.

Looks like I might be rebuilding these

x:

Check the availability of these #s: 126 420 00 83 & 126 420 01 83
They can be used to replace the 116 #s.
If available buy in pairs and mount as required; calipers were mounted in both leading and trailing positions.

Per the MB Classic Center, No longer available

I did get a Caliper repair kit part#000 586 74 42 64 from the classic center but it seems to reference an ATE caliper.

Makes me think that the original Calipers were ATE and not Bendix

I provided the Vin number (was not asked if i had Bendix or ATE) to the classic center and the part number above was provided

When I did a separate search for repair kits on a different website I got part#0015861142 and it details that its for Bendix Calipers.

On the same website part#0005867442 is for the ATE calipers
Same number provided by the Classic Center.

Again, I have Bendix Calipers.

x:

You might want to check with the sponsor of this site, PeachParts; they are showing a pair of new Ate calipers in stock. Ate and Bendix were used in mixed production.

1979 300sd w116

Got around replacing the Front Brake Calipers (ATE) today.

LF brake caliper went on without a problem.

Right Front (RF) brake caliper does not fit.
The outside of the ATE box has the following information: 230042
24.9260.-8026.5.

I installed the upper caliper bolt first.

I then went to align the lower hole to the caliper hole and the holes would not align. Pushed in the caliper a little more and when the holes came close to aligning the caliper was observed making contact with the outer part of the rotor (the part where the lug bolts are installed).

I have a feeling that I got a caliper that is not for my car.
How can I reference the outer box number?

The actual part number on the invoice does go with my car.

Please advise

I just got to thinking; perhaps if you loosened the top bolt, the bottom bolt would go ahead and line up. I've been doing the brakes in the 1991 560SEL and this happened to me...once I loosened the top caliper bolt, the bottom slid right in!!!

As far as I know there is absolutely nothing different about the ATE and the Bendix calipers with the exception of the rattle spring and the pins (Bendix uses cotter keys). One can accept slightly thicker brake pads - do not remember which. But no difference in where the bolt holes are located.

I ordered remanufactured ATE from NAPA. They looked great, fit great, work great and we're about 70 a piece I think. Believe they were boxed branded Eclipse.

Now I have a nightmare on my hands.

I actually finally lined up the holes on the FR and now the brake caliper makes contact with the rotor (no pads).

I went to check on the LF and saw that the ATE caliper also makes contact with the top of the rotor. Its almost like if I have oversized rotors.

The nightmare continued with the RF rotor and bearing assembly separating from each other while trying to remove the rotor.


Below is what I did to trouble shoot:

So I went to check on the Left Front (LF) brake caliper (ATE new caliper) and saw that the top of the rotor makes contact with the caliper.
It's almost like if my rotors are oversized. The rotor drags on the top of the caliper

I then decided to reinstall the original Bendix Caliper on the Left Front (LF) and observed that the LF Brake Caliper DOES NOT make contact with the rotor.
There is just barely enough space to clear the rotor

I continued on the the Right Front (RF) side and went to reinstall the original Bendix Caliper
This one was pretty hard to install with the rotor in place.

The bottom of the brake caliper rubs against the rotor (no brake pads). Found that kind of odd.
The rotor is not centered between the brake caliper.

I recalled that a few days ago I had a tough time removing the RF rotor from the spindle/shaft.
I had to bang the rotor off the shaft.
I had wheel bearings pressed and also had the rotors turned.

Installing the rotor and wheel bearing assembly on the FR was just as hard as removing it.

This might explain the rotor not being centered with the brake caliper.
The rotor and bearing could not be pushed in any further. The spindle nut just barely went on thru its threads and screwed in enough to have a flat surface between the outer nut and spindle. On the other side, LF, you can tell that the spindle nut is turned or screwed in a little more and explains the centered rotor between the caliper.

This means the RF rotor and bearing assembly needed a few centimeters to be considered "properly installed" and centered between the caliper

So I went to remove the RF rotor and bearing assembly to see what might be causing the issue
Well when I went to remove the rotor, the rotor came off with half of the wheel bearing assembly left behind on the spindle. Jeez....lol...what else could go wrong


So I have several problems here:

1. New ATE Brake Calipers do not fit my car ( I used the vin# to order)
2. RF wheel bearing does not slide in all the way

Questions:

Is there a chance that I have the wrong rotors?

Please advise

x:

These words are from your first post in this thread:

"1979 300sd (w116)
Will be replacing the front calipers to my 300sd.
I have Bendix calipers at the front and ATE on the rear"


Since you did not say otherwise, should we understand that the car was driveable, and that you intended only to replace the calipers?
If that is the case, then why in the world would you think that the Grinch stole your rotors and left "oversize" ones?
Your problem is not with the rotors, but with the calipers that you bought, the words and letters on the box be damned.