I will be doing the brakes for my 1999 ML320 soon. Is there a good reference for DIY? I can use the one for the 2000-2003 ML 420 but would like more info on the one I have.

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2005 E320 CDI
1999 ML320

Cripes! The racer in me would never allow braking anywhere near that early, towing or not! Despite that, I got 60,000 miles out of my current set of pads. Just about ready to change now.

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Lenny

There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games. --Ernest Hemingway

'10 GL550/'04 BMW 545/'99 BMW 323/'98 ML320/'87 VW GTI (race)

My local garage, whose mechanics work on a variety of cars, did the rear pads and rotors, and the parts and labor were $330 total, including the tax. Based on the petefagerlin webpage referred to in here, the labor of $80 was about right at current 2005 rates. I will bring it to them again when the fronts need the same. It only takes about an hour to do this if you have a lift and all the right tools. Not having either, it would have taken me much longer with unknown results !!!

I needed to have the front tie rod replaced, so the tire shop looked at the brakes and it only needed front pads! Came out relatively cheap overall with an alignment. The tires wore unevenly because of the tie rod so I got new ones. The tires last about 40,000 miles, just like on the CDI.

One thing did come out of it: at 115,000 miles, the rear springs are sagging compared to the front end after alignment. The shop should have either recommended new ones or lowered the front thereby softening the ride, which I would have liked. Oh well. Can't have everything in a small town!

Now I am waiting for the funds to replace all 4 shocks, including the rear springs, and to soften the ride using advice from http://www.whnet.com/4x4/ml_springs.html

PL

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2005 E320 CDI
1999 ML320

Preparing to replace my ML430 rotors and pads, I have seen reco for sp Performance Diamond Drilled And Slotted, but does anybody have experience with Raceconcepts Cross Drilled-Slotted Rotors or even Power Slots? Most of these are kinda spendy! Suggestions?

The rotors I put in myself are Brembo non-drilled. They have worked flawlessly now for a long time - the ML320 had 135,000 miles on it.

Pierre

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2005 E320 CDI
1999 ML320

The only problem I have with putting cross-drilled rotors on a vehicle designed for off-road use is the potential for getting debris imbedded in the holes and scoring the pads and/or possibly the rotors.

Otherwise, for a street-only vehicle, they would look pretty cool...

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

I also use the non-drilled Brembo replacements, and they work great (especially with the ceramic pads). Low dust, no noise, awsome pad and rotor life, and great stopping. Putting on drilled or slotted rotors on this truck would be for "show off" purposes only. They may look cool, but will provide no braking benefits, and will actaully result in lower pad and rotor life, as well as more dust (due to the "cutting" action of the holes and slots). In actuality, no vehicle benefits from slots or drilling on the streets. It is only in track situations that the benefits of these rotors come out, due to the extreme stress brakes are under in repetitive track braking situations.

I doubt anyone is tracking their ML--even an AMG.

I'm not sure about this; the brakes on my GTI hydroplane in heavy rain. Hawk HPS pads didn't help. I put Teves slotted rotors on to help; next time it rains I'll see. They're coated with some kind of plating to keep the non wear surfaces from rusting. My only complaint about stock replacement rotors is the rust.

On the ML I've always run stock replacement pads & rotors. Yes the pads dust like crazy, but by the time the wheels turn gray the rest of the car needs a wash too. I really like the feel of the stock pads, and they have plenty of stopping power, even when towing.

Well mine's been on track once--station wagon runs at an SCCA driver's school years ago. Instructor: "This thing has a lot of body motion!" Me: "It's a truck." Instructor: "Oh yeah, I forgot."

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Lenny

There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games. --Ernest Hemingway

'10 GL550/'04 BMW 545/'99 BMW 323/'98 ML320/'87 VW GTI (race)