1988 560sl, Front Brake Pads Will Not Go In
 

Now I havent worked on these cars in 16 years, but back then I was working as an auto technichian at a MB, BMW, RR dealer where I did hundereds of these brake jobs. On this particulare car I am unable to get the brake pads in and I'm suspecting a suttel wrong parts or incorectly manufactured part. The pads appear to be about 1 mm too thick.

The vehical is a 1988 560sl. I replaced the rotors with Balo rotors measuring 22.0 mm thick. The pads are Textar P/N 21024 175 04 T424. The box says for Mercedes Benz W 107(VA). I have no idea what VA is. The pads measure ~17.4 mm.

I was able to easily compress the caliper pistons, they show no sign of sizure. When you get to the bottom of piston travel, the piston springs back a little on its seals. I am able to hold this piston spring back by prying from the front of the calliper as I insert the pad in the back. but they just will not go in, even with the pistons fully retracted. I have also champfered the backing plate using a grinder. Finally I milled the pad material down ~ 1 mm. They were tight but went in with an aluminum hammer. The milling job was terable and bumpy so these pads will be discarded.

Any ideas, does anyone have the correct standard thickness of these parts. Any pad recomendations.

Thank You
John Roncallo

I found the problem. I rebuilt the calipers and found large amounts of sludge in the bores that would stop the pistones from going all the way in. With all the seals removed the pistones would stop with a matalic thud about 1 mm from the bottom. Cleaned out the sludge and now the pads go right in.

J. Roncallo

Good work. Kinda' makes one a believer in regular brake fluid changes, eh? :D

Best Regards,
Jim