Today, I also replaced the paking brake shoes on my wife's '85 300D. What a hassle! Without the specific tools that I'm sure exist, this is a job I'll gladly pay someone to do next time.

Getting it apart was easy, putting it back together was a challenge! I finally improvised tools to hook up the springs, but man, what a jigsaw puzzle.

MR Billy,
I know what you mean. I did some "parking brake manuevers" when it was raining a few months ago (they were probably already broken), and I broke mine (if they WEREN'T ALREADY broken).

When I got new brakes, they noticed the parking brake shoes were broken. I watched the man replace them and boy were they a *****! Glad to hear you fixed them yourself though. :)

I undid mine on one side recently while replacing the rear wheel bearing on my 87 300TD and also had to play with them. One little trick that I found was using a #2 or #3 phillips head screw driver was very useful to remove and install the little spring clamps that hold the shoes against the backing plate. These are the little 1/4 turn doo dads. I also put a little antisieze unsre the spring to ease the installation. MB makes a special tool for this, but the screw driver worked fine!

I used the long thin drift (punch) that drives the pad pins out to attatch the lower retaining springs. That worked really slick. Too bad I didn't figure it out until I was almost done. I also figured out a larger size phillips worked well on the retaining springs. Those were the real problem as you couldn't see the tiny hole they fit into.

It's not that bad of a job, there are 2 simple hand tools that MB has, although I am sure there are identical tools available elsewhere. One is a very strong hook tool for putting on the bottom spring, the other is like a drift with a T handle with a slot cut into the side, that of course is for the anchoring springs. A strong light and moving the shoes back and forth will help yoiu see the slots in the backing plate where the anchor springs engage, not that tough to do those. The trick is to realize that the small spring up by the adjuster goes in from the back side of the shoes, that's a little "hint" to make you realize the small spring goes on first, from the back, then put the joined shoes into position on the backing plate, being sure the bottom of the shoes engage into the "buckle" that applies the brakes. The toughest part comes next, getting the heavy return spring onto the shoes, that's where some grit and determination come in. After I get the return spring on, I usually put on the anchor springs, then I put in the adjuster, of course making sure the adapter "cup has a little grease in it, and that it is adusted all the way in.
Gilly

That's the same sequence I used. I improvised a 1/8" dia punch to apply the bottom return spring. I just inserted the tip into the hole of the shoes and the shaft into the hook of the spring, lever it back and it will slide right on. I think the tool you described for the retaining springs would make a big difference.

I had trouble seeing the hols for the retaining springs because I only had the car a foot or so off the ground,so the angle to see the slot through the holes in the shoes was difficult.

Now that it's bee a couple of days, I guess it wasn't that bad, I was just frustrated at the time. Thanks to all who replied.

This should be a good "How To"for the future.