Re: [MBZ] considering brake repair....
Loren Faeth wrote: Nothing tricky if you have bled brakes before. I'd replace the hoses, flush out the fluid and consider using silicone fluid. I know the purists will flame me for the heresy. I have silicone in 3 or 4 MBs for 5-6 years with no problems or complaints. If you use DOT4 fluid, be sure you don't put DOT3 garbage in it. Do it yourself and put $1000 in your wallet. Then use it to take SWMBO out. She will love you for it and you will have the change in your pocket. Silicone fluid is great for racing and other specialty applications where the system is routinely maintained VERY frequently. DO NOT USE silicone fluid in any car with ABS. The ABS pulsations cause "air" bubbles to form! That's the primary reason for the prohibition to using silicone fluid in Mercedes, but if you DO use silicone fluid in a Mercedes, the system will need to be flushed much more frequently than with conventional fluid as the silicone fluid won't bind with water and the water that accumulates will need to be removed by flushing the system (or the lines will rust from the inside out). No question that DOT IV or IV+ fluid is superior to DOT III fluid. As to mixing DOT III with DOT IV fluids, there will be few problems, but the mix will have characteristics closer to III than to IV and you'll need to change the fluid more frequently than you would if using pure IV. Boiling temp will be lowered to very close to the boiling point of III as will with tendency to sequester water. If you use III or a mix of III and IV, change the fluid at least every year. IV can go at least 2 years between flushes. Marshall -- Marshall Booth Ph.D. Ass't Prof. (ret.) Univ of Pittsburgh School of Medicine [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [MBZ] considering brake repair....
Hi Allen, As Loren suggested, it's pretty simple. Even rebuilding the calipers is not very difficult. Get the correct size Flare Wrench - I believe it's 11mm - Sears has a pack of 2 with the 4 most common sizes - they'll prevent damage to the flare nuts. You must not split the caliper halves - the pistons will come out without splitting the calipers - remove the old o-rings and dust boots, clean everything using brake fluid or brake cleaner - avoid breathing the dust. Inspect the pistons and bores - if they have gotten moisture in them there may be corrosion making the pistons difficult to move - which typically causes seizing. Minor corrosion can be cleaned up with fine emory cloth - I use a fine wire brush in a bench grinder - the important thing it to not remove any base metal or the pistons will be ruined - same for the bores. Too much aggressive cleaning and the calipers will need to be replaced. Installation is (as Haynes like to say) the reverse of disassembly. The only one likely to be difficult it the one already seized. Proceed carefully and you shouldn;t have any problems. Feel free to write me directly if you wish. Since all 4 need attention, put jack stands under each corner and work on one corner at a time. once all 4 are done, refill the system with a quality brake fluid -- and bleed the brakes. I like the blue ATE fluid but that a personal preference and any DOT4 will work but alternating between the blue and regular makes the yearly flushing easier - when the color changes you know fresh fluid is at the caliper. BTW, I'd replace all 4 rotors rather than machining the rears and replacing the fronts. New rotors are not that much and some shops have old equipment that does not do the machining perfectly causing vibrations that never stop. true, it's unlikely, but the price of new rotors is pretty good - as low as $17 each for rear rotors. Anyway - after completing one caliper rebuild you'll have plenty of confidence and the remaining 3 will go pretty quickly. BYW, new bleed valves, pad pins and anti-rattle springs can be ordered from Rusty if yours are questionable - sometimes the bleed valves get screwed up when "mechanics" use vise grips to loosen them --- Also, there are some "automatic/self bleeding" bleed valves which fit the MB - haven;t tried them yet but the concept is sound. It makes one man bleeding easy - unless you have a pressure bleeder which means your bleeding will go quickly anyway - Good luck - That $1000 will look good in your checkbook!! Larry T (67 MGB, 74 911, 78 240D, 91 300D) www.youroil.net for Oil Analysis and Weber Parts Test Results http://members.rennlist.com/oil PORSCHE POSTERS! youroil.net Weber Carb Info http://members.rennlist.com/webercarbs Porsche Road Test http://members.rennlist.com/roadtest/ . - Original Message - From: "Allan Streib" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2006 2:23 PM Subject: Re: [MBZ] considering brake repair Argh -- screwed up my "from" email address on that last post. Corrected now... Allan Streib <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Long time since I posted -- been busy, occasionally glancing at the digests Anyway, I just got a quote from my mechanic for about $1,400 for complete brake replacement on my '83 300D. He says 3 of 4 calipers are leaking and the 4th is about to sieze. Quote would include: 4 rebuilt calipers new pads new sensors new front rotors resurface rear rotors labor... I can get all the parts from Rusty for probably $400 or so. I don't want to begrudge the guy his livelihood, he is a good mechanic and I know that shops use the parts markup to help cover overhead. HOWEVER -- not sure I want to put $1,400 into this car, though it has not even 170,000 miles on it and I have no real complaints otherwise. Thoughts? Anything tricky about the job? I've done pads and calipers on other vehicles before. If I spend a Saturday doing this myself, anything else I should do while I'm in there? Hoses, probably? Allan -- 1983 300D 1966 230 ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.409 / Virus Database: 268.15.26/594 - Release Date: 12/20/2006
Re: [MBZ] considering brake repair....
Nothing tricky if you have bled brakes before. I'd replace the hoses, flush out the fluid and consider using silicone fluid. I know the purists will flame me for the heresy. I have silicone in 3 or 4 MBs for 5-6 years with no problems or complaints. If you use DOT4 fluid, be sure you don't put DOT3 garbage in it. Do it yourself and put $1000 in your wallet. Then use it to take SWMBO out. She will love you for it and you will have the change in your pocket. At 01:23 PM 12/21/2006, you wrote: Argh -- screwed up my "from" email address on that last post. Corrected now... Allan Streib <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > Long time since I posted -- been busy, occasionally glancing at the > digests > > Anyway, I just got a quote from my mechanic for about $1,400 for > complete brake replacement on my '83 300D. He says 3 of 4 calipers > are leaking and the 4th is about to sieze. > > Quote would include: > 4 rebuilt calipers > new pads > new sensors > new front rotors > resurface rear rotors > labor... > > I can get all the parts from Rusty for probably $400 or so. I don't > want to begrudge the guy his livelihood, he is a good mechanic and I > know that shops use the parts markup to help cover overhead. > > HOWEVER -- not sure I want to put $1,400 into this car, though it > has not even 170,000 miles on it and I have no real complaints > otherwise. > > Thoughts? Anything tricky about the job? I've done pads and > calipers on other vehicles before. If I spend a Saturday doing this > myself, anything else I should do while I'm in there? Hoses, > probably? > > Allan > -- > 1983 300D > 1966 230 ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com Loren Faeth
Re: [MBZ] considering brake repair....
Argh -- screwed up my "from" email address on that last post. Corrected now... Allan Streib <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > Long time since I posted -- been busy, occasionally glancing at the > digests > > Anyway, I just got a quote from my mechanic for about $1,400 for > complete brake replacement on my '83 300D. He says 3 of 4 calipers > are leaking and the 4th is about to sieze. > > Quote would include: > 4 rebuilt calipers > new pads > new sensors > new front rotors > resurface rear rotors > labor... > > I can get all the parts from Rusty for probably $400 or so. I don't > want to begrudge the guy his livelihood, he is a good mechanic and I > know that shops use the parts markup to help cover overhead. > > HOWEVER -- not sure I want to put $1,400 into this car, though it > has not even 170,000 miles on it and I have no real complaints > otherwise. > > Thoughts? Anything tricky about the job? I've done pads and > calipers on other vehicles before. If I spend a Saturday doing this > myself, anything else I should do while I'm in there? Hoses, > probably? > > Allan > -- > 1983 300D > 1966 230
