Hello,

This may be a somewhat naive question but I appreciate your info:

I own a 1986 190e. I have noticed that it is becoming more difficult to stop the car--that is, when I depress the brake pedal, it takes the car longer to come to a full stop.

Is this more likely to be due to worn front brake pads or rear brake pads? I understand that it may be both, but is there a way to predict with a relaible probability which of these it likely is, without removing the wheel, based on the manner in which the ability to stop is diminishing?

Any idea how much replacing front pads should be, (as well as front and rear)? Auto Parts Warehouse has the pads themselves for about 25.00 US for the front set, same for rear. Don't know what labor would be however.

I would like to avoid replacing the rotors--is there a way of knowing whether this will be necessary, and if so, approximate cost?

Many thanks for any informatioin that you can provide.

Best,

Alan

Dr. Alan J. Lipman

 

Most likely your front brake pads are worn down. Since your car goes in a forward motion most of the time, the front brakes are used alot more than the rear. Most of the time, you go through 2-3 front brake pads before you change the rear brake pads. You will only need new rotors if you wore down your brake pads too much. You can have the rotors turned down if needed.

 

Dr. Lipman, Brake pads are not a place to try and save money. If you buy the aftermarket pads I am sure you will be unhappy with them and will replace them with OE pads shortly thereafter. They will squeel and fade. As far as the rotors I would not replace the pads without working the rotors. The new pads will not seat properly and you will not be happy with the results. MB rotors are so hard that most shops will not get them turned correctly. I just replace the rotors along with OE pads and be done with it.

 

Read the post just below yours. Someone already tried aftermarket pads and had unfavorable results

 

Yes with most high-end cars OEM style is the best vs your run-of-the-mill parts store brand. It'll cost more but it is worth it. Also there are other components involved in your brakes. If your brake booster, master cylinder, or calipers are worn out (likely in an '86) it could cause your brakes to not work as well. But then again it could be just pads and rotors. Hope this helps.

 

Sorry I have more info...

Standard brake labor is approximately $100 (includes a rotor resurface) plus parts. The only way to tell if your rotors are still good is to mesure their thickness down to the thousandth of an inch (using a dial caliper). Your local parts store (or dealership) should be able to tell you what the minimum thickness and minimum resurface thickness should be, but then you would have to measure it. If you have your brakes done at a shop they should do this for you. But be warned many shops WILL NOT use any parts you bring in.

 

Most rotors have the min thickness stamped on them somewhere.

fireisfun is correct....... you will still need to measure them to make sure that they are within spec.

As a rule-of-thumb, it's recommended that you replace the rotors every other brake pad swap (usually they need it by then anyway). If you turn the rotors, just remember you are removing some of the metal mass and therefore reducing the the thermal capacity of the rotors.



Hope this helps,
Cheers

 

Re-surfacing rotors on these cars is a roll of the dice. I consider the components to be disposable and would never fool around with re-surfacing - - the machine shops are asking ridiculous prices nowadays for this job. If you shop around you'll find the new rotors really aren't that costly. A complete set of hi-quality pads can be had for $80. (I can buy OE grade rear rotors for around $30 each and the fronts are about $50 each.)

OTOH, if you have to turn to the dealer or an independent, I supposed the cost will range from $450 - $650...as is the case with just about any modern car.

I have a bill for our 2002 wagon (paid by the previous owner) that had all OE rotors and pads installed prior to my recent purchase and the cost was ~$650.

 

I've changed many brake pads, disc and other types, is it difficult to change pads for my MB E500, 2003?

Thank you!
John

 

If you insist on keeping the rotors currently on the vehicle, you may want to have someone turn them on the car. This will eliminate any stacked runout between the rotor and hub. May be more expensive, but if you have the available metal on the rotors, it is worth doing properly. The rotors should then be washed with soap and water to remove all residue, before installing the new pads.
btw, any fluid leakage onto your pads from the caliper or other contamination will affect your stopping distance.
Regards,
Perry