rear brakes 1980 300 SD
 

Hi (-: i'm just about to install new rear brakes on the old boy, any tricks
to removing the old rotors? i will be changing the hoses as well.
Thanks for your reply (-: ulysees

You may have to literally beat them off if they haven't been removed in a while. To avoid the beating, you may want to remove the wheels and soak the rotor / hub with wd-40. pb blaster, etc. for quite a while. It <may> help. You probably should loosen up the parking brake adjusters on both sides as well - done through one of the wheel bolt holes.

That's what i was hoping... and about the front hubs do i need a pair of snap ring pliers??

Another question perhaps you may have some good ideas.
I live in very hilly terrain and several of my friends live on gravel roads with long winding driveways with lots of dips and slippery spots. I want to get the old Boy higher off of the ground. I've changed over to the 15" wheels what size tires would you install? ? the 116 has large wheel wells. The last tire it had were 205/70/14 which believe it or not are the same diameter of the 195/65/15's, I am leaning towards the LTX perhaps
the Nokian Vaativa 205/75/15, and what about spring spacers??

Thanks again for your prompt reply to my earlier query In Lak'ech ulysees (-:

1980 300SD rear brakes
 

Like you said Fred they came off very easily and i had both sides changed
with rotors and hoses in less than three hours. If i had a hoist and knew what
i was doing this would've taken less than one hour.

Rim diameter isn't what counts, tire diameter does.

But, if the diameter is 2" more, you only gain an inch. I wouldn't spend any extra money. If you need to buy new tires, then try a bit taller. I would steer clear of wheel spacers.

Wheel height for the '80 300SD
 

Thanks again for the good advice.
I was asking about "spring spacers" not wheel spacers.

So i will look for the tallest tires that still give adequate road holding.

Also something has recently started up making a whirring sound from the front end and the transmission rad has a thin coating of oil.
The sound diminishes when i turn to the right. I have rotated the tires -no
change, there doesn't seem to be anything rubbing and it increases with speed.
Transmisson shifts well and fluid is on its mark.

Thanks ulysees (-:

You might also try Bilstein heavy duty shocks.

As for the whirring, no clue. Have you checked your power steering fluid level? Have you or the previous owner ever changed it and the filter?

1980 300 SD Power Steering Fluid???
 

Never thot of that!! And the filter for it ??? Didn't know that it had one.
That might explain the fluid on the tranny cooler.. its on that side and
the tranny fluid is up... will check in the morning thanks , u (-:

Not sure on a 1980, but on an 82, the filter is in the reservoir. It's sort of like a thin doughnut.

But if you have an oil film, I'd clean it off and see if it comes back. If so, you need to fix the leak.