2006 Mercedes-Benz C55 DIY Big Brake Upgrade

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boxert CL55

Here is a great DIY of how to add bigger AMG brakes to your 2006 Mercedes-Benz C55 on a budget.

MBWorld member boxert has put together a great thread, explaining how he added larger AMG brakes with 6-piston calipers up front and 4-piston calipers out back to his 2006 Mercedes-Benz C55 AMG. The OP found multiple useful threads on the forum which explained how to upgrade the C55 to larger Brembo/AMG brakes, but after a year’s worth of research, he found the least-expensive way to make the swap.

“I know this subject’s been covered on this board multiple times and I found it very resourceful, said boxert. However, I think I found a much cheaper option for the front brake rotors than any that have been covered here, so sharing it with the audience.”

After completing the big-brake conversion, boxert made a thread detailing the parts used to add the 6-piston front and 4-piston rear brakes to his Benz for around $1,800.

C55 Big Brake Parts List

The OP began by explaining that he found the calipers from a non-030-equipped 2006 Mercedes-Benz SLK55, which is likely the toughest part of this budget build. It might take some time to hunt down an SLK55 in a junkyard, but if you can find one, the brake calipers can be acquired for around $1,000.

boxert brakes

Next, boxert includes the items purchased new for his 2006 C55 big-brake project, as well as where he got them, their cost and their part numbers.

Front Brembo rotors (Amazon $250-$280/piece) part #09.9254.33
Rear Bosch rotors (Rock Auto $63.99/piece) part #36011506
Front pads Centric (Rock Auto $29.79/set) part #10411160
Rear pads Centric (Rock Auto $20.99/set) part #10409840
Motive pressure bleeder (Amazon $60)

Finally, the OP points out that swapping the SLK55 brakes onto his 2006 C55 AMG was an actual bolt-up project, with the only real modification of factory parts coming when he had to trim the dust shields around the edge of the calipers. Beyond that, anyone who has done a simple brake job knows that the calipers unbolt from the hub assembly, the rotors slide off, the new calipers bolt up and you are ready to bleed the system.

The result of this conversion looks great, but it surely affords the 2006 Mercedes-Benz C55 far greater stopping power.

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"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

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Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com


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