scottonfire

Rims are important! So much that some guys'll drop 4 digits for custom ones. I happen to LOVE the OEM 5 stars. I remember looking for used w203's and passing up the ones that didn't and especially ones that DID have the rims I like, but had rusted rotors. Now, I didn't know what I know now, but as an average consumer who knows nothing about the inner workings of a benz, rusty rotors, to me, were a sign that there's rust who knows where else. So... if I knew coated rotors would've prevented rust, I would've got em, but alas, the a-hat who sold me them didn't mention how ridiculous rusty rotors look if the rims are mostly open, like with the 5 stars. If this is your situation, here's how to take care of the rust.

Tools: jack (one in your trunk works fine under a block of wood to distribute the load so you don't crack the pavement) ( ), lug nut remover (also in your trunk), brake cleaner and scotch pad (just ask the guy at auto zone what pad to use to get the rust off), silver 900 degree caliper spray (it says caliper paint at auto zone but it's in a freaking spray bottle so...). ps. I chose silver b/c I want to attract the least amount of attn. to the rotors and it's pretty close to the same color as the rotors.

Step 1: Loosen the lug nuts while she's still on the pavement (doing this in the air will knock off the jack stand- not a good idea).
Step 2: Jack the car up so the tire's a pinch off the ground
Step 3: Remove lug nuts, remove tire, put down a trash lid underneath rotor, now spray the dust cleaner, don't inhale, wait a minute, take the rust off the inner rotor with the pad.
Step 4: Put car in neutral, rotate rotor, take rust off that part of the rotor same way. When finished, take out of neutral, put back in park.
Step 5: Mask off the caliper and the top of the wheel (to be safe). I used some 3M clear plastic and tape.
Step 6: Read directions on bottle, but 10-12 inches away spray around the exposed part of the rotor.
Step 7: Wait 20 minutes- bottle says it's dry in 10, but you're going to be rotating the caliper so you want it as dry as possible without it curing. Directions say to do all the spraying within 60 minutes.
Step 8: Put car in neutral, take off caliper mask, rotate rotor so side that wasn't painted can now be accessed. Mask caliper again. Spray like last time.
Step 9: Put back in park.
Step 10: Repeat one more time 20 minutes later.
Step 11: Lower jack slightly so that it's even with the other wheels. Leave overnight to cure.

In the morning, put the tire back on, don't forget to tighten those lugs when you the tire touches the ground, after normal driving/braking, the spray on the rotor that makes contact with the brake pad will come off naturally. Repeat for each tire. Should be 4 fun nights!

tommy

I'd recommend getting a real jack. My OEM collapsed the one time I had a flat on my car and used it.
Harbor Freight has several that are pretty cheap, and best part is you crank them four times and your wheel's well up in the air. A good investment.
Sorry to sidetrack the thread a bit.

scottonfire

I bet you didn't have the jack positioned at a 45 degree angle. I've used that little jack to jack up all four of my sides twice, and I leave the car jacked up overnight so the paint cures. Still holds up.

tommy

Fortunately, my IQ is over 40 (barely), so I operated it properly. Operating with it flat on the ground wouldn't even work, as you couldn't turn the arm that way.
Glad it's working for you. I would just disagree on leaving it that way overnight. I'm assuming you don't have stands? That way, you could do two at a time, and be safer. That jack could be kicked over pretty easily (assuming it doesn't crumple like mine).

scottonfire

I do agree with you that having jack stands to do two at a time would have been faster. I chose to do one at a time b/c I was leery of messing with more than one wheel at a time in case the caliper spray messed with the brake pads too much.