06-04-2015, 07:33 PM
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DIY- rear brake pad replacement
03-18-2013, 06:39 PM
#27
Junior Member
besides the pumping to get the pads set against the rotors, make very sure you keep the rotor and pads clean. You really don't want any kind of greases or oils on the rotors or pads. A quick wipe with some brake clean will do the trick. Don't breath the stuff though or get it on your bare hands.
Does a place like NAPA carry the sensors and rotors, or do you have to go to MB?
Does a place like NAPA carry the sensors and rotors, or do you have to go to MB?
03-18-2013, 10:07 PM
#28
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: S.F. Bay Area
Posts: 451
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2008 C300 Sport, 2010 RX350 AWD
Parts are actually pretty cheap....
Akebono rear pads - $70 + $5 shipping from rock auto, no tax for CA
MB oem rotors - $120 after tax for 2 rotors ($63 MSRP but I also got 12% discount from my dealer for parts purchase)
Akebono pads also came with 2 sensors per set, I have 1 extra sensor left because you only need 1 sensor on our w204 per axle..
DIY cost of $200 + elbow grease vs $500+ at dealership...I would say it is defintely worth it..
Akebono rear pads - $70 + $5 shipping from rock auto, no tax for CA
MB oem rotors - $120 after tax for 2 rotors ($63 MSRP but I also got 12% discount from my dealer for parts purchase)
Akebono pads also came with 2 sensors per set, I have 1 extra sensor left because you only need 1 sensor on our w204 per axle..
DIY cost of $200 + elbow grease vs $500+ at dealership...I would say it is defintely worth it..
07-11-2015, 05:33 PM
#30
I apologize if it's the wrong post to ask on, but I've seen it mentioned frequently, but I don't think I've ever heard why or what might happen, but why do the brake lines need to be bled every 2 years?
09-15-2015, 01:59 PM
#31
Super Member
brake performance is degraded.
06-25-2019, 02:08 PM
#32
Super Member
So i got around to replacing the rear brake pads in my 2008 C350 today. Oddly my rear pads ran low before my front pads, I expected it to be the fronts to go first since most of my experience with other cars has been that way. But I will outline the steps to replace the rear brake pads below. I did not replace the rotors this time around and I have not changed the front pads yet either. Please note that I am not a mechanic or certified to work on cars in any way so please read the following and work on your car at your own risk.
The procedure to replace the rear pads was quite simple and if you have ever done it before, it will probably take you an hour after reading this. I have installed Duralast Gold pads which have a limited lifetime warranty from Autozone they cost about $50, the dealer wanted $200 for the parts and labor, here you can do it for about $50 and one hr. of your time. Oh, also please note that I was close to setting off my brake sensor but it did not hit the rotor yet, so I didnt have to replace mine, but you may have to replace yours. Unfortunately, I did not take picture of the procedure, but I will try to be as descriptive an verbose as possible.
Tools that you will need:
17mm lug wrench
floor jack
jack stand
wheel chock
7mm allen wrench
flat head screwdriver
caliper spreader tool
brake quiet paste
new brake pads.
new brake wear sensor (if needed)
1/2" torque wrench & 17" socket
1. loosen the lug nuts on one of your rear passenger wheel (this side has the wear sensor)
2. lift the same side with your floor jack, and secure with jack stand and chock your front wheels.
3. remove the lug nuts and your wheel.
4. remove the two dust caps behind the caliper which are covering the two carrier bolts which are holding the caliper to the caliper carrier.
5. use your 7mm allen wrench to loosen the carrier bolts, there is no need to completely remove the, but you can. I had to push them out from the front with a thin screwdriver since they are held in place by rubber boots.
6. use your flathead screwdriver to pop the brake pad spring from the caliper. This spring is held in palce by two holes on the face of the caliper and it wraps around the caliper. It is held in place by tension. I just popped the top leg of the spring out of the retaining hole on the face of the caliper, its easy to do and once the leg is out, the spring is easy to remove.
7. pull the caliper off of the rotor, you will be pulling it to the left if you are facting the caliper, make sure that you put the caliper on a surface or suspend the caliper so that it is not hanging by the brake line, this can damage the brake line. I used a small stool and put the caliper on top of it.
8. use your caliper spreader tool to push the piston back into the caliper, this will allow you to put the new thicker pads into the caliper. I bought an effective & easy to use caliper spreader at Autozone for $9.
9. unplug the wear sensor wire from the caliper. It is the wire that is plugged from the inner brake pad to the back portion of the caiper. It is tight because it has a rubber seal, but just pull it straight out and it will pop out, be careful not to damage this if you plan to reuse it. Next pull the inner pad out, it is held in by a few spring clamps but if you pull it straight out with even pressure it will pop right out.
10. If you are reusing the wear sensor, carefully remove it from the inner pad and reattach it to the new inner pad. I used a screwdriver to help remove the sensor, if you have a new wear sensor, attach it to the new inner pad. The sensor has a pin on it and it goes into a hole that is drilled into the inner pad, you will see what it looks like once you pull out the old inner pad.
11. remove the old outer pad, when i removed the caliper, the outer pad remained on the caliper carrier and did not come off with the caliper. simply remove the pad, it is not held on by anything at this point.
12. apply the brake quiet to the back surfaces of both brake pads. I tend to overapply because i dont want any squeeks. the pink stuff i bought has a 10 min cure time.
13. pop the new inner pad into the inner (piston) part of the caliper, where you took the old one out of ealier.
14. attach the wear sensor wire to the caliper, just push it in all the way as it was when you pulled it out.
15. replace the outer pad on the caliper carrier.
16. slide the caiper back over the rotor and in position so that the carrier bolts are lined up with the holes on the caliper carrier.
17. screw in and tighten the two carrier bolts that hold the caliper onto the carrier.
18. replace the two dust caps that cover the carrier bolts behind the caliper.
19. reattach the brake pad spring, this can be a little tricky, and what i ended up doing was putting the bottom leg of the spring into the bottom hole, and then letting the bottom of the spring set in place around the caliper, then i put the top leg of the spring in the top hole, and then while holding this leg in place with one hand, push the top loop out and to the right, far enough so that it pops into place around the caliper. it should look like it did before you removed it. look at the drivers side as a reference if you need to but its pretty clear once you are looking at it in perosn.
20. replace your wheel and put lug bolts back on in the criss cross pattern. tighten as much as possible.
21. lower car, and torque lug bolts to spec.
Thats it, now you just have to do it for the driver side, but that side does not have the sensor wire, so skip the steps that instruct you to remove & replace it.
One strange thing I noticed about the Benz pad design is that a lot of the pad material is wasted because of the pin that is driven into the pad itself. In my pervious BMW, more of the pad could be used because the sensor was thinner. It looked like I had only used a little less than half of my pad, but the sensor was getting close to being triggered, however there was plenty of pad left IMO.
Anyway, i hope this help you guys! If any of you have more experience than I do please feel free to correct any missed steps or bad advice i may have given.
The procedure to replace the rear pads was quite simple and if you have ever done it before, it will probably take you an hour after reading this. I have installed Duralast Gold pads which have a limited lifetime warranty from Autozone they cost about $50, the dealer wanted $200 for the parts and labor, here you can do it for about $50 and one hr. of your time. Oh, also please note that I was close to setting off my brake sensor but it did not hit the rotor yet, so I didnt have to replace mine, but you may have to replace yours. Unfortunately, I did not take picture of the procedure, but I will try to be as descriptive an verbose as possible.
Tools that you will need:
17mm lug wrench
floor jack
jack stand
wheel chock
7mm allen wrench
flat head screwdriver
caliper spreader tool
brake quiet paste
new brake pads.
new brake wear sensor (if needed)
1/2" torque wrench & 17" socket
1. loosen the lug nuts on one of your rear passenger wheel (this side has the wear sensor)
2. lift the same side with your floor jack, and secure with jack stand and chock your front wheels.
3. remove the lug nuts and your wheel.
4. remove the two dust caps behind the caliper which are covering the two carrier bolts which are holding the caliper to the caliper carrier.
5. use your 7mm allen wrench to loosen the carrier bolts, there is no need to completely remove the, but you can. I had to push them out from the front with a thin screwdriver since they are held in place by rubber boots.
6. use your flathead screwdriver to pop the brake pad spring from the caliper. This spring is held in palce by two holes on the face of the caliper and it wraps around the caliper. It is held in place by tension. I just popped the top leg of the spring out of the retaining hole on the face of the caliper, its easy to do and once the leg is out, the spring is easy to remove.
7. pull the caliper off of the rotor, you will be pulling it to the left if you are facting the caliper, make sure that you put the caliper on a surface or suspend the caliper so that it is not hanging by the brake line, this can damage the brake line. I used a small stool and put the caliper on top of it.
8. use your caliper spreader tool to push the piston back into the caliper, this will allow you to put the new thicker pads into the caliper. I bought an effective & easy to use caliper spreader at Autozone for $9.
9. unplug the wear sensor wire from the caliper. It is the wire that is plugged from the inner brake pad to the back portion of the caiper. It is tight because it has a rubber seal, but just pull it straight out and it will pop out, be careful not to damage this if you plan to reuse it. Next pull the inner pad out, it is held in by a few spring clamps but if you pull it straight out with even pressure it will pop right out.
10. If you are reusing the wear sensor, carefully remove it from the inner pad and reattach it to the new inner pad. I used a screwdriver to help remove the sensor, if you have a new wear sensor, attach it to the new inner pad. The sensor has a pin on it and it goes into a hole that is drilled into the inner pad, you will see what it looks like once you pull out the old inner pad.
11. remove the old outer pad, when i removed the caliper, the outer pad remained on the caliper carrier and did not come off with the caliper. simply remove the pad, it is not held on by anything at this point.
12. apply the brake quiet to the back surfaces of both brake pads. I tend to overapply because i dont want any squeeks. the pink stuff i bought has a 10 min cure time.
13. pop the new inner pad into the inner (piston) part of the caliper, where you took the old one out of ealier.
14. attach the wear sensor wire to the caliper, just push it in all the way as it was when you pulled it out.
15. replace the outer pad on the caliper carrier.
16. slide the caiper back over the rotor and in position so that the carrier bolts are lined up with the holes on the caliper carrier.
17. screw in and tighten the two carrier bolts that hold the caliper onto the carrier.
18. replace the two dust caps that cover the carrier bolts behind the caliper.
19. reattach the brake pad spring, this can be a little tricky, and what i ended up doing was putting the bottom leg of the spring into the bottom hole, and then letting the bottom of the spring set in place around the caliper, then i put the top leg of the spring in the top hole, and then while holding this leg in place with one hand, push the top loop out and to the right, far enough so that it pops into place around the caliper. it should look like it did before you removed it. look at the drivers side as a reference if you need to but its pretty clear once you are looking at it in perosn.
20. replace your wheel and put lug bolts back on in the criss cross pattern. tighten as much as possible.
21. lower car, and torque lug bolts to spec.
Thats it, now you just have to do it for the driver side, but that side does not have the sensor wire, so skip the steps that instruct you to remove & replace it.
One strange thing I noticed about the Benz pad design is that a lot of the pad material is wasted because of the pin that is driven into the pad itself. In my pervious BMW, more of the pad could be used because the sensor was thinner. It looked like I had only used a little less than half of my pad, but the sensor was getting close to being triggered, however there was plenty of pad left IMO.
Anyway, i hope this help you guys! If any of you have more experience than I do please feel free to correct any missed steps or bad advice i may have given.
