MatthewT

I have a CLK320 with just under 40,000 miles on it. The brake light came on after an accident. When I took the car to the dealer to get it all fixed, he said that the front rotors needed to be replaced because they were past specs to be turned. My question is this, what is the average life of pads and rotors on the CLK and do you think the light and excessive wear could be cause by the accident? Thanks,
MT

Mach430

40,000 miles is much longer than I would expect to get out of the front pads and rotors! It is definitely possible that the accident caused additional wear, but I'm surprised you managed to get this far without changing them.

ima55r2

What is the minimum thickness where you get out of spec on the rotors or is there a some other way of checking? Someone once told me to replace the rotors if the wear is greater than a dime's thickness.

Ted Baldwin

...............basically, the brake pads and rotors in Mb's are designed as dispisable products. You are not supposed to turn the rotors and the Mb pads are disigned to degrade easily hence the excess brake pads. This design apparently began when in the early 80's the DOt banned the use of asbestos in brake pads. Car manufactures either had to go to high kevlar content to which results in excess rotor wear or soft pads which wear evenly with the rotors. Like others, I am suprised your pads and rotors lasted for 40,00 miles. You must have just driven in a straight line without stopping all this time.

Ted

mmgrad

Yeah, most pads for a MB will only last about 20,000 miles. 30 is lucky, 40 is probably outright unheard of.

But, on the other hand. I have 15,000 miles on my ride, and during my A service (@ 12,000 miles) my brakes were measured at 9mm left.

Keep in mind that the brakes probably come new with 12mm. Therefore, mine looks to be around 40-45,000 when its due for a change.

And I don't drive in a straight line... I catch the heaviest traffic to & from work in LA traffic, 30 miles each way.

MatthewT

So now that I know I need new rotors, should I go aftermarket or stock. Looking at prices, it is almost even and I can get some nice crossdrilled ones. Would the fit under the stock wheels?
MT

Mach430

The Brembo cross-drilled rotors we carry are OEM replacements, meaning that they are the same exact size, and will work in place of the stock rotors.