Hey y'all. How often should one replace brake rotors? My check-brake light has yet to come on, but the pedal feels remarkably squishy, and I think it's about that time. Is that sufficient reason to do the DIY brake job kind of thing? I searched, but I didn't find a specific answer to my question. Thanks fellas and the one lady I know of.

 

Mine are 18 right about now and in SERIOUS need of replacing. If you can take of the rims look at the rotor. If there's a serious lip or you can tell the surface of the rotor is wavy or inset far from the outside, its high time for a new rotor. I have probably a 1/8th inch inset in my rotors (Front) and they are very wavy. I hope to replace them and put the Steel Braided Brake lines in (Courtesy of RBYCC) and be able to brake once again :P

 

Ask some one at the dealer ship what the tolerances are and when is it too little to have them turned (you wanna break the glaze off of them on the brake lathe). If they still have enough have them turned when you replace your pads and stick them back on and you will be good for another 50 - 75K miles. One note, If you use ceramic pads the rotors will wear between 30 - 45% faster the pads last twice as long though so the cost is not too prohibative. Hope that helps.

 

Also, I forgot to ask, what is the correct bosch copper plug for the m103? And does it come pre-gapped or not? Thanks again and thanks for your responses.

So you can have MB rotors turned?

 

Is it the H8DC0 or the H9DC0? I have a 1991 300E if that makes a difference.

 

there are issues with the resistor plugs in some benz cars check the threads as there is one that covers the issue extensivly. I use champion non resistor plugs and have been working great but I drive a m104 so check it out.

 

any machine shop will turn the rotors for you as will the dealership (most of the time) the benz rotors (oem) are pretty high quality and do very well with a turning. I worked as an apprentice tech at Benz for a year and I did a ton of rotors in that time.

 

I just had new rotors and pads installed a couple of weeks ago. I went with the Cross Drilled rotors. 1 caliper had to be replaced as well. I am very happy with them thus far. They are Zimmermanns - http://www.racepages.com/products/?D...07+11141&Nty=1

 

Good point with the cross drilled rotors. I was driving my e320 in the mountains last fall and after a 1 mile down hill with more switch back and hairpins than I could count my brakes built up a nice layer of gas between the pads and rotors and got very spongy at the bottom of the hill run (not a good place for that) The cross drilled or slotted rotors aleviate that issue very well. They are only needed on the fronts that is my next upgrade.

 

H9DCO are the correct OEM plugs. Some people swear by Champion, but I would prefer to go with OEM.

If you need a link to where you can find them, they are sold via the mercedesshop.com forum via a link in the tech section (a sticky)


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I have a question seeing as we are on topic: My rotors and pads are within a year old and they grind sometimes during braking. It gets worse downhill so its gotta be the fronts. I don't understand why they are doing it