ocpanther

Do you know how those calipers line up with the 500E ones? Just curious if the 400 & 500 are the same or if it would be better to chase down the 500E parts if someone was going to make a major switch over. Once you are into lower control arms, its not much more to do sway bars and springs. At least thats what made me think about it.

ps2cho - I did read you said it needed brakes anyway ... it just didn't sink in. Now that makes much more sense if youre already going to tear it apart to replace the pads and rotos.

ps2cho

I will be lowering the car too...so I will probably do everything at once and save on the time. Seeing as the springs will be off the LCA shouldn't be difficult. I am keeping my eyes open for a sway bar off a wagon as they are the sportline one.

500E Calipers + Rotors are bigger than 400E. I believe it goes 300E -> 400E -> SL600 -> 500E -> Brembo.........Correct me if I am wrong.

salvine

You guys just need to buy these!
https://mbworld.org/forums/suspensio...-calipers.html

ps2cho

Alrighty...Got myself a sportline swaybar @ junkyard today. Found some LCA's, but it wasn't 50% off, so I decided to wait.

Gonna need the sportline swaybar bushings. This car is gonna be so sporty once I get the brakes and suspension all dialed in. Can't wait!

ocpanther

I went today too ... I was trying to drop you a message as there was a 320 there, but as I was checking it out they carted it away on the forklift.

pifcat2

27.5mm from a wagon? Seems like it wouldn't make much of a difference since stock is 1mm smaller. Limos are 2mm larger.

They want $25 ea for a LCA but I'd have to replace all the bushings and ball joint to do the conversion...

Saijin_Naib

Ps2cho, I put the Limo front bar in my coupe and so far it is AMAZING. Rear will follow shortly, ran outta cash

ps2cho

It is noticeably thicker and they only charged me $19.99. I wanted to upgrade and put the sportline bushings on it as well.
I may do the rear swaybar at a later date. I hear its a lot more involved?

pifcat2

The larger are better but I'm just commenting on how close the diameters (measured at middle) are:

• Stock 300E 26.5mm
• Stock E420 26.5mm
• Sportline 300E, 300CE 27.5mm
• Stock E300 Cabriolets 27.5mm
• Stock 300TE all wagons 27.5mm
• Sportline E300 Cab or Limo 28.5mm

these numbers are from I believe AMGDave's spreadsheet

You have to drop the rear susp a few inches to get the swaybar in. Wagons have an SLS bracket to fit as well.

ps2cho

^ True. The outer diameter is 4mm thicker though. For $20 its worth it

pifcat2

4mm? according to the chart only AMG and RENNTech had 30mm and 32mm respectively...

ps2cho

Inner diameter

My inner is 27.5 vs 26.5mm, outer is 22mm vs 18mm.
http://www.w124performance.com/image...4_swaybars.pdf

ps2cho

Here's a video of my Soda Blaster power!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNLPSsxY5Dc

First coat of paint...Will take some better pictures in the AM when I have all 5-6 coats on.

ps2cho

Oh sweet baby jesus



I didn't even remove the dust shield. I just bashed it until it turned from circle to flat as I desired. Clearance to dust shield covering ball joint is ~2mm.

Saijin_Naib

Wow, that soda blaster works miracles. Could you test it out on the exhaust manifold if you get a chance :P

ps2cho

It does. It also makes fine work of everything in the surrounding area too

I don't see why it wouldn't work on the exhaust manifold.

pifcat2

nice! any clearance issues with the stock lca's?

ocpanther

I was reading in a 4x4 posting that soda blasting has to be neutralized (as it is a base) or it creates metal degradation. Did you have to do anything to the brakes after you blasted them?

Has anyone else heard this rumor?

ps2cho

Not after I hammered the dust shield to make it flat. It is close, don't get me wrong. Probably 2mm gap. It would be ~5mm if I cut off the shield, but it seems a pain. You cannot just "remove" the shield without taking the hub off.

I'll drive with it for a while and see how it goes.

Got one side completely done today -- New Tie rod assembly, Eibach springs, Rotors + Calipers. Took quite a while unfortunately...Midway through the front left.

After a little tweaking I did manage to get the front spring out w/o removing anything else. Just gotta really push the plates as high + low as possible.

Saijin_Naib

Doubt it panther.

via Wiki
" [edit] Neutralization of acids and bases

Many laboratories keep a bottle of sodium bicarbonate powder within easy reach, because sodium bicarbonate is amphoteric, reacting with acids and bases. Furthermore, as it is relatively innocuous in most situations, there is no harm in using excess sodium bicarbonate. Lastly, sodium bicarbonate powder may be used to smother a small fire.[5]
A wide variety of applications follows from its neutralization properties, including ameliorating (improving) the effects of white phosphorus in incendiary bullets from spreading inside an afflicted soldier's wounds.[6] Sodium bicarbonate can be added as a simple solution for raising the pH balance of water (increasing total alkalinity) where high levels of chlorine (2-5 ppm) are present as in swimming pools and aquariums.[7]"

rivcal4life

You need to let me borrow that soda blaster!

ps2cho

It's just my dads compressor and a cheap attachment with a tube that goes to a bag of baking soda

The attachment:

pifcat2

hmmm, I thought I read the caliper interferes with the lca or tie rod. The conversion sounds simple if it's just the shield. I've removed the hub, it just takes more time. Before that I've removed the shield screws to rotate it but found it was easier to remove it. You know where to position the compressor plates after a binding it couple of times...

ps2cho

Nope. The top hits, but that is as simple as bending the shield back. The real issue is the bottom at the ball joint. You can A) Bend the shield back so it is as close to the ball joint as possible, or B) Cut a circle out of the bottom where it touches C) Remove the whole thing.

I have changed my mind and will be cutting a circle around where it hits. I don't want to remove the shield entirely because it would be redundant. Making a small incision where it touches will resolve the issue and still allow me to keep the dust shield.

The caliper touches nothing. Plenty of clearance. Here is a pic:

ps2cho

Anybody know the part # for the 400E brake pad shims? I seem to have misplaced one and I need another. The EPC does not show it for some reason....