Rear rotors replaced but not pads E420
05-16-2005, 11:19 PM
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1997 E420
Rear rotors replaced but not pads E420
I replaced all pads and rotors 30k miles ago due to both wear and braking vibration that turned out to be from the rear rotors. I recently had to replace the fronts again due to wear. After replacing the fronts I was still getting a slight vibration when braking from over 70MPH. When inspecting ther rear braked the pads had virtually no wear so I opted to just replace the rotors. My question is this, will I experience any problems due to using the old pads with new rotors?
I am now using X-drilled in the rear to hopefully avoid warping this set in the future.
I am now using X-drilled in the rear to hopefully avoid warping this set in the future.
05-17-2005, 07:09 PM
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2001 E320 (210.065), Brilliant Silver; 2002 Ducati ST-2, Arrest-me Red
Perhaps...
When I had mine in the dealer before the warranty expired, they noted the rear rotors were warped and stated that MBZ specifies that if rotors are replaced, pads should also be replaced.
However, that's the first time I'd ever heard that recommendation.
If the pads are in good condition and you do opt to stay with them, I'd recommend removing them and swirling them with emery cloth to remove any glaze, etc. If you don't know how to do that, read on; otherwise, jump to the end.
Here's a simple way to clean the pads. Start with a fresh sheet of emery cloth and lay it abrasive side up on a smooth, flat surface (your garage floor should be fine if you don't have a good workbench, particularly since you're already down on the ground to remove the pads!). Then take the pad, friction surface down, and move it against the emery cloth, applying gentle, even pressure through circles of differing diameters (of course you'll have to hold the cloth with the other hand to keep it from moving around). Probably 6-8 circles per pad should be fine; look at the surface of the pad to check. If you have a really bad area of glaze you might need to go more than that. Dump the residue off the emery cloth between each pad cleaning. Also, I'd recommend that you mark the pads so you can put them back from where they were removed, or simply do them one at a time as you remove and reinsert them.
Take care and enjoy the smooth stop at the end of the ride,
Greg
However, that's the first time I'd ever heard that recommendation.
If the pads are in good condition and you do opt to stay with them, I'd recommend removing them and swirling them with emery cloth to remove any glaze, etc. If you don't know how to do that, read on; otherwise, jump to the end.
Here's a simple way to clean the pads. Start with a fresh sheet of emery cloth and lay it abrasive side up on a smooth, flat surface (your garage floor should be fine if you don't have a good workbench, particularly since you're already down on the ground to remove the pads!). Then take the pad, friction surface down, and move it against the emery cloth, applying gentle, even pressure through circles of differing diameters (of course you'll have to hold the cloth with the other hand to keep it from moving around). Probably 6-8 circles per pad should be fine; look at the surface of the pad to check. If you have a really bad area of glaze you might need to go more than that. Dump the residue off the emery cloth between each pad cleaning. Also, I'd recommend that you mark the pads so you can put them back from where they were removed, or simply do them one at a time as you remove and reinsert them.Take care and enjoy the smooth stop at the end of the ride,
Greg
05-17-2005, 10:53 PM
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1997 E420
Thanks for the advice and I will give this a shot since the pads are easy to remove. Personally I think MB mis-specced the rear rotors, they seem way to easy to toast. Hopefully the cross drilled will provide longer life.
