E-Class (W210) 1995-2002: E 200, E 220D, E 240, E 290TD, E 300TD, E 200, E 240, E 280, E 320, E 420, E 430 (Wagon, Touring, 4Matic)

Rear Brake Caliper No Longer Aligns

Old Feb 6, 2022 | 07:30 PM
  #1  
CanuckMerc's Avatar
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From: New Mexico
2001 E320 4Matic
Rear Brake Caliper No Longer Aligns

2001 E320 4matic, sorry for the double post but the original has a wrong title (toe in)

I've completed a rear end replacement of wheel carriers, lines, mounts, parking brakes, new lower cross arms etc, almost everything replaced back here and putting all together I'm find my brake caliper doesn't align with spindle bolt holes.

The pistons are backed off enough the pads are resting on their metal backs and when I place the caliper on the rotor and crawl over the bolt holes, the caliper is also on an angle with the rotor making contact on a point on both pads. The video shows how the caliper lines up until I have to put it over the bolt holes. I am fluxxomed. Do spindle bolt holes for brake calipers bend? I pushed in new wheel bearings and bushings? WT H, E, double hockey sticks can this be?
Here's the video link:https://imgur.com/a/tqvzdRJ

Here's a pic.




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Old Feb 6, 2022 | 08:06 PM
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CanuckMerc's Avatar
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From: New Mexico
2001 E320 4Matic
Is it possible the rotor looks and it screwed in like it was on properly but isn't? Possibly needs a couple smacks to the front with the 5lb hammer? Sun is down and this mountain top is cold so I'll think on it until tomorrow but I don't get this one.
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Old Feb 10, 2022 | 03:20 PM
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CanuckMerc's Avatar
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From: New Mexico
2001 E320 4Matic
Ok so I was able to get out there today and work that problem and again just for clarifying:

All of this is new and my work. The rotors/brake calipers are not new, I replaced them last year.
The work that was just done presently that I'm struggling to finish is the rear end overhaul.
The issue at hand is on the wheel hub. I overhauled both passenger and drivers side including wheel bearings, bushings and dust pans.

Ok so again here's a video illustrating the caliper will not go over the rotor and align properly with the wheel spindle bolt holes without turning the caliper, but at that point the caliper gets hung up on the rotor. There are no pads in the caliper.

I've tried to reason everything away here and the only thing I've left is the hub is not pressed in properly. The bearing has to be in all the way as the C clip just will not sit properly if the bearing is not seated properly. I had no problem with getting that in and having it click into place for me. However it could be possible I was one push/pop away from the hub getting all the way into the wheel bearing?

Any other thoughts are welcome. I'm left with stripping down the drivers side to pull that hub/spindle and putting it under my 20ton press again.

Quick question does anyone know if I need to have the rear cross arm up and under load when putting the wheel hub back on? I would think the load needs to be for the back connections which aren't going to be removed anyhow.

https://imgur.com/a/eLYvZwo

Last edited by CanuckMerc; Feb 10, 2022 at 03:30 PM.
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Old Feb 14, 2022 | 05:20 AM
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From: Waco Texas
1999 E300
Have you compared the rotors and see if there is a difference? Also, look at the axle shaft nut, there be a couple of threads exposed after you torque the nut. That will tell you if the hub is all the way on. If not try tightening the nut to pull the hub on.
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Old Feb 14, 2022 | 08:22 AM
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From: New Mexico
2001 E320 4Matic
Originally Posted by RKP Waco
Have you compared the rotors and see if there is a difference? Also, look at the axle shaft nut, there be a couple of threads exposed after you torque the nut. That will tell you if the hub is all the way on. If not try tightening the nut to pull the hub on.
Hey RKP. The spindle is bent. I used a butane torch on it for a few minutes before pressing out the old wheel bearing and it would appear I placed the heat in a bad location ( I did the same procedure on all other wheels and never encountered this ).
I took the wheel off the car and tried pressing further to ensure the hub was all the way in, which was futile, it was. More inspection with a camera overtop shows what I suspected from the beginning, you can see both bolt locations for the caliper, bent upwards.

Currently waiting for a reseller to confirm fit on a used spindle I've found online. Won't use heat again on wheel bearing removal that's for sure.



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