2007 E350: ventilated rotor or solid??
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Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: New Jersey
2007 E350 Sport
2007 E350: ventilated rotor or solid??
Hi All, I need to replace my rear brake pads soon. I was wondering if the front and rear brakes have different rotor specs?? Are the front rotors ventilated while the rears are solid?? I see holes on the front but not the rear. I always thought they were the same all around till I took a closer look. Also, my car has 37k miles and I never replaced pads or rotors. I will soon be replacing rear pads, should I also replace the rear rotors??? And if so, should I get the solid ones or ventilated. Any input would help. Thanks guys!!
PS: I have a 2007 E350 without 4matic and with sports package. thanks
PS: I have a 2007 E350 without 4matic and with sports package. thanks
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Porsche 991S, Cayenne S, 1972 BMW 3.0CS E9 Coupe
If the rear rotors are still in spec (measure them and look at the top groove) then just do the pads. You can turn the rotors but that's a choice you'll have to make. It depends on thickness.
No reason for rear drilled rotors on your car. Most cars don't even have drilled or slotted front rotors.
No reason for rear drilled rotors on your car. Most cars don't even have drilled or slotted front rotors.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: socal
It is not as easy as saying you want ventilated rotors and bolting them on. They are a different thickness on the other E models. Because of that it is not as simple as finding a E model with ventilated rotors and bolting them on.
Although there will be people who will argue benefits, cross drilled and slotted rotors are only for vanity and serve no purpose.
Mercedes will recommend new rotors. This covers their butts hopefully making sure there is no bedding issues with the new pads. I also put new rotors because I want a fresh clean flat surface for the new brake pads to grab and bed in properly.
I've put on pads on cars even with the old non flat surfaces and only had minor bedding issues, you most likely will not have a problem but check to make sure your rotors are not too thin.
Be sure to buy new sensors as they do not come with the pads.
Although there will be people who will argue benefits, cross drilled and slotted rotors are only for vanity and serve no purpose.
Mercedes will recommend new rotors. This covers their butts hopefully making sure there is no bedding issues with the new pads. I also put new rotors because I want a fresh clean flat surface for the new brake pads to grab and bed in properly.
I've put on pads on cars even with the old non flat surfaces and only had minor bedding issues, you most likely will not have a problem but check to make sure your rotors are not too thin.
Be sure to buy new sensors as they do not come with the pads.
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Porsche 991S, Cayenne S, 1972 BMW 3.0CS E9 Coupe
"Brake pads will out gas and under use may create boundary layer of gas between the pad and the disc that is detrimental to braking performance. Cross-drilling provides a place for the gas to escape. Although modern brake pads seldom suffer from out gassing problems, water residue may build up after a vehicle passes through water, and this can also impede braking performance. For this reason, and for heat dissipation purposes, cross drilling is still used on some braking components, but is not favored for racing or other hard use as the holes are a source of stress cracks under severe conditions.
Discs may also be slotted, where shallow channels are machined into the disc to aid in removing dust and gas. Slotting is the preferred method in most racing environments to remove gas, water, and de-glaze brake pads.
Some discs are both drilled and slotted. Slotted discs are generally not used on standard vehicles because they quickly wear down brake pads; however, this removal of material is beneficial to race vehicles since it keeps the pads soft and avoids vitrification of their surfaces.
On the road, drilled or slotted discs still have a positive effect in wet conditions because the holes or slots prevent a film of water building up between the disc and the pads."
That said, the lack of fade on my AMG brakes (the fronts are 360mm, 6 pot, slotted, drilled, and vented) is very noticeable under hard driving (e.g., aggressive on canyon roads, etc..)
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From: socal
They do serve a purpose:
"Brake pads will out gas and under use may create boundary layer of gas between the pad and the disc that is detrimental to braking performance. Cross-drilling provides a place for the gas to escape. Although modern brake pads seldom suffer from out gassing problems, water residue may build up after a vehicle passes through water, and this can also impede braking performance. For this reason, and for heat dissipation purposes, cross drilling is still used on some braking components, but is not favored for racing or other hard use as the holes are a source of stress cracks under severe conditions.
Discs may also be slotted, where shallow channels are machined into the disc to aid in removing dust and gas. Slotting is the preferred method in most racing environments to remove gas, water, and de-glaze brake pads.
Some discs are both drilled and slotted. Slotted discs are generally not used on standard vehicles because they quickly wear down brake pads; however, this removal of material is beneficial to race vehicles since it keeps the pads soft and avoids vitrification of their surfaces.
On the road, drilled or slotted discs still have a positive effect in wet conditions because the holes or slots prevent a film of water building up between the disc and the pads."
That said, the lack of fade on my AMG brakes (the fronts are 360mm, 6 pot, slotted, drilled, and vented) is very noticeable under hard driving (e.g., aggressive on canyon roads, etc..)
"Brake pads will out gas and under use may create boundary layer of gas between the pad and the disc that is detrimental to braking performance. Cross-drilling provides a place for the gas to escape. Although modern brake pads seldom suffer from out gassing problems, water residue may build up after a vehicle passes through water, and this can also impede braking performance. For this reason, and for heat dissipation purposes, cross drilling is still used on some braking components, but is not favored for racing or other hard use as the holes are a source of stress cracks under severe conditions.
Discs may also be slotted, where shallow channels are machined into the disc to aid in removing dust and gas. Slotting is the preferred method in most racing environments to remove gas, water, and de-glaze brake pads.
Some discs are both drilled and slotted. Slotted discs are generally not used on standard vehicles because they quickly wear down brake pads; however, this removal of material is beneficial to race vehicles since it keeps the pads soft and avoids vitrification of their surfaces.
On the road, drilled or slotted discs still have a positive effect in wet conditions because the holes or slots prevent a film of water building up between the disc and the pads."
That said, the lack of fade on my AMG brakes (the fronts are 360mm, 6 pot, slotted, drilled, and vented) is very noticeable under hard driving (e.g., aggressive on canyon roads, etc..)
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Joined: Oct 2006
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From: socal
Oh I forgot to mention if you or anyone else who drives the car is a little picky about a little noise, the slotted and cross drilled rotors will make a little noise that you will hear if you try to listen to it. Real easy to hear on a quiet street along a wall, with the window open, 20 MPH to a stop. Most people will never notice this noise, but for some, it can be totally irritating to them.
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From: Bay Area
2004 E500 CLK320
The front rotors are ventilated. If the rear rotors are single solid, you need to stay with single and can't go with ventilated disc unless you want to change the calipers too. The rear discs in my 2004 E500 are single solids. To check yours, just remove the rear wheel and look, or just use a flash light and check without removing the wheel.
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Porsche 991S, Cayenne S, 1972 BMW 3.0CS E9 Coupe
Oh I forgot to mention if you or anyone else who drives the car is a little picky about a little noise, the slotted and cross drilled rotors will make a little noise that you will hear if you try to listen to it. Real easy to hear on a quiet street along a wall, with the window open, 20 MPH to a stop. Most people will never notice this noise, but for some, it can be totally irritating to them.
But I will say that the binders on this AMG are some of the best I've had in a while. My previous BMW 550i couldn't match them, nor can my current 993 (and that car has the Turbo version big reds on it.)
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From: Down Unda
W204 C63 AMG, W212 E250 CGI, C207 E250 CGI
I just replaced my rotors and pads. I had ventilated front and solid rear as stock. I replaced them with ventilated cross drilled and slotted front and solid cross drilled and slotted rear with ceramic pads all around and 3 sensors. NO NOISE whatsoever, and most important of all...NO BRAKE DUST! And the cross drilled and slotted may or may not have benefits and may be just for show...but its a show that I like to watch. 
Last edited by beejAMG; Jan 7, 2014 at 08:25 PM.
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