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After long searches, I'm not finding much. I have 2004 E500 4matic, uses 330x32 front rotors. I have no issues with stopping abilities of this car, but these factory 2 piston calipers are ugly as sin. All I'm seeing are factory Brembo calipers made for 312mm rotors at the local yards and ebay. I know larger AMG brakes can be fitted, but I don't want to re-drill or modify the spindle or the carrier brackets.
Are there any factory Brembo (or similar) calipers from other W211 (or other bodied MB cars) that would bolt up directly to my car (similar to R129/W124 route for "Silver Arrow" direct swap conversion)? Even if I need to change the rotors (as long as I'm not going down in size)?
After long searches, I'm not finding much. I have 2004 E500 4matic, uses 330x32 front rotors. I have no issues with stopping abilities of this car, but these factory 2 piston calipers are ugly as sin. All I'm seeing are factory Brembo calipers made for 312mm rotors at the local yards and ebay. I know larger AMG brakes can be fitted, but I don't want to re-drill or modify the spindle or the carrier brackets.
Are there any factory Brembo (or similar) calipers from other W211 (or other bodied MB cars) that would bolt up directly to my car (similar to R129/W124 route for "Silver Arrow" direct swap conversion)? Even if I need to change the rotors (as long as I'm not going down in size)?
Thanks for any feedback!
Regards,
D
The problem is that you have a 4matic. 4matic cars use completely different front brakes and spindles. You're limited to the calipers you can pull off another 4matic because the rotor hat height is different to accommodate the CV joint.
RWD hat height 64.9mm (07-09 E550)
4matic hat height 47.7mm
They did that to make room for the front CV joint. That made the gap between the center line of the rotor and the wheel too small for fixed 4 or 8 piston calipers, the type you see in RWD E500/E550/E55. Your only option is the "ugly sliding calipers you have now where the 2 piston have to be inboard of the rotor.
RWD W211 brakes on the other hand are all interchangable. I replaced my E320 295mm single piston front brakes with E550 330mm 4 piston front brakes.
Thank you very much for your time with this, appreciate the explanation indeed! And with that, I can certainly see the "lack" of information over the net on the swap (as there is basically no options). The stopping power is more than adequate, its just with the new wheel set (more open spokes), the "ugly" caliper is now very visible...
I will suck it up, will paint them some darker graphite color and will hope to find a yet another set of Carlsson 1/6 in the future... Thanks again for your time!
I found the rotors in Amazon warehouse open box Centric brand $22/each. The rotors were marked TRW made in Hungary. Used calipers were another $50 for the pair and came with good pads. Just needed some fresh paint.
You might be able to use the same RWD E550 caliper on your 4matic if you added a wheel spacer. The rotor diameter and thickness is the same the only issue is clearance between the caliper and wheel spokes. I guess it also depends on the wheels you have. With the standard MB 17" 5 spoke wheel and RWD there's a ton of room between the caliper and wheel.
I'm a big fan of Carlsson's, too. I sure regret letting this set go. I'd also like to find brake options for 4matic cars. Be sure to share anything you find!
I'm a big fan of Carlsson's, too. I sure regret letting this set go. I'd also like to find brake options for 4matic cars. Be sure to share anything you find!
Hey to each his own. I dig the wheels in the first pic.
Same here. I've had a few sets of Carlsson's but have sold all of them off for other wheels or parts. Here's the same set on my first Mercedes, a 1995 C36.
Same here. I've had a few sets of Carlsson's but have sold all of them off for other wheels or parts. Here's the same set on my first Mercedes, a 1995 C36.
Nice! We're they already drilled out for M14 bolts to fit the 211? I think the w202 used M12?
Nice! We're they already drilled out for M14 bolts to fit the 211? I think the w202 used M12?
I spy with my little eye P1 V70R in laser blue?
Very keen eyes. Laser Blue '00 V70R undergoing an M66 swap before being up for sale. Not my project, but belongs to my buddy who also owns the Carlssons. To my knowledge, the bolt holes were never redrilled for the larger bolts, but you are correct about the M12 vs M14 bolts. If you're interested, I can put you in touch with the Laser owner.
Very keen eyes. Laser Blue '00 V70R undergoing an M66 swap before being up for sale. Not my project, but belongs to my buddy who also owns the Carlssons. To my knowledge, the bolt holes were never redrilled for the larger bolts, but you are correct about the M12 vs M14 bolts. If you're interested, I can put you in touch with the Laser owner.
Thanks but I am trying to get away from Volvo's. I have a poverty spec 850 wagon 2.5 with a factory m56 which I'm probably going to end up selling soon. And a 960 wagon. I used to be active on turbobricks many years ago.
I found the rotors in Amazon warehouse open box Centric brand $22/each. The rotors were marked TRW made in Hungary. Used calipers were another $50 for the pair and came with good pads. Just needed some fresh paint.
You might be able to use the same RWD E550 caliper on your 4matic if you added a wheel spacer. The rotor diameter and thickness is the same the only issue is clearance between the caliper and wheel spokes. I guess it also depends on the wheels you have. With the standard MB 17" 5 spoke wheel and RWD there's a ton of room between the caliper and wheel.
Yep, Centric/Stoptech, one of the same, good quality, affordable prices. Have the same x-drilled on my SL320. Now, if I was to find the calipers from E550 locally, at pick-a-part per say, at those prices, I'm willing to experiment. My wheel clearance for the brakes would not be an issue, currently (Axis FLO2) will allow additional 20-25mm extra for certain. The question would be how would these new calipers center on the factory hubs/carrier mount, and the actual mounting holes lining up. Last thing I want to do as fabricate spacers and such...
I would gladly share if I do find anything to match on these 4matics...
Originally Posted by Chest Rockwell
I'm a big fan of Carlsson's, too. I sure regret letting this set go. I'd also like to find brake options for 4matic cars. Be sure to share anything you find!...
Nice!!! Is that what they called 1/6 evo? My first set of Carllson wheels and full suspension for my first W202 dating back to 2001, bought everything brand new from Tirerack, yes they were Carlsson official distributor back in the days!
I'm currently in the process of refinishing standard 1/6 (18x8.5 and 18x10) for my SL500, epoxy coated, color next... It took me 5 years to find this set!
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Originally Posted by Chest Rockwell
Very keen eyes. Laser Blue '00 V70R undergoing an M66 swap before being up for sale...
Ahaaaa!!! Volvo "fans" here too!!! In the past, 850 T5, S70 T5 and S60 R.
I believe this is worth further investigation with considering the use of wheel spacers. I don’t find the e500 brakes to feel adequate after upgrading my w215 to 390mm front brakes. You’ll notice newer vehicles of this weight and class almost always have larger brakes than our vehicles did
these are a rough fitment of my 2002 cl500 4piston brembos on my 2005 4matic wagon e500. The 330mm rotor from the e500 is actually too large in diameter for the cl500 calipers, despite the cl500 also apparently having 330mm diameter rotors. This makes me wonder if a 315 or 320mm 5x112 rotor may work very nicely. I was able to get the caliper bolts to start threading, but not fully threaded in while mounted over the e500 rotors(calipers wouldn’t clear the rotors fully). Perhaps grinding away some material from the calipers would work if a readily manufactured rotor isn’t already available
In regards to hat height, I think some washers as spacers may have been enough to split the difference. Once the proper amount of offset needed with washers is determined, a sturdier setup can be setup with a metal plate
the cl500 these brembos came off of, was also easily upgraded to the amg w216/221 390mm front rotor kit by drilling out the spindle knuckles to accept 14mm bolts instead of 12mm bolts found on non amg brakes of the era. IE huge 390mm brakes could seemingly be fitted to even the 4matic cars possibly with little fabrication involved (minor cutting and grinding)
someone mentioned the wheel spokes would have difficulty clearing the caliper, using wheel spacers and being mindful of the wheel design could solve this issue
Last edited by ctravis595; Jan 21, 2022 at 10:55 PM.
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