When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
If you don’t have the 11mm Allen head socket Just unbolt the caliper bracket and take the whole thing off with the caliper still attached. Only concern would be lubing the pins but if you are in a pinch or the pins are still good may be an option.
Great idea!! I just did it...unfortunately, the pads were incorrect, lol. Were upgraded brakes an option on these? The pads I got are too small but verified they're the right ones for a GL450. Looking at the computer at the parts store and starting to think maybe I need GL550 ones. At least, the little pic looks more like mine. Just a guess, though. (in the pic, the bottom hits just like the top...can't just push the caliper down):
After weeks of struggle finally closing the loop on my personal issues with this. Anyone else doing this job - if you have big gorgeous cross drilled rotors you may have AMG brakes. Different rotors, pads, mounting hardware that no other threads will mention, etc. And don't forget this little beauty...you'll also need the GL550 wear sensor for the rear, not the GL450 one.
Now to go replace the brakes on my MINI - wore them out going back and forth to the parts store! :-)
Thanks to OP's detailed parking brake instructions this job was relatively easy. I purchased a 2013 CPO GL450 with 32K miles at the end of 2015. It had new pads and rotors when I took delivery. I now have 97K miles and the Check Brake Pad message came on about 1000 miles ago. I started with the rear. The pads were worn down to just under 6mm. I made the mistake of starting with the driver side first. When I got to the passenger side I found that those pads were also in good condition and the sensor was still intact. Since I had already done the driver side I replaced the pads. I could have probably gotten another 20K miles out of the rear pads. The rear rotors measured over 21mm and did not have a very deep ridge. The pads were worn evenly and all the pads had about the same amount of wear.
The fronts were a different story. The outer pads were worn to about 6mm thick but the inner pad on the passenger side was about 3mm thick near the sensor. This inner passenger side pad was not worn evenly across and the inner edge was thicker than the edge where the sensor was attached. The inner pad on the driver side was worn evenly across the width of the pad. The front rotors also did not have much of a ridge on the edge and were nowhere close to the minimum thickness.
To do the rears I raised one corner of the SUV at a time. The front tire on the same side was also just barely off the ground. By the time I finished replacing the rear driver side pads the entire air suspension was collapsed on all four corners. The same thing happened when I replaced the passenger side rear pads. All four corners returned to normal height once the engine was running.
To do the front brakes I raised the front by the central jack point and placed jack stands under the two side jack points. After replacing the pads and lowering the tires to the ground the front suspension on both sides was collapsed, but, the rear suspension was at normal height. Upon starting the SUV the front suspension came up to the normal height.
Is the suspension behavior I described normal, or is it indicative of some pending suspension failure?
65K miles on the pads was better than expected especially since I tow a cargo trailer about 10% of the miles. I actually purchased the pads and sensor two years ago in anticipation of having to change them out closer to 70K miles. I hope to get another 30K miles out of the rotors. Apparently, I am not very hard on brakes. My 2005 E500 went 110K miles on the factory rotors and pads.
What I save on brakes I spend on tires. I will be getting my third set later this year.
I have a 2017 GLS450. Bottom line question is do I dare replaced pads without rotors (on the rear) even though the driver rotor has some pretty good grooves in it? (See below)
Background ... bottom line is that I'm trying to get "trade - assistance" from Mercedes but not having much luck. Bought vehicle brand new approx 1 yr ago. At about 10k miles I started hearing a strange sound only when I first started the car that got worse over time. Went away after running a few minutes. Ultimately at about 15k miles took to dealer and they had the car about 2 weeks and determined the Oil Pump needed replaced (I had never heard of a new car needing an oil pump so early.)
About 1500 miles later the car went completely crazy and I could have sworn that a wheel was coming off (almost felt like the lug nuts were lose or something). My wife wouldn't even drive the car so it had to be towed to the dealership ---- turned out to be some kind of electronic leveler system fault and this was replaced.
Now at the 19k point - brake pad wear light comes on and within a week could hear metal on driver rear (?wear indicator or pad wear , not sure). But visibly the ONLY rotor with wear is the driver rear.
So my more in-depth question is --- do any of you guys have an opinion about what I should do from here ? I know I don't meet the legal criteria for a "lemon" but I have never had so many issues with a new car! And what's the deal with the driver rear brake wearing out so soon. I drive 98% (literally) highway. All highway, 60 miles to and then back from work every day. No stop and start at all.
The reason I ask about not replacing the rotor is that I would like to get out of the vehicle as soon as I can because of all of the issues (but upside down on loan at 1 year) so I don't want to spend more than I have to.
sims like there is a lot of patches done to your vehicle.
First of all to all MB and any European vehicle owners who’s DIY maintenance I keep seeing crazy costs to parts.
I’m ordering everything from FCP euro, and please I’m not advertising. You will thank me later. All parts and even liquids are under life time warranty. That’s right, you bought, replaced, returned get your money back. All you paying for shipment.
So let’s get back to question. Uneven wear on brakes usually indicates ether old brake fluid or air in fluid. On my GLS 450 2017 for some reason MB recommend to replace brake fluid every 20K miles
My car has 45K now on the way back from road trip I felt vibration while braking. That indicates bend rotors. Rotors get hot and bend specially if you hit a paddle or it start raining. As soon is bends now you have uneven brake pads wear. That’s second problem. Other than that I cannot think about anything else.
so I ordered from FCP front and rear Zimmermann rotors and akebono brakes (comes with 4 sensors) dot 4 RBF 600 brake fluid (2 liters, replacing on second car as well) paid for all $630 and with next brake pads change I’m ordering everything for free.
will keep you posted after replacement
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
