Does anyone have a DIY writeup on how to change the brake pads and rotors?

 

if you are talking about doing them on your SL, there is no DIY way to do it, you must have the MB Computer to bring down the SBC system so you can get the pads out.

 

pull the key out, place it away from the car, have the car in the position you need to do the job, on stands already etc, and hood already open. wait for the instrument cluster to go to "sleep" or display turn off. find your SBC module big electric plug, unplug it by sliding the lock upward and tilting the plug out. this will prevent anything from activating the self-test and crushing your fingers. keep in mind though, there is still pressure in the accumulator and there may be a small chance it could release, but i have done many SBC brake jobs and never had this happen. finally, make sure everything is back together before plugging the unit in. this will not set fault codes if done properly. even if the car is "woke-up" w/ the unit unplugged, the system will work after everything is restored to normal and there will still probably not fault code, just an "event code". otherwise if you are uncomfortable with doing this, take it to your dealer.

 

Thanks for the tip. Can I just get the car into a working position and lock the doors and place the keys far away and then work on the brakes? Would this be the same as the procedure you mentioned below? Also, what kind/brand of pads do you recommend? How about the tirerack brand of pads.

 

its pretty critical to unplug the unit just in case. but then i work in a shop where lots of different keys are being used that could wake the system up. i have no experience w/ aftermarket pads. sorry.

 

The importance of using the MB pads is that they have the same coefficient of friction and thermal dissipation characteristics. While the brake system is adaptive and should eventually learnt the new setup, it is not worth the saving in using a non-MB pads. The worth in DIY is in your time and should negate the cost difference in the pads. I always do the brakes myself and always use factory pads.