Rear Brake Pad Change - Need Help
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 49
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From: Baltimore, Maryland
1998 C43
Rear Brake Pad Change - Need Help
so, I got my fronts done without a hitch. I have a 98 c43.
I went to do the rears, and one of the caliper pistons will not compress enough, so that I can install the new pads, and slide back onto the rotor.
It is the piston on the side of the caliper that is connected to the brake line.
I thought maybe the piston may be siezed - but the same thing happened on the other rear wheel. Weird.
I used a c clamp for the other wheels, and they compressed rather easily.
Any thoughts? Am I doing this wrong?
I went to do the rears, and one of the caliper pistons will not compress enough, so that I can install the new pads, and slide back onto the rotor.
It is the piston on the side of the caliper that is connected to the brake line.
I thought maybe the piston may be siezed - but the same thing happened on the other rear wheel. Weird.
I used a c clamp for the other wheels, and they compressed rather easily.
Any thoughts? Am I doing this wrong?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,564
Likes: 19
From: SoCal
98 Brilliant Silver E320 Wagon
Do you have the bleed valve open? You should force the old fluid out thru the bleed valve not back into the system.
If you are using the bleed valve, then corrosion may have built up on cylinder wall near the brake pad. That usually means removing the caliper, disassembling it and cleaning the corrorsion or even a new caliper if it's bad enough.
Good luck.
If you are using the bleed valve, then corrosion may have built up on cylinder wall near the brake pad. That usually means removing the caliper, disassembling it and cleaning the corrorsion or even a new caliper if it's bad enough.
Good luck.
Last edited by RichardM98; Apr 7, 2010 at 09:59 AM.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: Baltimore, Maryland
1998 C43
But both sides are like this
1998 C43 - Need to change my pads. Fronts went on with minimal effort.
Rears - a different story. One Piston would compress, the other would not.
Same on both Rear Calipers - Same Piston (the one "fed" by the brake line).
Spent a lot of time on google - turns out, the Piston needs to be "turned" as it is compressed. This is what the Caliper Tool is.
I bought a Caliper Tool Kit (Harbor Freight) - but it is for a "Single" Piston Caliper. Did not realize the problem till I got home.
I am searching for the right tool now.
Has anyone else change the rear pads on their C43? - I have seen many posts - but few mentioned a caliper tool, and none mentioned the Dual Piston Caliper Tool.
Note: I've tried to bleed the line as I compressed - it did not work. Again, one piston will compress, the other will not - and it is the same on both sides.
Help!
Rears - a different story. One Piston would compress, the other would not.
Same on both Rear Calipers - Same Piston (the one "fed" by the brake line).
Spent a lot of time on google - turns out, the Piston needs to be "turned" as it is compressed. This is what the Caliper Tool is.
I bought a Caliper Tool Kit (Harbor Freight) - but it is for a "Single" Piston Caliper. Did not realize the problem till I got home.
I am searching for the right tool now.
Has anyone else change the rear pads on their C43? - I have seen many posts - but few mentioned a caliper tool, and none mentioned the Dual Piston Caliper Tool.
Note: I've tried to bleed the line as I compressed - it did not work. Again, one piston will compress, the other will not - and it is the same on both sides.
Help!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,254
Likes: 15
From: Louisiana
03 E500 and Corvette
1998 C43 - Need to change my pads. Fronts went on with minimal effort.
Rears - a different story. One Piston would compress, the other would not.
Same on both Rear Calipers - Same Piston (the one "fed" by the brake line).
Spent a lot of time on google - turns out, the Piston needs to be "turned" as it is compressed. This is what the Caliper Tool is.
I bought a Caliper Tool Kit (Harbor Freight) - but it is for a "Single" Piston Caliper. Did not realize the problem till I got home.
I am searching for the right tool now.
Has anyone else change the rear pads on their C43? - I have seen many posts - but few mentioned a caliper tool, and none mentioned the Dual Piston Caliper Tool.
Note: I've tried to bleed the line as I compressed - it did not work. Again, one piston will compress, the other will not - and it is the same on both sides.
Help!
Rears - a different story. One Piston would compress, the other would not.
Same on both Rear Calipers - Same Piston (the one "fed" by the brake line).
Spent a lot of time on google - turns out, the Piston needs to be "turned" as it is compressed. This is what the Caliper Tool is.
I bought a Caliper Tool Kit (Harbor Freight) - but it is for a "Single" Piston Caliper. Did not realize the problem till I got home.
I am searching for the right tool now.
Has anyone else change the rear pads on their C43? - I have seen many posts - but few mentioned a caliper tool, and none mentioned the Dual Piston Caliper Tool.
Note: I've tried to bleed the line as I compressed - it did not work. Again, one piston will compress, the other will not - and it is the same on both sides.
Help!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,564
Likes: 19
From: SoCal
98 Brilliant Silver E320 Wagon
A couple other things to consider -
I assume now that you have the AMG package. AMG brakes are different from stock brakes. My comments were for the stock brakes.
Do you have SBC (Sensomatic)? With that system you need to use SDS or HHT to release the SBC system when replacing the pads. Some have disconnected the wiring harness as a stop gap measure.
I assume now that you have the AMG package. AMG brakes are different from stock brakes. My comments were for the stock brakes.
Do you have SBC (Sensomatic)? With that system you need to use SDS or HHT to release the SBC system when replacing the pads. Some have disconnected the wiring harness as a stop gap measure.
