Mechanic says my brakes are shot...
05-03-2011, 04:22 PM
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1999 E55
Mechanic says my brakes are shot...
He says I need new rotors & pads front & back, as well as front calipers for my 2000 E55. I have been researching and I am close to some conclusions that I want to check out with the brain trust.
I think I will order from RockAuto. There are some terms I am unfamiliar with.
I think I will order from RockAuto. There are some terms I am unfamiliar with.
- I will try the Akebon pads There are choices in the pads...single pin or dual? Which of these would the car use?
- Front Calipers: RockAuto has several available fron Centric and Nastra but they refer to "loaded", semi-loaded & "quiet loaded" What do I need?
- Rock Auto has Centric rotors and thay look fine to me. I was also considering the slotted ones from FrozenRotors.com. Any thoughts between the two? The slotted ones are $100 more a piece and this is the wife's car so it is driven easy.
- are there any other things that should be done at the same time ...while the wheels are off and the brakes are apart? Bearings? etc?
05-03-2011, 05:43 PM
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2001 E55 AMG (sold)
I'd get a 2nd opinion on the calipers. Did the mechanic say why they need to be replaced? Unless they are cracked (unlikely) or seized up due to rust (also not likely on a southern car), they shouldn't need to be replaced. If the pistons are sticky, they can usually be taken apart, cleaned up and rebuilt with new seals for far less than replacements.
As for rotors, I'd get replacement OEMs, at least on the fronts anyway. They will do the job better and last longer than any of the aftermarket ones. Beware, they are expensive though ($500 for the pair). Akebono pads seem to get the best reputation around here for a good compromise between initial bite and low brake dust.
You'll probably find better prices on the OEMs from one of the German parts specialty stores like RMEuropean, Pelican, or Autohaus.
As for rotors, I'd get replacement OEMs, at least on the fronts anyway. They will do the job better and last longer than any of the aftermarket ones. Beware, they are expensive though ($500 for the pair). Akebono pads seem to get the best reputation around here for a good compromise between initial bite and low brake dust.
You'll probably find better prices on the OEMs from one of the German parts specialty stores like RMEuropean, Pelican, or Autohaus.
Last edited by billbillw; 05-03-2011 at 05:47 PM.
05-03-2011, 09:01 PM
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1999 E55
I went ahead and ordered the Akebono Pads from RockAuto, along with some inexpensive caliper repair kits.
I will have a chat with this guy about the calipers. He is not my regular MB indie mechanic....but he charges $60 an hour instead of $90, so i let him do the meat and potatoes stuff like this.
I got front and rear oem Mercedes rotors from RM Euro for $584...which didn't seem too bad to me.
I will have a chat with this guy about the calipers. He is not my regular MB indie mechanic....but he charges $60 an hour instead of $90, so i let him do the meat and potatoes stuff like this.
I got front and rear oem Mercedes rotors from RM Euro for $584...which didn't seem too bad to me.
