Replaced my own pads today, saved $800.
10-18-2014, 07:40 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Replaced my own pads today, saved $800.
The car now has 33,000 miles on it and the "check brake pad wear" light came on. The dealer said new pads installed are $1200, so I ordered a front and back set of Racing Brake ET500 pads for $400. They call the ET500 "aggressive street", for whatever thats worth. I auto-X'd the big girl a couple weeks ago and its obvious to me that on the big track this would absolutely torture front tires and rotors. So I'll stick with other cars on track days.
The job is really easy with the right tools (nothing special). Our brakes use a racing brake design where the pads can be removed without removing the caliper. A decent sized punch, a rubber mallet, and a set of channel locks were the more important tools.
Pressing the pistons back into the calipers was easily done by hand. Surprisingly to me, both front and rear wear sensors needed replacing. They were $14 each at the dealership so no big deal, but it certainly indicated that the F/R bias is well done.
I highly recommend doing the rear brakes first, pumping the pedal to reset the master cylinder fluid reservoir level, and then doing the front. Doing both before pumping the pedal could result in a fluid overflow.
Remember how the metal caliper "spring" is oriented before you take it apart. Its not bad to put back, but easy to get wrong (and then the pads rattle in the caliper on the test drive).
I went for a "bed-in" and it they seem to work really well. Hopefully they'll be low on dust.
The job is really easy with the right tools (nothing special). Our brakes use a racing brake design where the pads can be removed without removing the caliper. A decent sized punch, a rubber mallet, and a set of channel locks were the more important tools.
Pressing the pistons back into the calipers was easily done by hand. Surprisingly to me, both front and rear wear sensors needed replacing. They were $14 each at the dealership so no big deal, but it certainly indicated that the F/R bias is well done.
I highly recommend doing the rear brakes first, pumping the pedal to reset the master cylinder fluid reservoir level, and then doing the front. Doing both before pumping the pedal could result in a fluid overflow.
Remember how the metal caliper "spring" is oriented before you take it apart. Its not bad to put back, but easy to get wrong (and then the pads rattle in the caliper on the test drive).
I went for a "bed-in" and it they seem to work really well. Hopefully they'll be low on dust.
10-18-2014, 07:52 PM
#2
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2014 E63S; AMS 100 octane ecu tune; edok tcu tune; BB intakes; dyno tuned
Strong work!! I wish I was comfortable with something like this... $800 is a nice chunk of change plus you are that much more in tune to your car
Nice job
Nice job
10-18-2014, 10:02 PM
#3
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2018 S560 and 2019 E450 Wagon.
Good deal, I was planning on doing mine myself when they go. I've got just a shade under 30K miles and just looked at that recently, look to be only about 1/2 way worn as I'm pretty easy on the brakes so hopefully make it up to 60K miles before the light comes on. I think I'll just go with the stock pads and check around for the best price.
10-18-2014, 10:57 PM
#5
MBWorld Fanatic!
So the dealer's labor charge is $500. Anyway, good information. Where did you find out how to do it? Please post up a link if available. I wonder if there is one such link on the C63 forum. Hopefully someone will put one up with pics. Personally, I enjoy changing brake pads since I don't have to roll underneath a jacked up car, plus saving a good chunk of change and actually more time by doing it myself. BTW, does anyone know the f/r rotor thickness specs that necessitate replacement? Is it the same for both pre- and post- facelifted models?
10-18-2014, 11:49 PM
#6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
So the dealer's labor charge is $500. Anyway, good information. Where did you find out how to do it? Please post up a link if available. I wonder if there is one such link on the C63 forum. Hopefully someone will put one up with pics. Personally, I enjoy changing brake pads since I don't have to roll underneath a jacked up car, plus saving a good chunk of change and actually more time by doing it myself. BTW, does anyone know the f/r rotor thickness specs that necessitate replacement? Is it the same for both pre- and post- facelifted models?
As for rotors, I dont actually know. I do know that the brakes on the 2012 and 2014 are the same. My rotors were in very good shape. I expect, though, that I will be replacing the rotors next time (at approximately 60k). One of the reasons I bought the RB pads is that my research led me to believe that I should go with the RB two-piece rotors instead of stock when the time comes, and I like to change only one component at a time (it makes troubleshooting and the cause-effect relationship much more straight forward). The stock rotors are $bonkers to replace, and the RB are only slightly less so.
http://www.racingbrake.com/Two-piece...ONT-p/2141.htm
Thats $1250 a pair for front rotors (assuming the included pads are 250) and $1000 for the rear (pads are $150 of it).
My Z06 brake parts are significantly cheaper and no less capable. Ah well. Its the price of the E63 experience.
10-19-2014, 01:39 AM
#7
MBWorld Fanatic!
E63 and C63 brakes are similar and very easy to change. I generally do my brake job on my sedan.
Here is a link for a DIY ===> https://mbworld.org/forums/c63-amg-w...rake-pads.html
I would recommend to do a brake flush as well following the pads change.
Here is a link for a DIY ===> https://mbworld.org/forums/c63-amg-w...rake-pads.html
I would recommend to do a brake flush as well following the pads change.
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02-02-2015, 07:01 PM
#8
Former Vendor of MBWorld
The car now has 33,000 miles on it and the "check brake pad wear" light came on. The dealer said new pads installed are $1200, so I ordered a front and back set of Racing Brake ET500 pads for $400. They call the ET500 "aggressive street", for whatever thats worth. I auto-X'd the big girl a couple weeks ago and its obvious to me that on the big track this would absolutely torture front tires and rotors. So I'll stick with other cars on track days.
The job is really easy with the right tools (nothing special). Our brakes use a racing brake design where the pads can be removed without removing the caliper. A decent sized punch, a rubber mallet, and a set of channel locks were the more important tools.
Pressing the pistons back into the calipers was easily done by hand. Surprisingly to me, both front and rear wear sensors needed replacing. They were $14 each at the dealership so no big deal, but it certainly indicated that the F/R bias is well done.
I highly recommend doing the rear brakes first, pumping the pedal to reset the master cylinder fluid reservoir level, and then doing the front. Doing both before pumping the pedal could result in a fluid overflow.
Remember how the metal caliper "spring" is oriented before you take it apart. Its not bad to put back, but easy to get wrong (and then the pads rattle in the caliper on the test drive).
I went for a "bed-in" and it they seem to work really well. Hopefully they'll be low on dust.
The job is really easy with the right tools (nothing special). Our brakes use a racing brake design where the pads can be removed without removing the caliper. A decent sized punch, a rubber mallet, and a set of channel locks were the more important tools.
Pressing the pistons back into the calipers was easily done by hand. Surprisingly to me, both front and rear wear sensors needed replacing. They were $14 each at the dealership so no big deal, but it certainly indicated that the F/R bias is well done.
I highly recommend doing the rear brakes first, pumping the pedal to reset the master cylinder fluid reservoir level, and then doing the front. Doing both before pumping the pedal could result in a fluid overflow.
Remember how the metal caliper "spring" is oriented before you take it apart. Its not bad to put back, but easy to get wrong (and then the pads rattle in the caliper on the test drive).
I went for a "bed-in" and it they seem to work really well. Hopefully they'll be low on dust.
Please let us know how our two piece rotors and brake pads turned out for you. Later down the future road, don't forget to give us a call or email us for your replacement rotor rings. Enjoy!
service@racingbrake.com
(714) 871-6392
Chris
