Brake judder; solution and question

[Power_n_Glory]

Having replaced my front discs etc a few thousand ago I started getting brake judder when braking hard, but not when braking gently, whatever the speed.

Reading around I assumed I had not cleaned the hubs enough and was pre-emptively slapping my forehead and mentally ordering new front discs.

However, I decided to do the rears first as they were a bit rusty and showing a little reduced swept area from the pads - I had judged I'd get one more set of pads out of them. On removing the n/s one I could see a chunk out of the inside of the disc face and signs of dragging and even metallic change around this strangely absent lump of metal. So that was causing the judder.

However, I noticed that the shoes on that hub had no friction lining at all!!! Fallen off or whatever, just a rusty curved plate staring up at me... The other hub had some pieces missing but there is some material remaining. So I am going to replace them all but I don't know the correct sequence for unloading the auto tensioner and then re-tensioning the assembly.

Can someone please explain how to unload the various tensions and where and re-tension them correctly?

Thanks in anticipation...

 

[optimusprime]

Go to youtube and watch a video on your car .See how it done first .

 

[grumpyoldgit]

See if this helps.

The video doesn't show the brake shoe replacement, but the pictures below show the various parts. Just a matter of winding out the adjuster when the new shoes and disc/drum has been fitted until the you can't turn the disc, then give it a few good taps with a hammer, (this shocks the shoes into centralising properly within the drum) repeat gradually winding out the adjuster and tapping the drum with the hammer if need be, until it cannot be rotated, then slacken off the adjuster a little so that the disc/drum can be rotated without any drag. If you need detailed instructions of removal and refitting the shoes, please let me know and I'll scan the info from the Haynes workshop manual.

Further adjustment to the parking brake pedal travel is made by removing the rear seat cushion and access plate located beneath it to gain access the cable mechanism.

I'm assuming that the C55 is the same as other W203 models.

[YOUTUBE]watch?v=ydao5uBhEAU[/YOUTUBE]

 

[grumpyoldgit]

Shoe removal and refitting. (I had 5 minutes so uploaded details).

 

[Power_n_Glory]

Thanks guys, really helpful. After much looking (most do the pads and discs but not the shoes - one guy says on the video you'll never need to look at them!) I found a video to change the brake shoes on a 1970 280 CE and it's still just about identical! But instead of struggling with mole grips to put the main return spring in I used a big screwdriver to lever off the hub. So yes I think it's the same as other 203's and much the same as many Mercs since the dawn of time!

I found it a bit tricky putting the retaining springs in until I realised you can see the lower slot that the hooked ends goes into by shining a small torch down in the gap.

Both done now, one took and hour the other about 40mins. Footbrake actually works and releases properly too!

I was surprised how the shoes had disintegrated and one hub had absolutely no lining and the other had cracks, chunks missing and both had corroded and seized adjusters. Full MB service history....?

Many thanks, the forum guys strike again!