Difference between a rear and front disc and pad change

[Murff]

Hi,

I'm just about to change the front set of discs and pads on my W211. Shouldn't be a problem however I will need to do the rears soon too.

Is there any difference in the procedure?

 

[micke]

Hello,
The biggest possible difference will be the park brake arrangement at the rear. If the car is fitted with combi calipers (operating both service and park brakes) at the rear, then you will need to wind/screw the pistons in on the rear calipers which normally requires the use of a special tool to engage in the piston. At the front the pistons will just squeeze into the caliper.
If the park brake is a drum arrangement or a secondary caliper, then the process will be the same front and rear.
I'm sure others here will know, but the easiest way to identify if the rear has combi calipers is the brake cable and fluid pipe routed to the same caliper.

 

[andy27168]

Hi,
Being a 211 I,m sure you will have SBC brakes, which will effect the method you use to change the discs and pads, another forum member I feel sure will advise on this.
The rear discs have handbrakes shoes behind them so it is adviseable to give them a good clean out if you are removing the disc and readjust the shoes when refitting.

 

[grober]

How to change brake pads and discs on a Mercedes E Class (W211) With SBC brakes | FotiFixes.com ? A Journal of my fixes

 

[ccm604]

Hi just came in from garage after changing front discs and pads on my 05 w211 estate with SBC you have to put the system to sleep first, found a way on the internet which works fine.First I broke the wheel nuts then jacked the car up next make sure the windows are shut and the lights are off.next lock car wait min 30 sec then unlock the car, wait min 15 secs then lock the car again the system is now in sleep mode and the brakes can be worked on as normal. I used MB discs and pads the job went well. After the one side is done when you lower the car the anti tow will kick in and the alarm will go off just dearm the system by blipping the key fob to open and the alarm will reset it`s self and repeat this for the next side hope this helps.

 

[mannikon]

Hi just came in from garage after changing front discs and pads on my 05 w211 estate with SBC you have to put the system to sleep first, found a way on the internet which works fine.First I broke the wheel nuts then jacked the car up next make sure the windows are shut and the lights are off.next lock car wait min 30 sec then unlock the car, wait min 15 secs then lock the car again the system is now in sleep mode and the brakes can be worked on as normal. I used MB discs and pads the job went well. After the one side is done when you lower the car the anti tow will kick in and the alarm will go off just dearm the system by blipping the key fob to open and the alarm will reset it`s self and repeat this for the next side hope this helps.

You should be able to deactivate the tow-away sensor using the switch on the overhead control panel. Or does it re-activate automatically after a lock and unlock?

 

[ccm604]

Hi yes it re-activate`s itself after the unlock so the only way around was to jack the car up then go through the sequence so the tow-away is not active.