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peapod

Active Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
134
Location
newbury
Car
E300TD est, a180cdi
Cleaned regulary well pressure bled after say 5 k one or both get lazy and front discs do the work. I have modded the anti sqeal springs making the active surface (v shaped touching pads) parallel to wheel axis. magical improvement, brakes much more sensitive and good action after 10k dont think they will stick up, its a dream mod. Anybody disagree with the idea?
 
Does the parking brake on a W210 act on the pads or are there special shoes in a drum for this?
 
Shoes inside disc i think most mb are like this.



Lynall
 
Cleaned regulary well pressure bled after say 5 k one or both get lazy and front discs do the work. I have modded the anti sqeal springs making the active surface (v shaped touching pads) parallel to wheel axis. magical improvement, brakes much more sensitive and good action after 10k dont think they will stick up, its a dream mod. Anybody disagree with the idea?


Don't know, explain more or perhaps take a photo or two.
 
We have two of these cars and never found any problem with the operation of the rear brakes.
I'm not really clear what you have modified.
 
We have two of these cars and never found any problem with the operation of the rear brakes.
I'm not really clear what you have modified.
Sorry, a bit more expanation needed. The springs are shaped to keep the pads off the discs. The gradient on the spring is such that some brake (hydraulic)pressure is required to counteract the spring force (which is keeping keeping the pads off the disc). If the car was a truck / van with heavy braking loads this impact on sensitivity of the brakes migh not be so perceptible but with this car (I believe) the restraint of pad movement is too great. Many cars, and all the VW's amd BM's I have worked on, have no such restaint on pad movement and springs fitted on those cars simply hold the pads toward the wheel axis so to reduce chatter / squeal. This Mercedes set up does this but also restrains motion of the pad toward the disc. In flattening the gradient I still have spring pressure radially inward holding the pads in but the force keeping the pads off the disc has gone so all the hydraulic effort even the tiniest application results in pad movement against the disc. It was the very shiny localised evidence of abrasion on the spring that resulted in my doing this. The net result is that the pads are more active and more braking effort is achieved by the rear wheels. There is no snatch or other effects. The car had done 174k 100 with me. I did the previos 200k in 124 which would also now I believe have benefitted from this mod. I am a bit pussy footed on the brakes, an improvement is noticeable on hard braking as well as gentle braking. I believe spring effort to keep pads off discs on these vehicles is not required. Believe me the improvement is astonishing. I will buy some new springs mod them and post the photos.
 
I am surprised that it makes any perceptible difference to braking effort.
Will have a look at the photos whewn you post.
Cheers.
Johnsco
 
Hi Johnsco, re your comment perceptible difference. (I believe) in terms of the force applied to the pad as opposed to the force applied by the piston which is part dissipated by teh spring forcing the pads off the disc, the increased useful effort on the pad is signifincant especially at light light braking effort. When you apply the brakes I feel the retard start earlier. We have a mark 4 golf and the retardation, feels much more like that. In perfect conditions if the spring is clean and greased and the edge of the pad back is not sharp then the improvement might not seem so good. Try it I have not bought spare springs yet. please find herwith pdf which is better than a photo?
 

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  • w210 rear brake springs .PDF
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i think that little plate is also to stop the pads rattleing around and wearing the pin holes!
 
Thanks Peapod.
A picture is worth 1000 words.
I will need to fit new rear pads and discs to my E300TD soon (when the weather improves !!!).
I'll have a look at it then.

I have just one negative thought ...
There is a slight tendency for piston seizure on the rear calipers on these cars.
It's not a problem with mine, which does a lot of miles and brake pad wear is regular.
However, Mrs J's car doesn't do anything like the mileage, and therefore the piston position in the caliper may not change much in a long time.
The action of the spring in backing the pistons off slightly after each braking application will probably help with this problem.
The modification will probably reduce piston movement and may make the problem worse.
It's unlikely to be a problem on a newish car, but all these are getting a bit long-in-the-tooth now.
Cheers.
John
 
I can't help thinking that with all the design and development that will have gone into the brakes, the parts are as they are for a reason. Tampering with the system seems ill-advised to me.
 
Not always true.
A lot of systems on cars are a result of design compromises, often involving cost.
Improvements are always possible by owners who do not have to cost their own time.
Even our beloved MBs can be improved.
Look at the corrosion problems on these W210s.
Certainly as a result of very-unwise cost-cutting.
 
To Johnsco, you mention the spings backing off the pistons, good point but I dont think it actualy happens. I think the pads just back off a few microns due to temperature changes and vibration. I am light on the brakes, I have done a 100k on these rear pads and they are about half worn no I am not asleep at the wheel. I reckon keeping the pads close to the discs without any retardation to their movement is important and they are more likely to be excercised . Hold them back and they will not get to the disc so often or maybe not at all I look for rusty 210 back discs. The proof is in the pudding, I will keep an eye on them and probably get new ones modify them and fit them when the weather improves just to see if there is anything untoward going on .


To C330 supercharged
The modified springs still apply force to stop pad / pin chatter jsut a radial inward force but not an axially.
 
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