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DIY Disaster

3K views 27 replies 14 participants last post by  ArmyRover 
#1 ·
Not really a disaster but pretty bad:

I have a 2000 E 320. I have had it for about 2 months and have very little history on the car. Last week the dash board said that I needed new breaks so I read on here how to do it and went to the auto parts store and bought pads and went to the dealer and bought new sensors and the goop for the back of the pads. I only did the front pads. I'm not sure if I will do the back myself now or not.

I put the Car up on the jack stand and started taking off the tire. All the bolts were out but the tire wouldn't come off. I never worked on a Mercedes before so I didn't know if there was a trick. I read the owners manual and did what it said but the tire still wouldn't come off. I got a fairly heavy hammer and hit the tire (not too hard) and it came off. Then I tried to take off the calliper. I didn't have the correct size Allen wrench so I went to the auto parts store and bought one. I came home and tried it and it was too big. I went back to the store and bought a set. I went home and changed the pads.

Now for the other side:

This tire would not come off. I hit it with the hammer and nothing. I went under the car and hit from behind and nothing. I got a huge bar and went under the tire and wiggled back and forth, nothing. I came in the house and did a search for a stuck tire or wheel but couldn't find anything.

I went back in the garage and laid on my back and kicked the tire side to side really hard and it came off. I changed the pads now pretty fast.

I got in the car and drove about ten miles and the breaks squeaked. I'm guessing because of the pads. I'm not taking it apart again.

Well now a day later and I can't get the dirt off my hands and I ache all over.
I now realize I'm just too old to do this stuff. Here is the real killer, I have enough money to have it done. I just wanted to do it.

Maybe this is my last repair, I'm not sure.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
HI. Fill up your profile with location and model, Please so we can know what conditions you are driving in.
Corroded hub holding the wheel is common issue in snow areas. I don't recall that being big issue in CA ever.
I still think spending 2 hr under the car beats spending 3 hr waiting at the dealer and than paying them $500 for the job. At least you know you didn't screw up anything in the process, what too often is an issue at shops.
Coming to squeaky brakes, I think the only error you did was buying pads at "auto parts store"
MB are not easily forgiving wrong pads. If you read this forum you'll find that pads from AutohouseAZ, or German Star are OEM pads for good price.
And don't worry. Now the wheels will come off easly. Did yuo wire brush the rust? Can't expect that at dealer.
 
#4 ·
i have had that stuck wheel syndrome allot!!!! Not just on our brand of car. any of the alloy wheels are prone to it. A nice 4x4 or 6x6 works nicely. leave the lugs in the rim LOOSELY and whack the tire. You may want to remove the rears too so you dont have a rainy nite flat on the side of the road.

Coat the area on the rim where it meets the hub with never seize. That seems to help stem the problem.

Your squeak is either semi metallic pads or the glue u used did not get placed correctly??

One of the reasons i quit the mercedes benz club was because the majority of the owners in my area didnt have a clue about thier cars other then wut one cost more. I was the only one who actually worked on his own car.

I found orange gojo is the best.. u get that nice orangey smell afterwards haha.

you will have less trouble probably with rear brakes.
 
#7 ·
I filled out the profile. I live in Ct. and the car lived in NY and NJ before I had it.

I thought about letting the car down on the loose lugs but decided it was a bad idea.

The big reason I like to do jobs like this myself is just what was written above, I know what was or was not done. I didn't call the dealer for a price but I did call a local shop and I think they said 250.00 an axle with rotors and 85.00 an axle for just pads.

It's been so long since I worked on a car like this I forgot about the orange stuff and D&L.
About 30 years ago I was a mechanic in a lumber yard. We worked on a fleet of Mack trucks and Chevy cars. All very simple and easy to work on. Now everything is different. There are so many electronics on a car. I think we were better mechanics back then. By that I mean, you had to adjust an engine after a tune up. You had to diagnose a problem. Anybody here old enough the have a tack & Dwell meter in their garage on the shelf?
 
#8 ·
Not really a disaster but pretty bad:

I have a 2000 E 320. I have had it for about 2 months and have very little history on the car. Last week the dash board said that I needed new breaks so I read on here how to do it and went to the auto parts store and bought pads and went to the dealer and bought new sensors and the goop for the back of the pads. I only did the front pads. I'm not sure if I will do the back myself now or not.

I put the Car up on the jack stand and started taking off the tire. All the bolts were out but the tire wouldn't come off. I never worked on a Mercedes before so I didn't know if there was a trick. I read the owners manual and did what it said but the tire still wouldn't come off. I got a fairly heavy hammer and hit the tire (not too hard) and it came off. Then I tried to take off the calliper. I didn't have the correct size Allen wrench so I went to the auto parts store and bought one. I came home and tried it and it was too big. I went back to the store and bought a set. I went home and changed the pads.

Now for the other side:

This tire would not come off. I hit it with the hammer and nothing. I went under the car and hit from behind and nothing. I got a huge bar and went under the tire and wiggled back and forth, nothing. I came in the house and did a search for a stuck tire or wheel but couldn't find anything.

I went back in the garage and laid on my back and kicked the tire side to side really hard and it came off. I changed the pads now pretty fast.

I got in the car and drove about ten miles and the breaks squeaked. I'm guessing because of the pads. I'm not taking it apart again.

Well now a day later and I can't get the dirt off my hands and I ache all over.
I now realize I'm just too old to do this stuff. Here is the real killer, I have enough money to have it done. I just wanted to do it.

Maybe this is my last repair, I'm not sure.
That is a perfect description of why I always let my dealer do the dirty work. I believe it is always cheaper in the long run. And I never have a problem getting my hands clean...
 
#9 ·
If you have stuck wheels, the best way to release the offending wheel is to back the bolts off 1 turn (and only 1 turn) and then roll the car back and forth a few times by hand on a flat surface.
This should release the sticking wheel.
If nothing has changed, then back off the bolts 1/2 more turn, for a total of 1+1/2 turns/per bolt.
Repeat the back and forth rolling and check the sticking wheel.
Remember, you still have at least 8 threads/per bolt holding that sticking wheel.
Remove the wheel and clean the contacting surfaces and apply the anti-seizing lube, making sure that the lube won't track to the stopping surfaces or pads when revolving.
Never pry or hit the mag unless you have spare mags.
 
#10 ·
A few comments

If all the lugs have been removed, and the car is on jack stands, you can put the floor jack under the tire and use it to break the seal. If the corrosion between the hub and the wheel is such that you can lift the car off the floor jack, something is very wrong.

I use CRC Disk Brake Quiet, and I never hear pad noise. Ever.

When dexterity is required, I use a box of latex disposable gloves. The rest of the time, I wear mechanics gloves. I think all this stuff is toxic, and treat it as such.

As for aching, I recommend tools. The right tools take all the manual labor out of the job. An impact wrench and a breaker bar will do wonders. That and a HEATED garage.
 
#11 ·
I am proud of you

And I don't even know you.

You did great, and like you say, you KNOW what was done, and not done to your car.

For my part, brakes are jesus parts, and all jesus parts come from MB, no exception. as was said the parts store brakes are what are making noise.

And next time, before you start, loosen all lugs 1-2 turns and shake the car by hand until you hear 4 pops, the sound of the aluminum wheels releasing from the steel hubs.

You did good.


JAYHAWK - you don't really let aristocrat sell you service do you? What do they get for a brake job, 1,000 - 2,000?

B
 
#16 ·
You don't get it do you?

200$US gets your car 'in the door', before you finish the espresso form the bar they have you for this to 1,000, then before the valet brings up your 'free' service loaner there is another 1,000 for that. They work on commision there!

Get it?
 
#17 ·
200$US gets your car 'in the door', before you finish the espresso form the bar they have you for this to 1,000, then before the valet brings up your 'free' service loaner there is another 1,000 for that. They work on commision there!

Get it?
Mr.Smith? If you don't know WTF you're talking about you should probalby stop talking! :thumbsup:
 
#18 · (Edited)
Dealers or Stealers

I really don't want to get into the middle of this discussion but Jayhawk and I (and a very few others) are being treated well by our respective dealers. These forums are full of horror stories about "stealers" and how they are ripping us off.

I'm in the small state of West Virginia and we only have 3 MB dealers. I have had personal experiences with the 2 nearest ones and have always been treated fairly and with due respect. I bought my car from one of them and I have had them service it. My car was sold new and fully serviced during the new car warranty period by the other. Because of the original dealer, I have a printout of everything they did to my car, warranty and what the customer paid for at no cost to me.

I feel very sorry for all of you who have had unfortunate dealings with MB stores, but they are not all stealers.
 
#19 ·
I really don't want to get into the middle of this discussion but Jayhawk and I (and a very few others) are being treated well by our respective dealers. These forums are full of horror stories about "stealers" and how they are ripping us off.

I'm in the small state of West Virginia and we only have 3 MB dealers. I have had personal experiences with the 2 nearest ones and have always been treated fairly and with due respect. I bought my car from one of them and I have had them service it. My car was sold new and fully serviced during the new car warranty period by the other. Because of the original dealer, I have a printout of everything they did to my car, warranty and what the customer paid for at no cost to me.

I feel very sorry for all of you who have had unfortunate dealings with MB stores, but they are not all stealers.
:thumbsup:
 
#20 ·
I swear by Never-Seize compound too. I use it on lugs, hubs, sparkplugs and any bolts that aren't plated.

As far as stuck hubs, I use a four foot 2x4 (really). I get under the car and swing it hard. It won't damage the rim because its softer and its never failed at getting a stuck rim off.

As far as the squeal, yes, M/B pads will usually not squeal. They are approx $100 for front and rear. If you don't have the time, let someone else do it. In my case I wouldn't have it any other way than DIY.
 
#21 ·
I have decided to do more work with the help of my son. Next Saturday we will put the back pads on my car and pads on my wife's car. (T bird) and pads and my daughters taurus.

I told my son that he will do the work and I will supervise and help a little. I will give him 20.00 per axle and a ten dollar bonus if he doesn't quit half way through.

I think it will be a good bonding day and I'll get a lot done.

As far as the dealer, The place where I bought the car has been fair with me. I haven't had work done there yet but, I'm thinking about it. The only thing I inquired about so far is an oil change. $150.00 and a loaner car included. It sounds like a lot of money to me for an oil change. I read on the forum how to do it from the top or bottom but, what do I do with the old oil? If the town will take it, I have to drive it there in the mercedes. If it spills it would really be a disaster.

When I used to change the oil in my camaro (a long time ago) I used to just dump it in the woods. Can you believe it? I guess we all did back then and didn't know any better.
 
#27 ·
I read on the forum how to do it from the top or bottom but, what do I do with the old oil? If the town will take it, I have to drive it there in the mercedes. If it spills it would really be a disaster.

When I used to change the oil in my camaro (a long time ago) I used to just dump it in the woods. Can you believe it? I guess we all did back then and didn't know any better.
Here in NY any shop that does oil changes, by law, has to accept spent oil brought in by consumers. The local town sanitation department has recycling tanks for use by town residents. Save a couple of antifreeze containers or other resealable plastic bottles - these work great. Also, some of the oil companies (Castrol, Quaker State for example) sell oil in four qt containers. I will buy these and use the containers for the spent oil. If you look around CT you might be surprised to find some recycling outlets that will take your oil no problem. You are right, $150 and a loaner car for an oil change is silly. $50 and a half hour of your time and its done and done right. Heck it takes that long just to drive back from the dealership. For $150 you can do three oil changes.
 
#25 ·
If you brought the oil home in the usual 4 or 5 liter jugs, wouldn't you just put the old oil back into those same containers from your drain pan and therefore transport it safely.
Recycling is mainstream where we are and all service stations will take your old oil.(maybe charge you a buck for their trouble)
 
#23 ·
My garbage service include recycling. Our blue garbage can is emptied by blue garbage truck, than couple hours later brown, or green truck arrives and this one empties green can with yard waste and brown can with all recyclables. On the top of that they will take 2 gallons of used oil weekly. They supply milk-like bottles when I ask them. Sometimes I use regular milk bottles.
With suction pump the oil change on Mercedes takes about 15 minutes. And you have to get your hands dirty only on o-rings replacement. Otherwise it would be white gloves job.
 
#24 ·
I agree with Musikmann & Jayhawk, some dealers are bad, but some are great. My local dealer is Mercedes-Benz of Valencia. Here's a link to the service specials

Read it for yourself -

Full A-Service $159
Synthetic oil change on an older Benz $39.95
Synthetic oil change on a newer Benz $69.95
Free brake inspection
Free multipoint vehicle inspection

The specials change every couple of weeks, but they are typically much lower than what I hear about on forums.
 
#26 ·
it's not a matter of having the money to pay a dealer for repairs.

It is a matter of actually enjoying doing the research, getting the tools, and getting your hands dirty, and working on your own car. Especially on easy things like replacing pads.

I think I will try doing my own small stuff as well. I do all my own work on my bike, which is much easier.

Having the right tools also pays off. It pushes you to invest in some good quality tools as well. A while back, I almost had to find out the hard way that I needed to invest in a good hydraulic jack to put on my summer tires..
 
#28 ·
my dealer in indiana wanted $700 a axle on our ML. I did it myself and experienced the stuck rim like you but my dead blow hammer and I made short work of it.

I went with Napa Ceramix pads for the front and premiums on the rear. Both sets came with the sensors. I haven't had any squealing issues at all. An added bonus was the lack of dust I have experienced with the ceramixs.

Good job on getting the task done. Next time when your hands won't come clean go do a load of handwash dishes with lots of dish soap it will take the grease right off and your wife will be happy you did the dishes!
 
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