[ed755]

I want to convert my son's 1960 190D drum brakes to discs on all four wheels. Anyone know how to do it, and where I can find parts and/or advice?
Thanks in advance.
ETZ
[?]

 

[mercmad]

Good idea and really easy too!,find a wreck W111 from 1965 or newer and it will have front disc brakes,but the older type of mastercylinder,or track down a wreck w108 chassis car,engine size doesn't matter.This will have same front end but bigger disc brakes and the newer master cylinder/booster assembly.
The front assemblies can be swapped around,and it always pays to change the two rubber mounting bushes on the crossmember.
With this model you can swap over the diff assembly to get rear discs,BUT,and it's a big "BUT," there is body work involved here.The rear disc brakes require a couple of mounts to fabricated for the caliper hold down/anti dive arms. The diff width etc is the same and will bolt straight in,the only down side is the ratio will be higher from the later model gas car.It may work ,but I suspect it will be too high geared for the little diesel.You can swap in the ratios from the 190 into the w108 diff.Big job.All in all it's a leggo job.[]

 

[merrick]

mercmad still around I hope?

Hi, I just bought a 190D that I love, except for the brakes. It gives me a charlie horse to keep it on a hill. Can I achieve adequate quad relief by just putting in a w108 chassis master cylinder/booster, or just the cylinder/booster and front discs, or do I need to do it all (cylinder/booster, front & back disc)?

Thanks

 

[bostosh]

Drum brakes

I had once a W111 220SEb early 1960 version.
Drum Brakes, with outboard power booster, Original stuff.
after the power booster gave up. I bypassed it.
Self-adjusters worked fine too.
If the brakes were well maintained, they worked as good as anything.

The problem with drum brakes is that they need more attention than discs.
They stop as good as discs.
sure discs will not fade as quickly but they will,
are you racing? if not keep those drums.
At first application (as in a panic)
they will stop the car (if maintained.)
I was getting the shoes re-lined locally and used the drums for 17 years maybe 10 without the booster.
Brian O

 

[merrick]

that's good to know

I wouldn't want to go through the hassle of some retrofit to find no noticeable improvement. But hopefully there is some model that has brakes closer to what I'm used to in a more modern car that can be retrofitted to this one. I'm not racing, I'm talking about just holding it on a hill and regular braking coming up to a traffic light. I would not feel comfortable with these brakes in a panic stop. The guy I bought it from replaced all the flexible brake hoses, master cylinder, rebuilt 2 slaves and flushed and bled correctly and religiously. There is no spongy feel to them. Shoes are good. The only thing he didn't mention was turning the drums.

 

[wbain]

With this model you can swap over the diff assembly to get rear discs,BUT,and it's a big "BUT," there is body work involved here.The rear disc brakes require a couple of mounts to fabricated for the caliper hold down/anti dive arms. The diff width etc is the same and will bolt straight in,the only down side is the ratio will be higher from the later model gas car.It may work ,but I suspect it will be too high geared for the little diesel.You can swap in the ratios from the 190 into the w108 diff.Big job.All in all it's a leggo job.[]

Only the W109 air suspension cars, 300SEL/3.5/4/5/6.3, have the anti dive, actually the anti lift arms. Any W108 wersion would work, 250S/SE, 280S/SE/SEL versions.

It would be nice to swap to at least front disc but the drums are really quite adequate for the car. You could find a 63 or later car ans swap the front suspension and brake system to get front disc and dual circuit.