[en-em]

What rotor and brake pad combos do you guys have on your ML's, if any?? Any preferences or suggestions??

 

[rudeney]

I have Rotex pads and the original MBZ rotors on my 2001 ML320. The Rotex pads have outlasted the original MBZ pads by twice as many miles now, and with clean wheels. My only complaint about the Rotex pads is they are incredibly hard, which makes them prone to a minor bit of squeal during “soft� stops.

- RODNEY

 

[nimit]

im also using rotex kevlar pads front and rear with solid brembo rotors...

wanted to get the cross-drilled slotted...but 275 was just a little steep for me.

just had the fronts put in this weekend...the backs have been good to me so far...sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much less brake dust than the oem...it was like night and day from my front and rear rims.

im hoping the kevlar in the front will yield less dust...[]

 

[JimB]

I've replaced my OEM front to these combo: ATE Rotor and Mintex pad, still have my second OEM on my rear pads:

 

[gwwaterman]

Rotex & Brembo

These arrived a couple weeks ago, but the weather has been too harsh for me to bother with them. Now that it has started to warm up I'll get them in soon.

 

[nimit]

RE: Rotex & Brembo

evil.[!]

want to trade? seems like your brembo has holes and lines in it. possibly broken?

ahahahah ill give you mine that are nice and solid []

fair right?

 

[gwwaterman]

RE: Broke rotor

No No - I paid extra to get them broke like that! []

 

[en-em]

Thanks guys for all the info, but what's the deal with the sensor connector on the pads? Should all the pads have them or just one per axle?? Also where did you all buy your stuff at? Maybe I can score a deal too?

 

[nimit]

i bought my stuff from www. tire rack.com and www.brake world.com

i still want broken rotors~!!! well....that specific broken one ;-)

i got the brembo rotors for $70 each?
and the Rotex Kevlar pads for 45 in back 65 in front...dun remember exactly...but i just got the rears recently...so..they definately still have it.

good luck!

im gonna have to work on convincing the fellow with the broken ones that a trade would be a good idea *nudge nudge* hah.

 

[ae86pwr]

Porterfield R4-S + Zimmerman X-drilled Rotors

 

[DelJ]

Why are you guys spending extra for drilled rotors? Reports indicate that there is no improved braking off the race track. Just for the good looks?

I am about to do my rear brakes on my ML430. Probably Brembo solid rotors and Mintex (or possible Wagner) pads. I want original braking performance, same wear sensor function, low dust and no squealing. Not interested in extra hard pads. Is Mintex the way to go?

DelJ

 

[washington dc ML]

I with the help of DFSkinner have just installed Zimmerman X Drilled Rotors with PBR/Axxis Metal Masters yesterday. I just came from a quick ride into Downtown DC and I like the way they grab.

en-em - 4/5/2005 5:05 PM

What rotor and brake pad combos do you guys have on your ML's, if any?? Any preferences or suggestions??

 

[rudeney]

Why are you guys spending extra for drilled rotors? Reports indicate that there is no improved braking off the race track. Just for the good looks?

I am about to do my rear brakes on my ML430. Probably Brembo solid rotors and Mintex (or possible Wagner) pads. I want original braking performance, same wear sensor function, low dust and no squealing. Not interested in extra hard pads. Is Mintex the way to go?

Generally, cross-drilled rotors should not be used on the track since they could warp or crack under the extreme heat they would be subjected to. For everyday driving, the holes do help dissipate heat, but primarily they allow air and gases to escape from the contact surface. If you are old enough to remember corporal punishment in school, were you ever on the receiving end of a “cross-drilled� paddle? It always hurt worse because it had no air cushion. That’s the principal here.

As for pads, I believe Mintex will be a bit on the hard side, but not as hard as Rotex. Wagner is much softer and I believe Porterfield also makes a good pad that’s not too hard. You should not let hard pads bother you, though. While they may tend to squeal a little bit more than softer pads, keep in mind that it’s “normal� to have some squeal from all modern metallic pads. Harder pads will last longer which translates into less frequent service intervals.

- RODNEY

 

[gwwaterman]

Brake sensors

I guess the brake sensors differ quite a bit between models. I got some ML320 sensors by mistake one order, and I'll compare the two here. The ML320 sensors work differently, riding along in the open air, waiting to hit the rotor.
The ML430 sensor actually goes into a hole inside the pad and waits to be distroyed by the rotor when the pad wears down and exposes it.
Both of them make an electrical connection when the pad gets to a preset thickness, but I have to admit I like the encapsulated 430/55 version.
I don't know if all wheels on an ML320 get sensors, but my ML430 has sensors on all wheels and they are relatively cheap. But NO ONE sells them automatically with pads - you have to order them seperately. This is probably because they can be reused if you haven't already destroyed them when they did their job and told you that you needed brake work.

 

[xwing1124]

Give us an update on your set up.

Im running the same rotors with porterfield rs4 - they seem a bit hard to me but they do perform well.

Barry

 

[rizwansattar]

2000 ML430 - Running Porterfield RS-4's with OEM rotors.

So far have worked great. Some squealing when it's really cold (I was in Ottawa this winter and had some MAJOR screeching but only for the first 2 times I braked, when it heated up)

riz

 

[DelJ]

I have heard that drilled rotors do absolutely nothing for normal street driving. A solution looking a problem as they say. Drilled rotor sales are most likely driven by appearances now that brake rotors are so visible through the current wheel styles.

What drilled rotors might do is wear the pads down faster. Think of a cheese grater and you get the idea.

Is is definitely NOT normal to have squealing brakes. My wife's 2000 C280 has zero squealing. Likewise with a 1989 S-class that I used to drive and even my 1990 Ford had silent brakes.

DelJ

rudeney - 4/6/2005 2:32 PM
For everyday driving, the holes do help dissipate heat, but primarily they allow air and gases to escape from the contact surface.

You should not let hard pads bother you, though. While they may tend to squeal a little bit more than softer pads, keep in mind that it’s “normal� to have some squeal from all modern metallic pads.

- RODNEY

 

[rudeney]

RE: Brake sensors

I guess the brake sensors differ quite a bit between models. I got some ML320 sensors by mistake one order, and I'll compare the two here. The ML320 sensors work differently, riding along in the open air, waiting to hit the rotor.
The ML430 sensor actually goes into a hole inside the pad and waits to be distroyed by the rotor when the pad wears down and exposes it.

The rear pads on my 2001 ML320 use the encapsulated sensors, the fronts use the “exposed� sensors. My Rotex pads came with new sensors for the fronts, but not the rears. In fact, the rear pads did not even have a hole or mounting spot where I could have re-used the original sensors. Besides that, one of my front sensors was already to the rotor and not setting off the indicator, so I just left them off.

- RODNEY

 

[rudeney]

I have heard that drilled rotors do absolutely nothing for normal street driving. A solution looking a problem as they say. Drilled rotor sales are most likely driven by appearances now that brake rotors are so visible through the current wheel styles.

What drilled rotors might do is wear the pads down faster. Think of a cheese grater and you get the idea.

Is is definitely NOT normal to have squealing brakes. My wife's 2000 C280 has zero squealing. Likewise with a 1989 S-class that I used to drive and even my 1990 Ford had silent brakes.

As for the cheese grater analogy, I could see that except that the surface of the drilled rotors is still flat. If anything, it could better help expel some of the dust, which would actually promote better wear and longer life for both the pad and rotor.

I would agree that constant squealing is not normal, but with today’s metallic materials, there will be metal-to-metal contact and that means there is always the possibility of some occasional noise. I also would not compare MBZ stock pads with anything else since they are made from the softest material in the world (for two reasons, one so that they don’t squeal, and two so they wear faster and require more frequent visits to the stealer for maintenance).

- RODNEY

 

[washington dc ML]

RE: Brake sensors

My front PBR/Axxis Metal Masters came with front sensors built in. The rears didn't..

gwwaterman - 4/6/2005 9:05 PM

I guess the brake sensors differ quite a bit between models. I got some ML320 sensors by mistake one order, and I'll compare the two here. The ML320 sensors work differently, riding along in the open air, waiting to hit the rotor.
The ML430 sensor actually goes into a hole inside the pad and waits to be distroyed by the rotor when the pad wears down and exposes it.
Both of them make an electrical connection when the pad gets to a preset thickness, but I have to admit I like the encapsulated 430/55 version.
I don't know if all wheels on an ML320 get sensors, but my ML430 has sensors on all wheels and they are relatively cheap. But NO ONE sells them automatically with pads - you have to order them seperately. This is probably because they can be reused if you haven't already destroyed them when they did their job and told you that you needed brake work.