[SkippyJasper]

I replaced the brakes including rotors on my '08 ML 320 over the last couple of days.
Vehicle has 115,000 miles and were on the original set of brakes as far as I can tell.

The brake wear light has been on for a while and the RR set of pads had a sixteenth on the outer and an eighth on the inner. RF was also to the wear sensor though more than the rear. LF and LR had life left.

Couple of observations:
The passenger side bolts holding the caliper brackets were very difficult to remove compared to the drivers side.
May be a consequence of living in Michigan with winter salt.
Not sure, but I checked a couple of times to be certain I was loosening. Had to use a breaker with a 2 foot cheater.

Both front rotor keeper bolts had to be drilled out. Rears loosened just fine.

Front calipers require a 9 mm hex. Of course my set went 8 to 10. Grrr.

New MB brake fluid as well. The existing stuff looked slightly dark, but OK.

Question of the moment:
Is there a life expectancy to wheel bolts?

At this age would it be prudent to run a tap through the hub and run the bolts through a die to clean any grunge?

I had some resistance when mounting the wheels and I had not done anything to the bolts or wheels. I ran them in by hand and wrench - no power tools.

Appreciate your thoughts.

Skippy

 

[43sqd]

Use Copper Based Anti seize compound. No compound on wheel bolts.

 

[SkippyJasper]

I solved the bolt problem today. Acquired a 14mm x 1.5 tap and die and ran the bolts through the die and the tap though the hub.

Turns out it was a combination of rust and grunge as the bolts went in much more easily and it was a clean torque - no squeaks.

Now for the other three....

Skippy

 

[SkippyJasper]

Use Copper Based Anti seize compound. No compound on wheel bolts.

43sqd,

The use of the anti-seize is just between the wheel and rotor, correct?

The rotors I used (Zimmerman) were pretty specific on no compounds between hub and rotor.

I use anti-seize between wheel and rotor, but not copper based. I'm thinking it is aluminum based.
Maybe that contributed to the problem?

Thanks for the advice.

Skippy

 

[drews472]

Wheel bolts should last a very long time.. obviously if they rust and you clean them with a tap or wire wheel you'll whatever coating on them off and theyll rust again...the tech next to me bought a 5 ft long snapon 3/4 ratchet just to take off seized lug bolts..he name her Bertha

One thing Ive noticed about silver antiseize is when it gets hot over and over, it'll get very hard and tacky, which is probably why copper based was suggested. Your rotor hats might already have a coating on them to prevent sticking to the hub, but I've always put a thin coating between the hub and rotor, even tech trainers have told me to do this..NEVER put antisieze on lug bolts..the master tech next to me still hasn't figured this out lol

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[drews472]

I'll add I've never experienced lugs shearing off but I have seen it happen on an Audi...if your lugs are questionable, I'd replace them. I think a full set is around 130 bucks from your dealer. What's the price of keeping your wheels from falling off at 70mph on an exit ramp?

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[SkippyJasper]

Wheel bolts should last a very long time.. obviously if they rust and you clean them with a tap or wire wheel you'll whatever coating on them off and theyll rust again...the tech next to me bought a 5 ft long snapon 3/4 ratchet just to take off seized lug bolts..he name her Bertha

One thing Ive noticed about silver antiseize is when it gets hot over and over, it'll get very hard and tacky, which is probably why copper based was suggested. Your rotor hats might already have a coating on them to prevent sticking to the hub, but I've always put a thin coating between the hub and rotor, even tech trainers have told me to do this..NEVER put antisieze on lug bolts..the master tech next to me still hasn't figured this out lol

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Interesting observation on the silver anti-seize.

I understand the part about not adding anything to the wheel bolt threads.
Do you find that most 'stuck' wheel bolts have not been removed for years?

Thank you for the response.

Skippy

 

[drews472]

Interesting observation on the silver anti-seize.

I understand the part about not adding anything to the wheel bolt threads.
Do you find that most 'stuck' wheel bolts have not been removed for years?

Thank you for the response.

Skippy

Yes and no. My dealership is relatively small so I work on a lot of the same cars over and over, I remember a few cars where I pull the wheels off for a rotate and balance no problem and 10k later I'm using Bertha to break them free. It all depends on how much moisture works it's way into the threads..them more your car sits, the worse they'll be, definitely in winter with salt laid down on the roads, etc.

However, I do believe Mercedes has some dressing to put on lugs, if you have WIS it'll be in there under wheels. I'm just not at my computer to check right now.

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[SkippyJasper]

However, I do believe Mercedes has some dressing to put on lugs, if you have WIS it'll be in there under wheels. I'm just not at my computer to check right now.

I do not have ordinary access to WIS. Does the MB dressing get applied to the non-threaded part of the bolts?

If you get a chance could you provide a part number?

Might be a useful addition for the winter driving around here. Sounds like Cosmoline.

Skippy

 

[43sqd]

Anti-seize on these bolts/screws.

 

[SkippyJasper]

Good. What I did.
Thanks

 

[drews472]

Ah shit my fault man the paste they were talking about goes around the hub where the rotor sits..last time I saw it i just quickly glanced at it and I thought they were talking about the bolts so ignore what I said lol here's the pn anyways a0009897651..it's a paste that you use instead of antisieze

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[SkippyJasper]

Thanks for checking and the P/N.

Skippy