How to easily replace front brake discs or rotors and brake pads on a Mercedes S-Class (and other cars)

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This guide describes how to quickly and easily replace your car's brake discs (sometimes called brake rotors) and brake pads. It specifically relates to the front discs and pads on a Mercedes S-Class (W221), but the technique can be used for all car's although the details and required tools may change. Replacing your brake discs and pads is not hard, it will save you a lot of money and only requires some cheap standard tools. If things go smoothly replacing your disc brakes and pads should take no longer than 1 hour. No procedure is totally without some risk so please ensure you have read this disclaimer (click here)
Introduction
Replacing brake discs (or rotors) and pads is a very easy job and it's hard to screw it up if you follow the correct procedure. These are big hulking pieces of metal that are specifically designed to be replaced regularly and to only fit on one way so you can't mess up your brakes. This all makes the job easy and suited to a beginner if they follow the workshop instructions and take every required precaution. For this reason, in professional garages this sort of job is often given to trainees and then once finished is checked by an experienced technician.
Doing this job yourself can save you and awful lot of cash for very little time and effort. Assuming all goes well, it should take no more than 1hr if you have done this sort of thing before, if you're inexperienced budget for 3hrs. I replaced my pads and discs for £170 ($227) all in, but a dealer will charge you upwards of £450 ($600)and that's if everything goes well - if it doesn't (as was the case for this S Class) you could be looking at a £1000 ($1335) or more! So why does it cost so much at a dealers? Especially as they may be whacking the least experienced employee on the job....Well, it all comes down to high overheads and warranty - dealers need to maintain the franchise brand and so will often have huge premises in expensive locations which leads to high overheads; then there's the warranty for their services and parts.... dealers can often buy the same parts (and I do mean the same, despite what you may hear!) at parts warehouses for far cheaper than the own brand equivalent. However, if they buy and fit this cheaper alternative how will they warranty it? Bottom line is they can't, so they have to stick with their expensive own brand source. The result is labour that costs upwards of £110 per hour and parts that are often up to 50% more expensive.
Should you use 'Genuine' dealer parts or the OEM equivalent?
Hands down use OEM for your brake discs and pads, but you'll need to do the research to find the right manufacturer so you can be sure they are the true OEM supplier of the original equipment to Mercedes or whoever. There's a lot of misinformation on the internet about OEM discs warping, failing etc. etc. but I have never run into a case of quality OEM disc failure that was clearly down to a manufacturing fault, they've always been down to either fitment errors, sticking calipers or improper break in. The most usual cause is a fitment error, almost always where the hub spider's face has not been cleaned properly... that's trainees working to a strict fitment time for you! The other thing I think that happens is that people buy cheap, poor quality aftermarket parts that are not from the OEM supplier. This is because a lot of people are confused about what OEM actually means (i.e. its the original supplier of the parts to the car manufacturer, not any old aftermarket part!) So apart from the massive price increase, take it from me that there's nothing more 'genuine' about dealer parts when compared to the true OEM supplier's parts - they are the same ones!
If you don't believe me think of it this way - would a quality OEM supplier (that is the original manufacturer of the equipment for Mercedes or whoever) knowingly release substandard parts to the aftermarket whilst in most cases offering a 25000 mile warranty? Especially considering that aftermarket supply is by far their largest fee earner? Of course not, they'd lose aftermarket share pretty fast and if Mercedes or whoever caught on they'd lose their OEM supply contract pretty sharpish as well. It's actually worse than that for the OEM supplier as they usually don't just supply one car manufacturer they supply many and they originally got these supply contracts on the basis that they produce consistent quality parts to the aftermarket..... hence OEM suppliers are very keen to ensure that the aftermarket gets top quality products. So the bottom line is that in almost all cases OEM suppliers release the same parts to the aftermarket as they do to the car manufacturers like Mercedes.
OK, but are there any advantages in buying 'genuine' dealer parts instead of OEM parts? No, and there can even be a huge disadvantage - warranty! Dealers will often only honour and provide a warrant/guarantee with their 'genuine' parts if they are fitted by a 'genuine' Mercedes qualified mechanic (i.e. a registered dealer or independent specialist). If you fit the parts yourself then they have no warranty attached and are sold 'as seen'. It is then up to 'dealer discretion' as to whether they will give you your money back if things go wrong and many simply won't. However, OEM suppliers provide a warranty without this restriction and with my OEM brake discs and pads I can be safe in the knowledge that I can return them for a full refund if they go wrong in the next 25,000 miles! Given all this, why anyone would buy more expensive parts from a dealer in the full knowledge that they have no warranty or come back is beyond me!
So buy OEM, but do your research - in the case of the S Class it was Pagid who made the original discs for Mercedes, so it was Pagid 335's that I bought. Also, in most cases, it is a good idea to buy the brake pads from the same manufacturer as the discs - this is because they will have been specifically designed to work well together.
But will a professional do a better job than you can ?
Maybe, but probably not. Replacing brake discs and pads is sometimes frustrating but it is not difficult. In fact most garages I know give it to the least experienced mechanics as as I've previously said. So in all probability the guy replacing your brake discs and pads could have less experience than you - OK, yes the job will be checked by a experienced professional once finished, but if you're really that worried simply book your car in for a 15 min check after you have completed the job with the garage - most won't even charge you! However, this "check" is easy and I would do it yourself as it is simply a case of "is everything secure, does the car brake as it should and is any brake fluid leaking out under pressure? ".
How do brake calipers and brake pads work?
There are two common braking systems found in cars - Disc Brakes and Drum Brakes. Most modern cars use disc brakes as they have some significant advantages over drum brakes. This guide is about disc brakes which look totally different to drum brakes (see photo). You will find drum brakes on some modern cars where they are used only for the handbrake (or parking brake) - Mercedes and BMW both do this. This is why, if you pull off the rear brake disc of a Mercedes, you will find inside the disc that you have a drum brake as well as your rear disc brakes!
Disc brakes work by the caliper 'squeezing' the brake disc between two brake pads to slow it down or stop it turning completely. As the brake disc is connected to your wheels this slows (or stops) the car. For most newer cars the front brakes have brake pads that are held inside the brake caliper by two retaining pins and a spring plate (see diagram). The pistons inside the caliper slide out and squeeze the brake pads against the brake disc. As this happens the brake pads slide up and down these pins and brake vibrations are stopped by the spring plate. Rear brakes are usually of very slightly different design, but this is not always the case.
Obviously as the brake pads rub on the brake disc (or brake rotor), the disc and pads will both wear down over time and need replacing. Therefore, they are made to be replaced very easily - for example you can replace the Mercedes front brake discs and pads by only removing 2 bolts, 2 retaining pins and a screw! The whole operation is very fast and should take less than 1 hour. If you're only replacing brake pads then you just need to remove the two retaining pins and spring plate - the pads just slide out! Rear brakes are (if anything) even easier due to their different design.
Do you really need to replace your brake discs and pads?
In all cases - if you need to replace discs then you should also replace the pads and visa versa. You must also replace the whole axle set (e.g. if your front pads need doing, you need to replace discs and pads at the front on both sides of the car)
There are really only a few common failures in the modern braking system as it is very simple. You can wear your pads and rotors down until they need to be replaced or brake discs can crack needing replacement. The piston(s) that squeeze your brake pads against the brake disc can become gummed up or jammed so they don't move and your brakes stick on or off. Brake fluid can leak past deteriorating seals on old pistons. That's it! The easiest way to find out if you need to replace your discs or pads is to take it to a garage for a free inspection. That said the information below should help you do this inspection yourself:
If your brake discs look like the photo then you probably need to replace them as they are deeply scored. If you have vent holes drilled in your discs you will get a wavy wear pattern - this is normal. The wavy ridges are down to uneven wear caused by the vented holes in the disc and should not be present on unvented discs. If your discs have a large lip around the edge or serious scoring or a crack then you need to replace them. All discs have the minimum thickness stamped on them and there is additionally a marker for minimum thickness. This visual wear marker is usually a machined flat, cut or hole. When the discs wear down to this marker it shows up visually as an obvious 'bite' out of the disc, or as a hole in the face of the disc, or as a flat in the round circumference of the disc (think how a flat tyre looks and you'll get the idea). If discs reach their minimum thickness they must be replaced. Also, if you are experiencing judder when you brake you may have warped discs and they must be replaced.
Worn brake pads are easier to diagnose by anyone. Sometimes (but not always) if your pads get worn low and you will have a wear indicator pop up in the dash (a message or warning light). However, sensors are usually only put on one pad on one side of the car, and not all cars have wear sensors. So I'd recommend a recommend a simple twice yearly visual inspection as well. This will help you catch a sticking caliper issue early. With a sticking caliper your brakes could wear very quickly on one (and only one) pad - it will then be a 1 in 4 chance that this pad is the same one with the brake wear sensor. In this case, you might never be warned by a light on the dash before you run out of brake material.....it's happened to me! So inspect your pads regularly, even if you have wear sensors. If when you look at the pads there is less than 3mm on the face material of the brake pad left, then you need to replace them. However, I'd recommend you replace them anytime after there is about 5mm of wear left just to be on the safe side.
IMPORTANT: Safety First (Please Read!)
Working on brakes is potentially dangerous both during and after the repair:
You may need to work under the car. You will certainly need to work under a wheel arch. If a car falls on you, then you are at best in for a long stay in a hospital, at worst you're dead. Be sensible and safe when jacking, supporting and working under a car (Click to see this guide).
You will come into contract with brake dust - don't worry you have probably come into contact with this every time you clean your cars wheels! However, brake dust is not good for you. The use of asbestos in brakes has not been common for a long time, but it still does happen. Take precautions, don't blow out brake dust and avoid breathing it in. People tend to panic at the word 'Asbestos' - but how many mechanics do you know that have Asbestoses? So please do not use 'Asbestos' as an excuse not to do your brakes, get things into perspective and remember you do drive this car every day only meters away from your brakes!
Brake parts can sometimes be 'handed' - this means there are left hand and right hand parts, or inside and outside etc. Check your brake pads thoroughly for labeling and read the instructions that come with them. Similarly check the brake discs (if you are replacing them) and read any instructions that come with them. Fitting parts to the wrong side of the car will at best cause brakes to squeal and at worst could cause them to fail. I'll say it again - read the instructions that come with your parts.
You're unlikely to come into contact with any brake fluid during this procedure but if you do......Brake fluid is corrosive and will damage paint work and your skin. Wipe any up immediately if it is spilt. It is not as bad as some people think (I've accidentally squirted it in my eyes and I was fine), but have some water handy to douse yourself if you have an accident with it (e.g. eyes). Basically treat it like household bleach and you'll be fine. Always wear barrier cream and nitryl gloves and have some rags handy to mop up. You can leave it on your hands for quite some time during a repair, but it will eventually make them red and itchy.
I'd recommend you use a torque wrench to ensure bolts and nuts are tightened the right amount.
When you have completed work always use the triple check rule: (1) check the work you've done in situ (2) road test and then check the work you've done again (3) finally re-check the work you've done after driving 50 miles. This is particularly important with brakes.
Tools and Equipment
Getting the right result without spending hours or skinning your knuckles is all about having the right stuff handy. What you need for this job is:
Essential for all cars:
- Brake Calipers x 2
- Brake Pads x 2
- Wear sensor x 1 (not really required unless the warning light on the dash went off telling you of brake wear)
- Spare brake pad retaining pins x 4 (not really necessary but if yours are stuck....)
- Axle stand
- Jack
- Socket set
- A breaker bar (or a substantial torque wrench)
- Torque wrench (although you can get away without)
- Flat head screwdriver and/or plumbers' water-pump pliers
- Lump hammer (a substantial one)
- 4-5mm drift or flat head punch (get a chunky one)
- Wire brush or angle grinder with wire brush
- Strong string or rope
- G-Clamp (not required unless there's a stuck piston)
- Copper grease (not essential but highly recommended)
- Penetrating oil (WD40 or similar)
Additional items essential for the S Class W221:
- T30 Torx socket
- Star socket set (although you could get away without)
MAIN PROCEDURE: How to replace brake pads and brake discs (or brake rotors)
This procedure describes how to replace the front brake discs (or rotors) and brake pads in a Mercedes S-Class W221. Most modern Mercedes cars use the same general brake system so this procedure should be widely transferable to other models and the general approach is applicable to any vehicle. Please ensure you have read the information in the above sections and that you have the correct tools available. If things go smoothly replacing your disc brakes and pads should take no longer than 1 hour.
Working on brakes is potentially dangerous both during and after the repair - always use the triple check rule: (1) check the work you've done in situ (2) road test and then check the work you've done (3) finally re-check the work you've done after driving 50 miles. Garages and dealers can't use the triple check rule, they can only double check, which is one good reason I always work on brakes myself and I've never let them (or anyone else) near the braking systems on any of my cars.
Step 1 - Get the wheel off
Before you jack up the car make sure the handbrake is on, it's in Park (or chocked) and loosen the wheel nuts a little on the wheel you are going to remove. Then jack the car up, support it and take the wheel off. You may find it easier to take both front wheels off the ground, if that is the case ensure you use good chocks and support the car properly. Click here for a guide that tells you how to safely jack up and support your Mercedes with either 2 or 4 wheels off the ground.
Step 2 - Preparations to make things easier
Sometimes brake retaining pins get stuck and you can make the whole job a lot easier by wire brushing the ends where the pins enter the calipers and applying some penetrating oil (e.g. WD40) an hour or so in advance of trying to remove them (see photo). Normally you'd have to be very careful about getting any oil on your discs or brake pads, but if you're replacing them then you don't have to worry! However, I'd be careful anyway and ensure that your penetrating oil does not get on the pads or discs.
Now the final thing you need to do is ensure that if your brake reservoir overfills then it's not going to cause a mess. This is very unlikely to happen, but it's filled with brake fluid so it's best to be careful. Your brake fluid reservoir is located at the back of the engine bay on the driver's side - off side for right hand drive cars (see photo) and the near side for left hand drive cars. Simply unscrew the cap of the reservoir and place some rags around it to soak up any brake fluid that may spill out. If any fluid does spill out during the replacement of your brake discs and pads then you should carefully clean it all up with old rags before replacing the cap on the reservoir and then washing the area with soapy water - this is important as brake fluid is highly corrosive in the case of Dot 4 and Dot 5.5 and if you have Dot 5 (silicone) it is an absolute nightmare as it gets into everything!
Step 3 - Retract the brake pads
You now need to retract the brake pads in the caliper so that when you come to remove it, it will slide off the wheel easily. It is at this point you usually discover if you have any sticking brake caliper pistons, so cross your fingers for a smooth job!
Grab the water pump pliers as these are by far the easiest tool to use (however, if you only have a flat head screwdriver, grab that!). For water pump pliers you can retract the brake pads by gripping the caliper with one side of the jaw and using the other side to grip the metal lip of the brake pad (see photo). If you only have a screwdriver, rather than water pump pliers, then you can stick that into the small gap between the pad and the disc and use it to lever the pad back away from the disc. Repeat for both brake pads - outside and inside of the caliper - until they are fully back and away from the disc. It is best to apply continuous pressure as the pads will only move very slowly backwards. You may also find that pressing one brake pad back, forces the other one forwards - if this is the case simply use a spare screwdriver in the middle of the other pad to keep it in place while you lever the pad you're working on backwards.
If you find that one (or both) of you brake pads will not move backwards no matter how much force you apply, then it is likely that you have a stuck caliper piston. Caliper pistons stick because of lack of use and generally becoming corroded over time. Don't panic - this is not unusual! Lever the pad back as much as you can, you need to get enough of a gap between the disc and the pads to wiggle the caliper off the disc in the Step 5. This is important as your only way to remove the pads and free up the piston will be to remove the caliper with its pads inside from the disc - this means sliding it off as a whole unit, so any gap will help you with this. Once you have that gap (or as much as you're going to get) proceed to Step 4 below.
Step 4 - Remove the brake pad retaining pins, spring plate and brake pads
This can be frustrating if your pins have corroded and welded themselves to the caliper. It can take a huge amount of force to remove a stuck pin and this is why we cleaned them up and used penetrating oil on them in the preparation step. I have never failed to remove a caliper pin and have never resorted to cutting or drilling them out. If you follow the steps below then neither will you, but it can take a lot of force! You will need a proper stout 4-5mm drift (not a long and thin one, nor a nail or whatever) and you will need a heavy lump hammer, not an ordinary hammer. The pins in my S Class were the worst I'd ever come across and believe it or not, for the first time on a car I used a 20lb sledgehammer (very, very carefully while holding the 'head' in one hand!) and even shattered my first drift! This is very unusual and you will not need to do this, but you must have a heavy lump hammer and a good drift.
Working on the front side of the calipers (and while wearing gloves for protection), start to knock out the pins. You should gradually increase the force with which you hit the drift and you should eventually see the pin move. If you're having problems getting the pins out, then hit them from the back of the caliper a couple of times (i.e. driving them back in) before trying again to knock them back out. Use plenty of penetrating oil and ensure that the areas where the pins enter and leave the calipers are absolutely free of corrosion and dirt.
Once the pins have started to move, you can fairly easily knock them back and out of the caliper. Once they are out the spring plate will drop to the floor. Clean both caliper retaining pins and the spring plate- you can buy spares, but you may as well reuse the old ones. Make sure you have got every bit of corrosion and dirt off the pins as you don't want them sticking again after all that work!
You should now be able to slide the brake pads out of the caliper if you don't have a sticking caliper piston (if you did have a sticking piston then leave the pads in there and proceed to Step 5 instead). This can take some wiggling because there will be brake dust around. Note that on one side of the car you will have a wear sensor fitted in a pad which must be disconnected before the pad is removed. If the sensor is still good you can reuse it (i.e. you haven't had a warning light on the dash). Remember which pad it came from, disconnect it and pinch/wiggle it lose from the pad once the pad has been removed. As previously said, avoid breathing in brake dust.
Step 5 - Remove the caliper
It is now time to remove the brake caliper from the brake rotor. This is easy but will require a breaker bar or a long torque wrench. Have some strong string or rope handy as you'll need to hang up your caliper once it is off. If your brake pads are still in the caliper because your caliper piston was sticking, once the caliper is removed they will be simple to extract.
On the back of the caliper's bracket you will find two bolts that hold it to the hub spider (see photo). You should carefully rotate the steering wheel at this point to it's maximum lock so that the caliper is out of the wheel arch as far as is possible - this will dramatically increase the ease with which you can work on it. Clean the two caliper bolts up and use a little penetrating oil before attempting to undo them. Undoing them is easy, do not believe those stories on the internet that tell you that 'the Mercedes S Class W221 can't be lifted high enough to get a breaker bar on there' - it's simply not true (again see photo where I'm using a 3 foot breaker bar). Be careful as you undo the last of the two bolts as the caliper will fall off the wheel when it is out - so hold the caliper with one hand as you remove the last bolt.
Slide the caliper off the brake disc. With the caliper off it's time to hang it up safely using strong string or rope. Never ever leave a caliper hanging from its own brake pipe as this could severely damage your ability to brake in future (you could weaken the brake pipe causing it to burst!). I've seen many video tutorials on the internet where calipers are just left dangling from brake pipes - if you see a video where this is done, I'd suggest you disregard all the advice in the whole video as they obviously have no idea what they are doing.
Step 6 - Free up any sticking caliper pistons
You can skip this step if none of your caliper pistons were sticking and not retracting. Once a caliper starts sticking, you really need to replace or repair the whole caliper, but that is a whole other guide. However, you can temporarily free up a stuck caliper just to get you back on the road. If you do this, be aware that the caliper will stick again and probably after a few months to a year - so plan on replacing or repairing it properly in the near future. Anyway, below are the simple steps for unsticking a stuck caliper piston and get you back on the road:
1. Assuming the caliper is stuck even partly out (they usually are) you need to find a sturdy G Clamp and a Penny Washer
2. Place the penny washer on the piston and centre the G Clamp on top of that (see photo)
3. Use the G Clamp to push the piston back in by tightening it up
4. Place the caliper back into position over the disc and reinsert the brake pads on all the other pistons (you can put them in sideways to avoid fouling the stuck piston)
5. Go and pump the brake pedal inside the car to push out the stuck piston - your goal here is to push it out about 1-1.5cm but not touch the disc with it. Once it's done, pull the caliper back off the disc.
6. Repeat this procedure from step 1 several times until the piston is moving freely and can be pushed back easily.
Step 7 - Remove the old brake discs (or rotors)
Now it's time to remove the brake discs. To make things easier I often use penetrating oil to break up the rust line on front brake discs. Squirt a little on the sides of the bolt holes for the wheel bolts and around the hub. I'd also use a bit on the brake disc retaining screw. Now follow the procedure below:
1. Use a T30 bit to remove the single brake disc retaining screw (A in Photo).
2. Remove the plastic wheel spacer if you have one using a blade and a screwdriver - it should lever away easily (B in Photo).
3. Grip the disc to stop it falling to the floor when it comes off. Then grab your lump hammer and give the central face of the brake disc a good hard series of taps around the full area - your aim here is to break the rust line that will have formed on the back of the face and which is holding the disc onto the hub (C in Photo).
4. If this hasn't broken the brake disc away from the hub, give it another series of hard taps around the full circumference of the central raised portion of the disc (D in Photo).
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until the brake disc comes away from the hub and the spider. You can now lift it off.
Step 8 - Clean and fit the new brake disc
As previously said, most brake disc defects are caused (in my experience) by improper fitting - usually because the face of the spider (and hub) on which the new brake disc was fitted just wasn't fully cleaned. If this face isn't sparkling clean then the disc will not sit flat and ultimately may warp in use. You need to get this face absolutely sparkling clean, chipping away all hard rust flakes if there are any - you do not want anything other than a totally flat surface. Once you are happy follow the following procedure:
1. Double check using a torch that the hub and spider plate are absolutely clean, flat and free of any raised rust.
2. Lightly copper grease the spider plate and hub face.
3. Fit the new discs being careful not to get any copper grease on the braking face
4. Retighten the T30 brake disc retaining screw.
5. Replace the plastic wheel spacer if you had one.
Step 9 - Refit the caliper and new brake pads
1. Fit the brake caliper without any brake pads - refitting is a reversal of removal, see Step 5. I'd recommend you use copper grease on the bolts and tighten them to 115Nm torque if you have a torque wrench.
2. Read the instructions that came with the brake pads - they could be handed, so make sure you select the right pair. If you had a wear sensor fitted, then now's the time to refit it to the appropriate pad.
3. Lightly copper grease the back of the new brake pads - ensure you don't get any on the braking face of the pads.
4. Slide the new brake pads into the caliper, aligning the pin holes so you can slide in the retaining pins.
5. Copper grease the ends of the pins where they fit into the brake caliper. This is especially important on the locking face side of the pin that has the metal collar fitted - you do not want these sticking in future!
6. Place the spring plate (right side up!) into position and knock in one of the pins. Now press the middle of the spring plate to extend it and knock in the other pin.
7. Check everything is secure and fitted correctly. If you had a wear sensor, reconnect the plug for it into the socket.
Step 10 - Finishing up (The Triple Check)
The Triple Check is really important for safety so please make sure you complete it:
Check 1 - Recheck everything in-situ. Before you put the wheels back on and lower the car to the ground you need to check everything you replaced in situ - this includes spring plates, connectors, bolts and screws. Check everything is connected and tightened to the correct torque. Spin the disc and check that nothing is sticking and everything is moving as it should - carefully depress the brake pedal and re-check. If everything is secure then put the wheels back on the car and lower it to the ground. Finally, depress the brake pedal again a few times and check that it doesn't feel spongy, and doesn't slowly sink to the floor.
Check 2 - Recheck everything after a short test drive. Take the car for a drive, first gently test your brakes and then choose somewhere safe and try a single emergency stop (don't do more than one as your new brakes need to bed in). Take the car back home, jack up each corner in turn (safely!) and repeat the procedure in Check 1. If everything is OK proceed to the final check (Check 3).
Check 3 - Recheck everything after you have driven 50 miles. Drive the car normally and follow the break in procedure that was outlined in the instructions that came with the new brake discs. However, do not take it on any long journeys yet. After you have completed around 50 miles in it you need to carry out the final checks. As before, jack up each corner in turn (safely!) and repeat the procedure in Check 1. If everything is OK then .... Congratulations! You have completed the triple check and successfully replaced your own brake discs and pads! Grab a brew you deserve it!

How to replace brake discs and pads @ www.jamesandtracy.co.uk

Save money and replace front brake discs & pads yourself

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