I am going to replace pads and rotors on my 90' 300 CE. When ordering the parts, the tech told me that i also need 2 grease seals.
Are they for the weel bearnigs? I had performed such a job on a plymouth before and now suspect that there might be a litle more to it when it comes to mercedes (don't recall any grease seals partisipating in brake replacement on the plymouth).
I am looking for some hints on this project.
Also if i will have to clean and grease the weel bearings, can i use any grease for this purpose or it has to be a sertain OEM grease?
Thanks in advance

Dmitry
90' 300CE

Yes, your Plymouth had inner grease seals too. It's common for folks to reuse grease seals, but it never hurts to replace them. You typically have to pry them out to get out the inner wheel bearing.

You should clean and pack the bearings, and use a high temperature grease. A good molybdenum disulphide gun grease will work well. But it has to be capable of taking the heat. The old honey colored grease is typically not up to the task.

Pack the individual bearings well, and add grease insided the hub all around level with the imaginary line between the inside diameter of the races.

Good luck,


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Larry Bible
'84 Euro 240D, 516K miles
'88 300E 5 Speed
'81 300D Daughter's Car
Over 800,000 miles in
Mercedes automobiles

Uhhhh, I have done a million of these and I have never taken apart the bearings. You can just replace the pads and rotors without touching the seals or bearings. I had a 124 for over 200k and the wheel bearings were never touched. The grease they use is very tough and they just hold up. I have only seen two fail in 10 years.

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Benzmac:
1981 280GE SWB
1987 16V
ASE CERTIFIED MASTER AUTO TECHNICIAN
SERVICE MANAGER FOR 14 BAY FACILITY
MERCEDES SPECIALIST 8 YRS
PARTNER IN MERCEDESSHOP.COM

Yeah, don't worry about repacking the bearings on a 124. The rotors are held on by a 5mm (I believe) allen screw. Just unbolt the caliper and hang it out of the way then remove the allen screw and the rotor will come off. Sometimes the rears can get stuck, but just take a soft hammer to them from the rear and they will break loose. You might have to adjust the parking brake shoes though. For that you'll need to stick a flatblade screwdriver through the opening in the hub and turn the starwheel either up or down. I can't remember which way but try it both ways and see which way loosens the tension. Just for future reference, if you ever do decide (or need) to repack the bearings, I always always use the Mercedes grease. It comes in a tube and is neon green in color. Available readily at your local parts counter (or through parts shop). Also, be sure to get some of the Mercedes anti squeal paste (comes in little packets) to apply to the pad backings. Two packets should be enough for four pads. Use them half and half for each pad. Put the paste on the backing and a little on the top and bottom edges, but be careful not to get any on the material itself, just on the slide points. Hope this helps!


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Rgds,
Aaron Greenberg
MB technician
Precision Motorcars, Cincinnati, Ohio
'67 250SE Cabriolet
'77 450SL
'80 300SD
'85 380SE
'89 420SEL
'93 300E 2.8
'74 Jensen Interceptor Mk.III
'81 DeLorean DMC12
'85 BMW 745i Turbo

Thanks, this helps a lot. I would gladly listen to you and would not touch the bearings but....
I drive a lot in New York, preaty bumpy roads, and already got the seals. If this is more or less an easy task, and i will be taking everything off any way shouldn't I as well repack the bearings? I am not lazy when it comes to my Benz and I'll go the extra mile. Is it really unesesary thing to do?
Thanks again for your advice, until i scrape an extra hundred for the CD you guys are the only source of advice I can get.

Dmitry
90' 300CE

DMITRY,

Listen to Benzmac, he's seen enough of these to know what works and what doesn't.

Just unbolt the rotor from the hub and leave the wheel bearings alone unless the bearings feel rough when turning it.

I got off on my wheel bearing lecture, because you mentioned the grease seals.

Good luck,

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Larry Bible
'84 Euro 240D, 516K miles
'88 300E 5 Speed
'81 300D Daughter's Car
Over 800,000 miles in
Mercedes automobiles