C43 (W202) Steering vibration & short lived front brake discs

[JamesM]

Thanks for the extra info.....will follow up with MB and let you know. James.

 

[angus falconer]

I have warped almost-new C43 disks by performing three hard stops and on the final one keeping my foot on the brakes at a red light. Job done.

I always creep every few seconds now to prevent excessive heat building up under the pads and warping the disks.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I have warped almost-new C43 disks by performing three hard stops and on the final one keeping my foot on the brakes at a red light. Job done.

I always creep every few seconds now to prevent excessive heat building up under the pads and warping the disks.

Maybe upgrading to some decent brakes might be in order, or at least try to sort the cooling. You can buy cooling kits for front brakes, ducts and hoses etc, makes quite a difference jetting cool air from an intake at the front onto the disks and calipers.

Maybe just a change to different manufacture of disks might help.

The disks are just starting to go on my car, no surprize with the auto box and the weight, but i think MB dropped the ball slightly with the size of the disks on the front, not so much the diameter but thickness, they could do with being another 4mm overall. 28mm is just not thick enough.

 

[bigasotonuk]

Early smaller engine sized C class Mercedes had brake cooling ducts Mercedes in their infinite wisdom done away with these on the AMG and put additional fog lights in their place. Brake cooling ducts are of very limited use unless the air can be placed directly in front of the discs. You do get better brake cooling with bigger wheels however

 

[angus falconer]

Maybe upgrading to some decent brakes might be in order, or at least try to sort the cooling. You can buy cooling kits for front brakes, ducts and hoses etc, makes quite a difference jetting cool air from an intake at the front onto the disks and calipers.

I'm not sure how much use cooling ducts would have been in this case as I was accelerating hard then immediately braking VERY hard three times in a row with no prolonged crusing. I won by the way

Maybe just a change to different manufacture of disks might help.

Yes but can't recall anyone on the UK forums finding any. On the US forums they often go for 18 inch wheels and brake upgrades. But that's an expensive road to go down plus vey bad ride on UK roads.

The disks are just starting to go on my car, no surprize with the auto box and the weight, but i think MB dropped the ball slightly with the size of the disks on the front, not so much the diameter but thickness, they could do with being another 4mm overall. 28mm is just not thick enough.

You may well be right - they are good in terms of pure stopping power though - better 62mph to zero than a Ferarri 550 when new....

 

[Dan996]

I'm wondering if there is a problem with your calipers which is causing the problem with your brake discs. I don't know your setup but I know on bikes that it is quite easy for the calipers to stick.

One thing i do no is blobcat is right its the calipers if your brakes stick for whatever reason and they become to hot quite often the piston in the cali turns slightly oval therefor it wont come right back into the caliper. Thats why your brakes are wearing quickly and disks warping because you are effectivley driving with your foot on the brake. hope that helps.

 

[angus falconer]

One thing i do no is blobcat is right its the calipers if your brakes stick for whatever reason and they become to hot quite often the piston in the cali turns slightly oval therefor it wont come right back into the caliper. Thats why your brakes are wearing quickly and disks warping because you are effectivley driving with your foot on the brake. hope that helps.

Makes sense based on my experience - if the pad rests against the disk when the disk is hot and stationary the heat differential warps the disk as the rest of the disk gets to cool off much quicker

 

[Parrot of Doom]

The other night and went out and did a few emergency stops from about 70mph.

4 stops later, and the discs aren't warped any more