Brake discs buckled, and what manufacturer???

[JonaSM]

Hi
I changed my brake discs for the cheapest ones and they buckled within a year.
I replaced them with original Mercedes ones as I thought that was the reason, and they buckled within a year too.

I always replace the pads at the same time, I clean and lubricate the guide pins and torque everything and all of that.

it’s a w203 220cdi automatic and I do a lot of braking, but I also do a lot of braking with my BMW 5 and I haven’t had a problem in 5 years.

what is causing that?
Also, What manufacturer does Mercedes use for brakes?

 

[mattkh]

Hi
I changed my brake discs for the cheapest ones and they buckled within a year.

What brand did you use?
You drive the Merc on wet days with loads of puddles. You use the BMW on dry days. That would explain the buckling.

 

[bembo449]

ive never had a set of brakes buckle on any car ive owned wether they be cheap or OE spec

 

[ajlsl600]

What brand did you use?
You drive the Merc on wet days with loads of puddles. You use the BMW on dry days. That would explain the buckling.

Hang on a min.these things esp OM are required to work in rain ,puddles ect.if the car is not on a track ? And discs correctly fitted ( hard to see how not) the discs are not fit for purpose and maker should replace. I believe these probs come up as makers ,all, keep trying to make things to min costs/stds that can achieved.
I have had many makes of car, but until I started buying mb I had never needed to change discs and I have never changed discs on any motorbike I have owned.I accept this was all some time ago but my audi quatro had great brakes as did my xr3i and all my others they have just been engineered to be consumer items.like plastic water pumps ,inlet manifolds and as much else as possible.
I could inherit my old mans old rover or wolseley ,fat chance of that happening now
I might be able to inherit his debt.

 

[Mark A]

Make sure the hubs are spotless before you put the new disc’s on.

 

[JonaSM]

Make sure the hubs are spotless before you put the new disc’s on.

I always use a wire brush on a drill and the some anti size

 

[Wighty]

Can failing control arm bushes create a pulsing that feels like disc problems

 

[00slk]

I always use a wire brush on a drill and the some anti size

It still doesn't mean they are a true fit.
I had this trouble once with my X-Type Jag, I fitted new discs and pads, had everything spotlessly clean and within months the discs were shaking the steering wheel when braking. I blamed the Pagid discs, however it wasn't the discs at fault, the discs weren't fitting tightly against the hub, it was my fitting and I have been in the car trade for a few years

 

[JonaSM]

It still doesn't mean they are a true fit.
I had this trouble once with my X-Type Jag, I fitted new discs and pads, had everything spotlessly clean and within months the discs were shaking the steering wheel when braking. I blamed the Pagid discs, however it wasn't the discs at fault, the discs weren't fitting tightly against the hub, it was my fitting and I have been in the car trade for a few years

How can I find that out?

 

[ajlsl600]

Magnetic dti look at run out.

 

[joderest]

Have to ask, is it front or rear disc's that are warping. Is it just one or a pair?
Reason i ask is that you have not mentioned if you have checked the callipers in their operation.
If they are the type that have piston at front and rear, then if one is sticking, it will cause the other to warp the disc as uneven pressure.
I had this on my W163, it warped brand new disc's in about 2,000 miles, rebuilt both callipers, fitted new disc's, no further issues.
Its worth checking your callipers for correct operation.

 

[Oldspanners]

If you use anti-seize use as little as possible and keep it just around the centre of the hub and not on the mating faces.

 

[mattkh]

If you use anti-seize use as little as possible and keep it just around the centre of the hub and not on the mating faces.

Is this because the anti-seize contains copper granules and this may interfere with the ABS sensor?

 

[00slk]

More likely to splash out onto the disc when the car is in motion and the heat from the hub can thin the copper slip making it runny. Any type of slippery stuff around the brakes really need to used in minute quantities.

 

[Oldspanners]

Is this because the anti-seize contains copper granules and this may interfere with the ABS sensor?

No, it's to ensure that the disc seats squarely.
Some people may be over enthusiastic with their application.

 

[LostKiwi]

Is this because the anti-seize contains copper granules and this may interfere with the ABS sensor?

No it's because the metal faces need to be spotlessly clean and anything between them can carry and hide contamination which can make the disc run out of true.

 

[ajlsl600]

More likely to splash out onto the disc when the car is in motion and the heat from the hub can thin the copper slip making it runny. Any type of slippery stuff around the brakes really need to used in minute quantities.

Wipe off with a little thinner or petrol.any residue wont be there long

 

[star]

Front hubs on 203’s can get a build up of rust that a wire brush can not shift, it needs to be shiney all over the face, then treated. Merc discs also rust quickly, just have a look after washing the wheels. We recommend that you dry the brakes after washing so not to leave a rusty impression of your brake pad on the disc.

 

[Uncle Benz]

Tell me about how you are bedding them in too please.
The comments others have made about the hubs being scrupulously clean are completely valid. When everything else has been done absolutely correctly it comes down to the bedding in process.

Also, absolutely nothing between the hub and the disc please. Nothing, nada, nil. No copperslip in there at all. At Rolls Royce they used to use grinding paste to match the disc to the hub, then clean it all three times before assembling

 

[Craiglxviii]

Brake disks do not buckle or warp. Urban myth.

They can be fitted to run out of true, as mentioned.

They can contain manufacturing inclusions or have incorrect heat treatment process which may induce uneven wear at one point on the surface, creating a high spot which will produce the pulsing effect. This issue is pretty easy to design out with modern OEMs.

But... they don’t buckle or warp.