SBC - Can a competent DIY change the brake pads

[pcman_jh]

I've just returned to the Merc marque (was missing it too much) and was reading up on any articles for my 2004 E220 CDI. I've read that any car with SBC shouldn't have thier brake pads changed as a DIY job as the system is too complicated. Is this really the case, and if so, why??

 

[BlackC55]

The caliper pistons can move if the CAN system is woken up.

The best thing to do is to lock the car and put the keys in your pocket and DON'T open the door while changing them

 

[dragon]

You need a DAS to deactivate the SBC.

If you don't have one, disconnect both batteries before you start or you will get your hands squashed.

When you have disconnected the batteries, dont close the boot in case you can't open it again. As Television said put a blanket to keep the boot ajar.

Help yourself.

http://www.mercedestechstore.com/pdfs/index.htm

 

[BlackC55]

You need a DAS to deactivate the SBC.

If you don't have one, disconnect both batteries before you start or you will get your hands squashed.

When you have disconnected the batteries, dont close the boot in case you can't open it again. As Television said put a blanket to keep the boot ajar.

Help yourself.

http://www.mercedestechstore.com/pdfs/index.htm

You dont need to do all of that. Just don't open the doors while changing the pads.

Simple.

 

[dragon]

Doesn't it activated itself after your stop the car? This is the whole idea with SBC to applied the brakes. The pads cannot be changed when the brakes are applied.

 

[colechelle]

Doesn't it activated itself after your stop the car? This is the whole idea with SBC to applied the brakes. The pads cannot be changed when the brakes are applied.

No, thats why you have a handbrake!!

 

[BlackC55]

Doesn't it activated itself after your stop the car? This is the whole idea with SBC to applied the brakes. The pads cannot be changed when the brakes are applied.

They are not applied when the car is at standstill. That's what the parking brake is for.

 

[dragon]

When I stopped my car, remove the key and locked the car, the SBC activates and the brakes applied. Is this not the case?

Correct me if I am wrong.

 

[colechelle]

your wrong!

 

[dragon]

Are you saying it activates the brakes and release it again after a short while?

 

[colechelle]

If you park your car on a hill and leave it in N and dont put the handbrake on, it will roll down the hill!!

 

[television]

A perfectly safe way is to disconnect the battery,, then nothing can happen. Many change the pads/ disc like this

One danger when having key in pocket is that you can stoop down and some money or other object can press a button on the remote

 

[dragon]

That true, it happened to me a number of times locking the car inadvertently.

 

[dragon]

If you park your car on a hill and leave it in N and dont put the handbrake on, it will roll down the hill!!

Mind is an auto, very rare manual e-class.

Calm down Cole.

What the best way to change the brake fluid? Keep the door unopen and how do you activate the brake pedal?

 

[television]

Leaving the door open is not on for the average DIY the jacking point is under the door, also the wind / child can close the door or you could just knock it closed,= battery off and safe

 

[jibcl500]

I always put the keys on a shelf away from the car when Im working, Ive changed many sets of pads and never had a problem with the SBC.
jib

 

[colechelle]

Changing the fuid is done using the star machine using differnt pressure settings and a few tests after to ensure there is no air in the system,

Im calm dragon and yes i no yours is prob a auto, you still have netural tho!!!

 

[dragon]

Could someone enlighten me how SBC works?

I thought I remember Malcolm told me the SBC is activated all the time except it moving.

 

[television]

Could someone enlighten me how SBC works?

I thought I remember Malcolm told me the SBC is activated all the time except it moving.

SBC has an electric pump to keep the brakes charged, the reason for, this is that there is virtually no connection with the brake pedal, like we have on a normal car, on a normal car the foot brake will stop the car from moving at all times, say for instance you just wanted to push a normal car a few feet, you can just sit in the car and stop it from moving by pressing the brake.
With SBC you have no pedal pressure at all, its done by a pump,and and remote controlled brake pedal. To overcome the points above, this pump runs on the wake up circuit, so if you open a door, the car knows that it is going to be driven and then starts the pump running to charge the braking system up. If there is insufficient charge in the system,, then the dash lights up in red with the warning "start engine,brakes low". Once the car has gone to sleep, circa 20 mins then the SBC is out of action, to overcome accidents the engine cannot be stopped without the gear shift being in park, therefor the car will not roll when the braking system was not charged, short of a failure in the system its quite fool proof

 

[dragon]

Thanks for clarifying it, Malcolm. I am correct to say that the SBC activated the brake once you lock the car but I am startled that the SBC release the brake after 20 minutes. Nowhere in Merc owner manual said so. I have an electronic copy to prove it.

In order to change the brake pads then one has to wait 20 minutes to wait for the SBC to deactivate. It still safer to disconnect the batteries before doing so, so my original posting is correct. Cole said I was wrong.