I had a friend who swore his Mercedes rims and winter snow tires would work. He put them on and they fit. I went to pull the car out and the rear tires were locked up like the ebrake was on. Lifted it back up and they wouldnt spin so took them off. I went home and went ot apply the ebrake and nothing

Looks as if the rims are thinner and should have had either a spacer or shorter bolts as they lug bolts have pushed into the ebrake assembly. Now the ebrake doesn't work.

I looked in the service manual and didnt see any fix for the ebrake, other than adjustment, Anyone know what the solution might be to fix the ebrake. We put my original rims and tires back on, but again the ebrake is in operable which is not good with a stick.

 

Dunno, 5-70 to 5-81 in the '05 FSM seems to have a pretty good description. Particularly the piece that starts on 5-79. Is just a little drum brake assembly inside the rotor hat. Can see how too-long studs could tear things up in there.

 

Take the rotor off and inspect everything. If the bolt was too long it may have pushed the shoe plate over a lip that's behind it. I've slept since I've been in there but it's entirely possible that it's just not quite in place. Lot's of springs and a couple of clips to be moved.

 

When you get into it, you'll see that the shoe plates should make contact with a weird looking double U (U's on opposite sides) clip thing. If the shoe plates aren't touching that, just force them back into place.

CAUTION: Drink ONE beer while doing this to try and stay calm, and prevent going bald. The E-brake assembly on these cars will drive you mad.

 

I agree, won't really know what's wrong until you pull the cover off the E-Brake. Most likely the bolts were too long and knocked something around on the inside. My spare tire has shorter bolts with it, and I remember Steve having problems when he swapped out wheels on his Mercedes, way back in the day, because his bolts were too long.

 

Anyone ever replaced the bolts with studs, nuts, and some locktite red ? Thought bolts were a French invention.

 

Thanks for all the inpu. I am going opt get it in the air and pull it apart this weekend. Hoping I didnt lose any parts when driving lol.

 

Yes they have, I have no trouble with bolts as long as they are the correct length.
The OP's problem has occurred many times here. The OEM bolts when used in steel rims cause a clicking noise when the wheel is rotated. The bolts used here must have been even longer causing more interference.

We know from the days of the cold war that the USSR invented everything, these days I guess that claim would be made by North Korea.

 

Yes 180 I used the stock bolts. (40mm shaft/60mm total length) The Mercedes rim s are thinner, thus i should have used a 20mm spacer or shorter lug studs/bolts(22mm shaft length).
Im hoping I didnt mess up the ebrake hardware. i will update and post back when I take everything apart.

 

I've had both and since do not lift weights find studs much more convenient when changing tires. Can just remove all nuts, set wrench aside, and lift tire off with both hands. Know a hub-centric wheel should just hang on the hub but they don't.

 

My stock rims stayed on the center bore "lip" (hub) when unbolted. Getting them back on,was a balancing act, but they did stay in place. BE CAREFUL!

 

You have to lift the wheel onto studs as well as lifting onto the locating diameter of bolted wheels.

My method to install wheels is simple. When you have taken a wheel off you always find that the axle has dropped, I roll the wheel up to the axle and lift the wheel and push the lower part of the wheel under the axle. Holding the wheel at this angle I turn the jack with the other hand until I see that the locating diameters of the wheel and axle are in line. I then push the wheel in at the top. With a little dexterity the wheel will locate on the hub diameter. Holding the wheel in at the top with one hand and at the bottom with the other I turn the wheel until the holes line up and screw in a bolt. Obviously spinning the wheel on the front hub causes the hub to turn but it always slips a little so you get it to line up pretty quickly.

This explanation took longer than putting a wheel on. I find bolts easier to use than studs.

 

Doing some preemptive shopping on fleabay. Didnt find a hardware kit for the ebrake. Any suggestions?

 

Try here.


Go to Crossfire download site, download one or more parts books and service manuals. Open a parts manual to "parking brake". Select a major assembly (shoes). Give the part number ( 05096552AA ) to Google. Choose site (overstock has illustrations).

 

For putting the wheels back on, I made some guide pins from some bolts. Some years ago I made a bunch and gave them out at a GTG. Here is sample of what you need. Two work best. If IRC, this is the size but I would have to recheck.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Stud-Guide-Pin-Wheel-Tool-12-x-1-5mm-Mercedes-BMW-Item-ZDM10111C-/171014745001?pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&hash=item27d145eba9&vxp=mtr

 

Thanks Padgett!

 

Yea, I got some of those, but find them more trouble than they are worth, reverted to the old fashioned onehundred80 method .......
( you guys wait till you are 70 like us and you will stop lifting the wheel also .... )

 

I use mine every time
Thank you James

 

If you insist on using two studs like this it is easier to have one stud an inch shorter than the other. You put the wheel on the longer stud and use that as an axis to align the second hole and the shorter stud.
It is easier to align one hole than two.