Mercedes-Benz 420SEL Brake Drum Replacement Costs

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

Included for free with this service

Online Booking

Mechanic comes to you

12-month / 12k-mile warranty

Free 50 point safety inspection

Our certified mobile mechanics can come to your home or office 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.

See availability

Customer Ratings

Brake Drum Replacement Service

How much does a Brake Drum Replacement cost?

On average, the cost for a Mercedes-Benz 420SEL Brake Drum Replacement is $370 with $209 for parts and $161 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

Car	Service	Estimate	Shop/Dealer Price
1991 Mercedes-Benz 420SELV8-4.2L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$613.26	Shop/Dealer Price$747.46 - $1083.11
1986 Mercedes-Benz 420SELV8-4.2L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$590.74	Shop/Dealer Price$727.87 - $1072.17
1990 Mercedes-Benz 420SELV8-4.2L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$579.26	Shop/Dealer Price$713.51 - $1049.20
1989 Mercedes-Benz 420SELV8-4.2L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$579.26	Shop/Dealer Price$713.44 - $1049.08
1987 Mercedes-Benz 420SELV8-4.2L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$579.26	Shop/Dealer Price$713.56 - $1049.28
1988 Mercedes-Benz 420SELV8-4.2L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$579.26	Shop/Dealer Price$713.51 - $1049.20

Show example Mercedes-Benz 420SEL Brake Drum Replacement prices

What are brake drums and how do they work?

A brake drum is a heavy, cast iron brake system part that looks like a shallow, several inches-high cylinder about 9 to 12 inches in diameter. The brake drum has a precisely machined surface all around the interior circumference, that the brake shoes make contact with when you apply the brakes, transmitting hydraulic pressure through the wheel cylinder. This forces the brake shoes outward against the interior of the brake drum, resulting in the friction that causes the car to slow. The brake drum is mounted over, and fully encloses, all of the rear brake components such as the wheel cylinder, springs and clips, brake shoes, and parking brake mechanism. The drum is commonly held to the wheel hub by the wheel and the lug nuts, but some configurations combine the drum with the wheel hub as one unit. Nowadays, a drum brake type system is only installed on the rear axle, if used at all, as 4 wheel disc type systems have become more common.

When to consider replacing brake drums:

Reduced braking effectiveness. If the brake drum is unevenly worn, scored or cracked, it will increase stopping distances. A cracked drum must be replaced outright but a worn drum can be restored on a brake lathe so long as enough metal material remains.
Pulsating brakes, pulling to one side, vibration or noise. If a brake drum is warped, is unevenly worn, or perhaps the brake shoes have worn down completely — creating metal-to-metal contact — you might detect pedal pulsation, the vehicle may pull to one side, or you might feel a vibration or hear a noise when you apply the brakes. The brake system will have to be inspected to pinpoint the exact problem.
Brake shoe replacement. Anytime the brake shoes are replaced, the drum must either be resurfaced or replaced outright. Installing new brake shoes on a used, unresurfaced drum will lead to poor results.
Loss of parking brake function. The parking brake locks the brake shoes against the brake drum. If the brake drum is cracked, the parking brake lever will pull up excessively and the car may still be able to roll. However, a more common circumstance is parking brake maladjustment or seizure of parking brake components. Repair of those problems will often require removal of the brake drum.

How do mechanics replace brake drums?

There are two options when it comes to brake drum service: outright replacement or resurfacing. In some cases, it is cheaper to replace the drum rather than refurbish it. In both cases though, the removal and installation procedure for the drum is the same.

Raise the vehicle and safely support it using steel jack stands.
Remove tire and wheel assembly.
Remove brake drum. Sometimes the brake drum has rusted to the wheel hub and removal of the drum will require a brake drum puller. In some cases, the wheel hub is integral to the brake drum, in which case the hub-bearing retaining bolt and the wheel bearing must be removed to replace the drum.
Measure the interior diameter of the machined surface in the drum with a brake drum micrometer or similar measuring tool. If sufficient metal exists to resurface the drum on a brake lathe, the mechanic will compare the cost of such restoration to the alternative: buying a new drum.
Prior to installing the resurfaced or new drum, the brake shoes, springs, wheel cylinder, parking brake mechanism, and backing plate are all inspected. All worn parts should be replaced. Generally, if drums have been replaced or resurfaced, new brake shoes should be installed. The worn shoes will cause irregular wear in the brake drum and reduce braking effectiveness.
The shoes are adjusted and the drum is installed. The wheel and tire assembly are installed and torqued in the proper sequence and the car is road tested to check the operation of the brakes.

Is it safe to drive with a brake drum problem?

No. Should there be a deficiency with the brake drums, stopping distances will not be as short as possible. In a panic stop, stopping just five or ten feet shorter could be the difference between no collision and a collision. Any deficiency in a vehicle’s braking system is a cause for concern and a potential safety issue. Have the brake drums inspected at your earliest convenience to determine if a problem exists and find out what must be done to fix it.

When replacing brake drums keep in mind:

With few exceptions, brake work on one end of an axle should be performed on both ends of the axle. Should a brake drum on one end of a front or rear axle be serviced, or brake shoes on one end are serviced, both sides of the axle should receive the same service. This helps to avoid problems, such as pulling, vibration, and so forth, once the vehicle is returned for use.
Brake drum systems use very powerful springs to keep the brake shoes in position. These springs are exposed to extreme heat. It is best practice to replace all springs whenever new shoes are installed. Should a spring unexpectedly break in the brake drum assembly, a mispositioned brake shoe could cause the brakes to grab and lock, which would pose a safety issue.
If the wheel hub and bearing are integral to the brake drum on your car, the mechanic may recommend replacement of the grease in the wheel bearings and inspection of the wheel bearings.
Since the arc of the brake shoes will not perfectly match with the arc of the drum when new, expect a bed-in period before maximum braking efficiency is achieved.

Fast and easy service at your home or office

Backed by 12-month, 12.000-mile guarantee

Meet some of our expert Mercedes-Benz mechanics

Real customer reviews from Mercedes-Benz owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(18)

Rating Summary

17

0

0

1

0

17

0

0

1

0

SEE REVIEWS NEAR ME

Christian

22 years of experience

68 reviews

Request Christian

Christian

22 years of experience

Request Christian

by john

Mercedes-Benz 420SEL V8-4.2L - Ignition Cable (Spark plug wires) - Hayward, California

Sometime he runs a little late on his appointment but the good thing about it he gives me a call and let's me know that he's stuck in traffic are whatever other variables that might occur

Luther

16 years of experience

57 reviews

Luther

16 years of experience

by Jacob

Mercedes-Benz 420SEL V8-4.2L - Inspection / Diagnostics - Atlanta, Georgia

Desmond

20 years of experience

50 reviews

Request Desmond

Desmond

20 years of experience

Request Desmond

by Gerardo

Mercedes-Benz 420SEL V8-4.2L - Valve Cover Gasket - Salinas, California

Top-notch! Timely, competent, and thorough with the 50-point inspection. I got much more out of the 50-point inspection than the initial service request---definitely above and beyond!

Dave

23 years of experience

303 reviews

Dave

23 years of experience

by Sandra

Mercedes-Benz 420SEL V8-4.2L - Oil Change - San Jose, California

Excellent Rating

(18)

Rating Summary

17

0

0

1

0

17

0

0

1

0

SEE REVIEWS NEAR ME

Recent articles & questions

A Buyer’s Guide to the 2011 Volvo S40

When When you think of Volvo, safety undoubtedly comes to mind first, and that’s exactly what the 2011 Volvo S40 is all about. Of course, it’s also comfortable, refined and features a pretty high-performing engine, to boot. You might actually...

P0674 OBD-II Trouble Code: Cylinder 4 Glow Plug Circuit

P0674 code means when the voltage from the glow plug circuit has a variance of 10 % over manufacturer specs due to a faulty plug, relay, or wiring.

B1953 OBD-II Trouble Code: Seat Rear Up/Down Potentiometer Feedback Circuit Short To Ground

B1953 means there is a shorted circuit in the rear seat's potentiometer, most likely due to bad wiring or a faulty potentiometer.

What Causes Shock Absorbers Or Struts To Leak Or Otherwise Fail?

Shock absorber (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/3-essential-things-to-know-about-your-car-s-shock-absorbers)/strut life depends on how and where the vehicle is driven. Original equipment shock absorbers/struts (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/what-is-a-strut) are carefully matched to the vehicle springs and bushings to provide the best ride comfort and control. As the ball joints, control...

After tinting windows, they are hard to roll up

Hi. Window tint can affect the operation of the windows. Spray the inside of the glass with soapy water. If the window now works properly, the tint is to blame. The noise sounds like a wheel bearing going bad. They...

Heater is running cold, engine light is on, rough idle

Hello there, many faults will cause your heat to blow cold and check engine light on with your 2007 Honda CRV. The first step in diagnosis would be to check what code your car has stored in the computer, this...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (855) 347-2779 · hi@yourmechanic.com