rear brake shoes/drums/axle oil leak
At it's last MOT my 230ge failed as there was oil on the rear brake shoes. The garage immediately looked into replacing the shoe but found the new part to be considerably more than they had imagined from MB. They therefore managed to clean off the shoe well enough for it to pass. However, it's MOT time soon and its likely the problem hasn't gone away. They said it looked like oil was getting from the axle into the drums. Does this seem likely to anyone? If so there's no point in geting new shoes is there? Any ideas??
At it's last MOT my 230ge failed as there was oil on the rear brake shoes. The garage immediately looked into replacing the shoe but found the new part to be considerably more than they had imagined from MB. They therefore managed to clean off the shoe well enough for it to pass. However, it's MOT time soon and its likely the problem hasn't gone away. They said it looked like oil was getting from the axle into the drums. Does this seem likely to anyone? If so there's no point in geting new shoes is there? Any ideas??
Are you sure that it was oil? It can either be that your axle seals have perished and some differential oil (it is a very thick oil, SAE80W90) finds its way into the break drums or alternatively that the brake slave cylinder is gone and what you see there is DOT4 brake fluid. Either way, the problem needs to be corrected before you put new shoes or else you will ruin them again.
The brake shoes are extortionatelly expensive but you can have the shoes relined professionally (use the search function of this forum). A few year's back when I lived in the UK it was also possible to buy the shoes as exchange part (the return fee of the old shoes was like 120 pounds of the total 150 pounds retail price).
Just to add to what Mortison has already mentioned, the source of leak could from the drive shaft hub seal and, or the wheel cylinders. These do need to be rectifed.
He is correct about the brake shoes having had such a high surcharge to the exchange unit, I do not know how this stands to-day though.
Final point, at the rear of the back plate, where the drive shaft tube is; from a six o'clock position on the back plate/tube, you will find a small hole. It could be blocked up with dirt, if do not notice it immediately, keep and have this cleaned out on bothe sides.
This is the oil drain hole from the hub seals, which should prevent oil to contaminate the drums.
Regards,
Doh,
I seem to recall replacing the rear shoes on our 460 LWb
sourced without any mystery from a local commercial motor factor
and not extortionate at all :?:
I may be wrong though
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I seem to remember them unblocking the hole at the time now you mention it. Thanks all.