Front Brakes and Wheel Bearings

In this video I replace the wheel bearings, brake discs and pads, and rebuild the calipers. This in-depth video covers each step of taking all the parts off the van and refitting new parts to the correct specification.

Warning: As this video deals with critical brake systems it should not be used as a technical how-to guide, it is for information only. This is just my experience of completing these jobs, I am not a professional mechanic.

Mercedes-Benz Locking Hub Nut

This is a great part to use instead of the normal peen nuts (281407671). I can make adjustments to the load on the wheel bearings without needing to buy a new nut every time. Thanks to Johnny Reitan for the tip, my wheels have yet to fall off!

Part number: A1163340372

Mine did not come with cap head allen bolts so I purchased some high tensile ones to fit. The size is M6 x 25mm. They do not need to be tightened particularly hard as they just need enough to stop spinning. Mercedes recommends 11 Nm, so I followed that.

Spacer Ring

Volkswagen made a modification to the steering knuckle to reduce the gap between the edge and the sealing ring on the brake discs.

Part number: 251407631

On later vans the ring is thin like a speedi-sleeve, for early vans it is a lot thicker.

How to identify the caliper you have

Nicked from the Brickwerks website:

Late style brakes are identified as having 1 piston per caliper, the caliper is floating on the hub via sliders and features elongated eared brake pads that are retained by pins.

Girling calipers have M8 13mm headed set screws to attach the caliper to the slider whereas the ATE caliper has stainless steel allen headed pins to secure the caliper to the carrier.

You can also use the parts selector from Brickwerks which will tell you whether you need early or late parts.

Parts list:

Sir Adventure was built in 1990 so classed as a late van and has ATE calipers:

• Front Brake Discs – 251407617K
• Wheel Bearing Kit – 251405645B
• Brake Pad Set – 251698151F
• Bleed Nipple – M7 x 1.0 – 113615273A
• Speedo cable clip – N0124342
• Stainless Brake back Plate kit – 251407339A and 251407340A
• Amtech H1500 Parallel Pin Punch Set, 5-Piece

T3 / T25 / Vanagon Online Community

I mentioned in the video that I wouldn’t have been able to do this, or had the confidence, without the fantastic online community for our vans. There is so much expert knowledge out there and people willing to help keep these vans on the road.

I recommend joining these if you’re not already a member:

• Club 80-90 (UK forum)
• The Samba (USA forum)
• VW T3 ( T25 ) Knowledge Exchange (Facebook group)