logo

Mercedes-Benz S550e Brake Drum Replacement at your home or office.

Our mobile mechanics offer services 7 days a week. Upfront and transparent pricing.

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

(5,576)

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

(5,576)

Brake Drum Replacement Service

How much does a Brake Drum Replacement cost?

On average, the cost for a Mercedes-Benz S550e Brake Drum Replacement is $817 with $656 for parts and $161 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
2016 Mercedes-Benz S550eV6-3.0L Turbo HybridService typeBrake Drum ReplacementEstimate$1507.06Shop/Dealer Price$1864.71 - $2870.71
2017 Mercedes-Benz S550eV6-3.0L Turbo HybridService typeBrake Drum ReplacementEstimate$1473.06Shop/Dealer Price$1817.99 - $2814.45
2015 Mercedes-Benz S550eV6-3.0L Turbo HybridService typeBrake Drum ReplacementEstimate$1473.06Shop/Dealer Price$1817.99 - $2814.45
Show example Mercedes-Benz S550e 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

Number of Mercedes-Benz services completed
61336+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Mercedes-Benz MECHANICS
1100+
experts on our platform
Yourmechanic was featured in

New York Times NBC CBS Forbes INC Tech Crunch

Learn more about us

Meet some of our expert Mercedes-Benz mechanics

Real customer reviews from Mercedes-Benz owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(5,576)
Rating Summary
5,188
189
54
28
117
5,188
189
54
28
117

Brian

24 years of experience
201 reviews
Request Brian
Brian
24 years of experience
Request Brian
by Leon
Mercedes-Benz S430 V8-4.3L - Brake Pads Replacement (Front, Rear) - Frederick, Maryland
Brian was very professional and customer-centric. He explained mechanical problems vs trying to convince me to do something. I trust him to service all of my vehicles.

Caster

28 years of experience
176 reviews
Request Caster
Caster
28 years of experience
Request Caster
by Andrew
Mercedes-Benz E500 V8-5.0L - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - San Rafael, California
Caster was awesome! He did a pre-purchase inspection on my new Mercedes-Benz and I've been really impressed with my car!

Ramon

7 years of experience
114 reviews
Request Ramon
Ramon
7 years of experience
Request Ramon
by Eun
Mercedes-Benz 280SEL V8-4.5L - Oil Change - Los Angeles, California
Arrived early and finished everything so quickly! Very clean work and easy to talk to. Highly recommend!

Michael

27 years of experience
486 reviews
Request Michael
Michael
27 years of experience
Request Michael
by Craig
Mercedes-Benz S550 V8-5.5L - Oil Change - Scottsdale, Arizona
Expert

Excellent Rating

(5,576)
Rating Summary
5,188
189
54
28
117
5,188
189
54
28
117
Number of Mercedes-Benz services completed
61336+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Mercedes-Benz MECHANICS
1100+
experts on our platform
Yourmechanic was featured in

New York Times NBC CBS Forbes INC Tech Crunch

Learn more about us

Recent articles & questions

What Typically Causes the Heating or AC to Stop Working?
While both the heating and AC are connected - to an extent - within your car, they’re actually...
Read more
Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Battery
Common signs include a rotten egg smell, slow cranking when starting, the Battery Light turning on, and vehicle electronics not powering on.
Read more
A Mechanic's Guide to Automotive Careers
Automotive careers have high job security and an ability to work anywhere in the world. Get ASE certified to become an automotive master mechanic.
Read more

Engine tries to crank, but can't.

It sounds like your car is either not getting fuel or not getting spark. This could be caused by dozens of things, from a failed crank sensor to a faulty fuel pump. My advice is to have your vehicle inspected...
Read more

Is it bad to drive a car with a bad throttle body??

Hey there. This may not immediately affect your car's engine. However, it will continue to cause intermittent misfires and will gradually get worse. This may also have an impact on other parts as well since the missing cylinder will still...
Read more

Where are the cam sensors located on 2009 Nissan Maxima vq35de engine? 2009 Nissan Maxima

Hello - the cam position sensors for this engine (2) are each located near the passenger side end of the cylinder head for each cylinder bank. The engine cover must be removed to access them, and the factory sensors have...
Read more
  1. Home
  2. Estimates
  3. Mercedes-Benz
  4. S550e
  5. Brake Drum Replacement

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 (844) 997-3624 · hi@yourmechanic.com

Read FAQ
GET A QUOTE