GeoBrakes stocks complete parking brake shoe kits confirmed to fit the Mercedes Benz Ml500 drum-in-hat rear parking brake system, combining OEM-grade parking brake shoes matched to the Ml500 drum diameter with the return springs, shoe strut, adjusting screw assembly, and retaining clips needed for a correct, fully functional parking brake service on your Mercedes Benz Ml500. Replacing shoes without the hardware is the leading cause of parking brake failure after service on the Ml500 in American conditions.
A parking brake shoe kit for the Mercedes Benz Ml500 restores complete parking brake function, not just the friction lining. The most common reason a freshly serviced Ml500 parking brake fails to hold on a hill is not worn shoes: it is a seized adjuster that prevents the shoe-to-drum clearance from being correctly set after installation on your Mercedes Benz Ml500. In the enclosed drum-in-hat cavity of the Ml500, road salt and meltwater concentrate corrosion on the adjuster threads, the return springs, and the strut. A kit that includes every hardware component alongside the shoes is the only way to guarantee the Mercedes Benz Ml500 parking brake performs correctly after service.
The kit for your Mercedes Benz Ml500 includes parking brake shoes with OEM-grade friction lining at the correct arc length and lining width for the Ml500 drum-in-hat diameter, return springs that retract both shoes cleanly after the Ml500 parking brake is released, hold-down hardware with springs and pins that locate the shoes while permitting actuation on your Mercedes Benz Ml500, the parking brake strut connecting both shoes through the Ml500 mechanism, the adjusting screw assembly setting correct shoe-to-drum clearance for reliable holding force on your Mercedes Benz Ml500, and retaining clips and washers securing the strut and adjuster in correct operating position on the Ml500.
The parking brake shoe adjuster on the Mercedes Benz Ml500 sets the gap between the shoes and the inner drum surface of the Ml500 rotor hat. In American winters, the drum-in-hat cavity of the Ml500 traps road salt and moisture. The adjuster threads on your Mercedes Benz Ml500 corrode and seize, sometimes within a single winter season. A seized adjuster on the Ml500 produces a parking brake that either drags against the drum when released or fails to hold the Mercedes Benz Ml500 on a slope when engaged.
Parking brake shoe kits for the Mercedes Benz Ml500 are among the most vehicle-specific brake components in the catalogue. The shoe arc length, lining width, spring rates, strut length, and adjuster thread specification for the Ml500 are all determined by the specific drum-in-hat diameter of the Mercedes Benz Ml500 rotor. Every kit in the GeoBrakes catalogue is assembled for the Mercedes Benz Ml500 exact year and model, with zinc-plated or coated hardware components to resist the concentrated corrosion inside the Ml500 drum-in-hat cavity.
How do I know if my Mercedes Benz Ml500 uses parking brake shoes?
Mercedes Benz Ml500 vehicles with four-wheel disc brakes often use a drum-in-hat parking brake requiring separate shoes. Some Ml500 variants instead use a caliper-actuated parking brake. Use the GeoBrakes vehicle selector to confirm your Mercedes Benz Ml500 parking brake type and find the correct kit.
My Mercedes Benz Ml500 parking brake light stays on after I release it, do the shoes need replacing?
A warning light that stays on after full release on the Mercedes Benz Ml500 can indicate worn shoes, a faulty sensor, low brake fluid, or a stretched cable on the Ml500. If the Mercedes Benz Ml500 fails to hold on a slope, a shoe kit replacement combined with cable and adjuster inspection is the recommended starting point for your Ml500.
Can I adjust the parking brake on my Mercedes Benz Ml500 after installing a shoe kit without replacing the cable?
Yes, if the Ml500 cable is in good condition and within its adjustment range. After correct shoe installation and adjuster setting on the Mercedes Benz Ml500, adjust the cable until the brake holds firmly within three to five clicks of Ml500 lever travel.