Camber

[Dunx]

I had the alignment checked at the weekend as I've been wearing the inside edges of the front tyres. The rear axle measurements were fine with everything within spec, but on the front axle, there's too much negative camber. The values are -2deg, 07' for the left and -1deg, 43' for the right, with the spec being -0deg, 55' to -1deg, 34'.

My question is will camber bolts (replacing the standard bottom wishbone mounting bolts) provide enough adjustment to bring the camber back into spec?

Thanks,

Duncan

 

[grober]

On older models the camber is set by the position of the inner mounting bolts of the suspension arm using excentric washers. I expect this will be the same on your model but not 100% certain. Other things can effect the camber e.g. other worn suspension parts like the bottom ball joints. To set up the camber accurately the car has also to shod with a set of unworn tyres ( the catch 22 of chassis alignment)

 

[wheels-inmotion]

I had the alignment checked at the weekend as I've been wearing the inside edges of the front tyres. The rear axle measurements were fine with everything within spec, but on the front axle, there's too much negative camber. The values are -2deg, 07' for the left and -1deg, 43' for the right, with the spec being -0deg, 55' to -1deg, 34'.

My question is will camber bolts (replacing the standard bottom wishbone mounting bolts) provide enough adjustment to bring the camber back into spec?

Thanks,

Duncan

Sadly you don't have OEM adjusters on the 210 series so you will need the adjuster bolts fitted. The bolts range is +- 30'.

 

[Dunx]

Sadly you don't have OEM adjusters on the 210 series so you will need the adjuster bolts fitted. The bolts range is +- 30'.

Would I be right in thinking that this won't be enough to bring the LHS back into spec? The guy who did the alignment seemed to think the wishbone bushes and ball joints were ok.

 

[grober]

Could you bring it back to spec by going to a slightly thicker spring shim? no 11 here? http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...GM=717.446&CT=F&cat=45P&SID=32&SGR=052&SGN=01
Are your spring perches OK ? They are a known weak spot on these cars?

 

[Harley Man]

I had the same negative camber problem with my W202 which I corrected using the camber bolts, I reset the camber, caster and the tracking and have since done 20,000 miles the tyres are wearing evenly and the car is so much nicer to drive. I believe that the camber bolts are the same for the W202 and the W210, but someone with access to the spares listing will need to confirm.

 

[Dunx]

Could you bring it back to spec by going to a slightly thicker spring shim? no 11 here? http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...GM=717.446&CT=F&cat=45P&SID=32&SGR=052&SGN=01
Are your spring perches OK ? They are a known weak spot on these cars?

Thanks, but I'm not sure I'm qualified to answer your question on using a thicker spring spacer. I thought they were dependant on model and fitted options?

The perches seem fine, with no corrosion showing.

 

[Dieselman]

The 30' adjuster bolt will bring the camber just to the edge of tollerance. What model do you have, the spec for an Avantgarde saloon is 1-23 +- 20' giving a maximum of 1.43', which would bring yours into tolerance.

 

[wheels-inmotion]

Would I be right in thinking that this won't be enough to bring the LHS back into spec? The guy who did the alignment seemed to think the wishbone bushes and ball joints were ok.

By forced adjustment the "corrective bolts will fail"..... what you need to focus on is why?

Give or take some road trauma the probable reason for the camber being so deep is coil sag, meaning the sprung chassis is to close to the un-sprung chassis so the suspension radii is wrong.

"Jacking" the coil as suggested in another post is logical but in truth they need replacing.

 

[Dunx]

The 30' adjuster bolt will bring the camber just to the edge of tollerance. What model do you have, the spec for an Avantgarde saloon is 1-23 +- 20' giving a maximum of 1.43', which would bring yours into tolerance.

Thanks DM, it's an E300 TurboDiesel Estate with self levelling suspension in Avantegarde trim.

 

[Dunx]

By forced adjustment the "corrective bolts will fail"..... what you need to focus on is why?

Give or take some road trauma the probable reason for the camber being so deep is coil sag, meaning the sprung chassis is to close to the un-sprung chassis so the suspension radii is wrong.

"Jacking" the coil as suggested in another post is logical but in truth they need replacing.

Thanks. The ride height at the front is fairly low with 17" wheels (barely enough room to get my fingers between the top of the tyre and the wheel arch, so this sounds feesible.