Inner edge wear
- Thread starter Funkyboy
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Worth checking though because MB stopped fitting the adjustment bolts some years ago as standard so camber and castor cannot be adjusted without them. They are available from MB. Also the MB 'official' setup doesn't allow for UK roads so the problem will still exist if it is adjusted to that.
Rears are wearing even and aside from fronts wearing on the inner edges they're fine. I've done 40k on the Uniroyal Rain Sports i put on the car when i got it a year or so ago and no drama so i can live with that for now. Interesting though as i didn't know that about the adjustment bolts.
I wish my car looked as clean as it does in my profile pic.
I wish my car looked as clean as it does in my profile pic.
@Larkone and all, I went to Blackboots/Wheels In Motion today and was promptly attended to by the excellent and affable Joe.
I ogled the Noble for a while
He asked me whether I would like the car set up for UK roads, in which case it would drive arrow straight, or as factory. I opted for the latter as I drive in Europe - before Brexit/Covid/doomsday.
Essentially, the inner wear is something that is resolved by straightening the camber so the tyre is more or less 90deg to the road surface. In order to achieve this, the bolt from MB is required and inserted into the arm that controls the camber, which is where their knowledge supersedes the majority of other alignment places with respect to MB suspension set up.
The hole in the arm is an oblong shape with pins - this is where the replacement bolt does its work. The wheel is straightened as far as necessary/allowable and the pin inserted. The slots within the bolts locate onto the pins and the necessary adjustment that isn't available in the standard bolts is gained and the inner wear is negated.
The entire set up and bolts cost £270
I ogled the Noble for a while
He asked me whether I would like the car set up for UK roads, in which case it would drive arrow straight, or as factory. I opted for the latter as I drive in Europe - before Brexit/Covid/doomsday.
Essentially, the inner wear is something that is resolved by straightening the camber so the tyre is more or less 90deg to the road surface. In order to achieve this, the bolt from MB is required and inserted into the arm that controls the camber, which is where their knowledge supersedes the majority of other alignment places with respect to MB suspension set up.
The hole in the arm is an oblong shape with pins - this is where the replacement bolt does its work. The wheel is straightened as far as necessary/allowable and the pin inserted. The slots within the bolts locate onto the pins and the necessary adjustment that isn't available in the standard bolts is gained and the inner wear is negated.
The entire set up and bolts cost £270
Update: I revisited WiM/Blackboots today for a steering wheel alignment as it was pointing to 90mph (as opposed to 80mph) i.e. rhs pointed downwards ever so slightly.
Also, since I had the rear suspension replaced recently and my indy had done the alignment - the car tracked well, but it was useful to have a check whilst hooked up to the Hunter Elite machine and I could see it for myself.
It's very interesting that WiM use a steering wheel spirit level and say that Mercs are notoriously difficult to set up objectively, as there are quite a few cues that drive individual preference as to what is actually 'level', as bizarre as that sounds!
He applied some heat to the end of the steering rack (is this the tie rod ends?) and made the necessary adjustments, with my confirmation of being straight by sitting in the driver seat. Apparently, he says that the metal can contract at different rates after heating and adjustment, causing an uneven settling, creating a 'pull' which requires compensation at the steering wheel.
I'm satisfied now that it is within tolerance according to my preference. They didn't charge me as it constitutes an adjustment from my recent four wheel alignment.
Great service and well worth the drive to this excellent, professional and friendly outfit.
Also, since I had the rear suspension replaced recently and my indy had done the alignment - the car tracked well, but it was useful to have a check whilst hooked up to the Hunter Elite machine and I could see it for myself.
It's very interesting that WiM use a steering wheel spirit level and say that Mercs are notoriously difficult to set up objectively, as there are quite a few cues that drive individual preference as to what is actually 'level', as bizarre as that sounds!
He applied some heat to the end of the steering rack (is this the tie rod ends?) and made the necessary adjustments, with my confirmation of being straight by sitting in the driver seat. Apparently, he says that the metal can contract at different rates after heating and adjustment, causing an uneven settling, creating a 'pull' which requires compensation at the steering wheel.
I'm satisfied now that it is within tolerance according to my preference. They didn't charge me as it constitutes an adjustment from my recent four wheel alignment.
Great service and well worth the drive to this excellent, professional and friendly outfit.
I should update this according to my recent experiences.
tl:dr - Joe helped me to identify a ride height issue and resolve
After the summer alloys with my worn Michelin Pilot Sport 4 were fitted (about 6mm all round), I began experiencing sharp turn to the left.
WiM wanted to eliminate radial pull, so swapped the front alloys round. That didn't do it, so I returned and the tracking was checked again. What transpired is that at standard ride height (full airmatic has two ride heights), there was no remaining range of adjustability for the camber. However, when at the raised height, the adjustability for the camber was within tolerance. The inference... that the ride height was set too low when the rear suspension was replaced in January.
Why hadn't it been an issue with the winters? The answer that I received is that the winters were already worn to compensate accordingly and also, different tyres can require slightly different set ups.
So, armed with the print out, I returned to my indy and he agreed with the figures, promising to re-evaluate the ride height accordingly. He duly collected and returned the car. The height was completely different, sat at 15mm higher than previously. The alignment was also done, giving the tell-tale gradual pull to the left that is the translation of the MB factory set up on UK roads.
So back to WiM I went and this time the adjustability was within tolerance at the standard ride height. The castor on the front wheels was staggered so that the offside wheel sits further back than the nsf. Also, the camber, so that the osf is slightly more upright than the nsf. Both of these adjustments have the effect of 'pulling' the car straight on UK roads.
Throughout, Joe and the team have been welcoming, patient, generous with their time and knowledge. Really top professionals and a good company ethos.
Before and after ride height photos (at standard ride height).
tl:dr - Joe helped me to identify a ride height issue and resolve
After the summer alloys with my worn Michelin Pilot Sport 4 were fitted (about 6mm all round), I began experiencing sharp turn to the left.
WiM wanted to eliminate radial pull, so swapped the front alloys round. That didn't do it, so I returned and the tracking was checked again. What transpired is that at standard ride height (full airmatic has two ride heights), there was no remaining range of adjustability for the camber. However, when at the raised height, the adjustability for the camber was within tolerance. The inference... that the ride height was set too low when the rear suspension was replaced in January.
Why hadn't it been an issue with the winters? The answer that I received is that the winters were already worn to compensate accordingly and also, different tyres can require slightly different set ups.
So, armed with the print out, I returned to my indy and he agreed with the figures, promising to re-evaluate the ride height accordingly. He duly collected and returned the car. The height was completely different, sat at 15mm higher than previously. The alignment was also done, giving the tell-tale gradual pull to the left that is the translation of the MB factory set up on UK roads.
So back to WiM I went and this time the adjustability was within tolerance at the standard ride height. The castor on the front wheels was staggered so that the offside wheel sits further back than the nsf. Also, the camber, so that the osf is slightly more upright than the nsf. Both of these adjustments have the effect of 'pulling' the car straight on UK roads.
Throughout, Joe and the team have been welcoming, patient, generous with their time and knowledge. Really top professionals and a good company ethos.
Before and after ride height photos (at standard ride height).
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