Problems after wheel alignment

[KLP 92]

@ KLP 92

I'm sorry you still have problems but i can assure you the reason is not the chassis.
Your initial complaint was inner front tyre wear, this was due to the lowering hence the reason we installed the adjuster bolts. After this you returned stating a slight pull and the steering position off-centre, after re-checking the chassis only to find everything was as set i advised you on the poor condition of the tyres ( violently worn ) as reason for the wayward handling and even the off-line steering wheel. You replaced the wheels/ tyres with another old set but still had an off-line steering wheel. The reason i suggested setting the steering angle censor is because that's the next logical step, seemingly this didn't help.

Given the opportunity i would like to look at the car but it would involve looking outside of the box to find the criminal.

Here is an example
We fitted a rear tyre and set the chassis on a Mazda MX5, the car returned with an off-line steering wheel, so we rechecked the chassis and it was fine. The owner insisted the steering wheel was straight before, so sine the only other thing we did to the car was a rear tyre we swapped the rear wheels side-to-side, after driving the car the steering position went the other way? Despite the tyre was the same size, make, pressure the steering changed. Now i can't explain why the tyre did this other than the fact it did.

I think you may have me confused with someone else.

My car is a E320 CDI Black 56 reg, not lowered but stock Sport spec with brand new Pirelli tyres ( were fitted before the car was booked in so yuoiu couldn't have seen the old tyres!). Tyres and wheels have not been swapped since so i believ mistaken identity, so not myself you are referring to in the above quote.

 

[npuk]

If your in West london and want someone local to look at it try Golden Wheel in Park Royal. They have the Hunter system too.

 

[KLP 92]

Here is an example
We fitted a rear tyre and set the chassis on a Mazda MX5, the car returned with an off-line steering wheel, so we rechecked the chassis and it was fine. The owner insisted the steering wheel was straight before, so sine the only other thing we did to the car was a rear tyre we swapped the rear wheels side-to-side, after driving the car the steering position went the other way? Despite the tyre was the same size, make, pressure the steering changed. Now i can't explain why the tyre did this other than the fact it did.

What i'll do is put the winter wheels i have back on the car just to eliminate the tyres from the equation all together. The car drove 100% straight in terms of steering position prior to the alignment, i'm really fussy with my cars, no way i wouldn't have noticed something like that!

I'll swap them over in a short while and report back.

 

[wheels-inmotion]

What i'll do is put the winter wheels i have back on the car just to eliminate the tyres from the equation all together. The car drove 100% straight in terms of steering position prior to the alignment, i'm really fussy with my cars, no way i wouldn't have noticed something like that!

I'll swap them over in a short while and report back.

Sorry for the confusion.... I deal with so many cars with so many problems, then we have the forum name, contact is the real name and so on......

I'm as keen to resolve your complaint and maybe learn something about the MB in the process, that's what we do......

How about you decide a date/ time to come in, we will examine the car for free ( which we do anyway ) and i'll pay for your fuel.

 

[219]

If everything is within tolerance , the car drives fine , does not pull left or right and does not wear tyres - the only thing bothering you is the wheel being off centre when going straight ahead ..........

WHY NOT JUST TAKE THE STEERING WHEEL OFF AND MOVE IT ROUND A SPLINE OR TWO ??

The steering wheel may even have been removed in the past and put back on off centre ?

 

[wheels-inmotion]

If everything is within tolerance , the car drives fine , does not pull left or right and does not wear tyres - the only thing bothering you is the wheel being off centre when going straight ahead ..........

WHY NOT JUST TAKE THE STEERING WHEEL OFF AND MOVE IT ROUND A SPLINE OR TWO ??

The steering wheel may even have been removed in the past and put back on off centre ?

Reads like a logical thing to do but in truth the underlying problem should be resolved first.

I feel horrible about this complaint but fully understand it because an off-line steering wheel would piss me off to the max, nevertheless in this case it's more than a chassis adjustment, something else is causing the problem.

I would like to think we are fair and honest in business and if things go wrong, and they will, i'm man enough to hold my hand up in public and say so, but in this case there's no obviouse cause, so the complaint needs further investigation.

We was paid to deal with the tyre wear issue... The current steering position issue we will investigate for free and even pay for the fuel to travel to us in good faith, once we find the criminal there would be a fee to correct the problem whatever it is.

I can understand KLP 92's disappointment... I'm disappointed but if anyone can find out what's wrong we can, but it's a process of illimination at this point because there is no visible reason for the complaint.

Out of the box inspection for free and i pay for the fuel, i don't know what else to say?

 

[jaymanek]

If everything is within tolerance , the car drives fine , does not pull left or right and does not wear tyres - the only thing bothering you is the wheel being off centre when going straight ahead ..........

WHY NOT JUST TAKE THE STEERING WHEEL OFF AND MOVE IT ROUND A SPLINE OR TWO ??

The steering wheel may even have been removed in the past and put back on off centre ?

Thats not a good idea with modern cars especially.. firstly the indicator cancel will be in the wrong position and also if the steering angle sensor is not reset properly it will bring up all sorts of ESP issues.

 

[Rory]

Thats not a good idea with modern cars especially.. firstly the indicator cancel will be in the wrong position and also if the steering angle sensor is not reset properly it will bring up all sorts of ESP issues.

I was about to post that as well - don't know how the steering angle sensor works, but the indicator cancel is usually fixed to the column and not cancelling one direction and staying on in the other will become a pain. Also, with an airbag fitted, it's not a trivial job to remove the wheel and sometimes they're very difficult to get off.

 

[jaymanek]

The ESP is a problem... It will think you are cornering when you are not, that will upset the lateral acceleration sensor and then it will be all sorts of fun to get it back to how it should be.

 

[KLP 92]

How about you decide a date/ time to come in, we will examine the car for free ( which we do anyway ) and i'll pay for your fuel.

Thats fine, i will pop the car in again to you guys.

Fuel cost isn't the issue, just the time it involves in getting to you and back and work etc. What i will do i check my diary on Monday and see when i can take some time out, otherwise it may end up being a phonecall on the sameday hoping for a last min appointment.

 

[KLP 92]

We was paid to deal with the tyre wear issue... The current steering position issue we will investigate for free and even pay for the fuel to travel to us in good faith, once we find the criminal there would be a fee to correct the problem whatever it is.

I know sometimes you fix one problem on a car and something else starts giving a problem, which isn't anyones fault, so i do understand. I've modfiied many cars over the years and have seen various scenarios over the years.

My concern was that although when i first came in i had the inner tyre wear issue, all off which was still within the MB specs. After the alignment was redone with new bolts installed the steering wheel position is off centre. All the figures are still within spec though. So the steering wheel issue has resulted after the bolts and alignment was done, unless something else could have gone wrong in the short space of time the car was worked on.

Trust me the thought of moving the steering wheel postion crossed my mind on numerous occasions but with the potential sensor issues......

 

[evdok]

I always thought the W211 had this issue as standard? had mine tracked few months back and came back slightly off center & if you let go of the wheel it will veer to the left. Was told thats how it should be by 3!! different dealers

 

[KLP 92]

I always thought the W211 had this issue as standard? had mine tracked few months back and came back slightly off center & if you let go of the wheel it will vear to the left. Was told thats how it should be by 3!! different dealers

Unfortunately mines noticably off centre, to the point whenever someone else drives it they all comment on it.

They all veer to the left but on a motorway the steering should be flat, certainly not not tilting to one side.

I'm on my 6th W211, i've got access to 3 more which i frequently drive, so know exactly how these cars should drive.

 

[Whitey]

an off-line steering wheel would piss me off to the max

It's over a 2 hour round trip for myself, but I hope you get your problem sorted !

 

[evdok]

Has it been in an accident at some point of its life? had it since new?

 

[KLP 92]

Has it been in an accident at some point of its life? had it since new?

Owned the car for the last year, all panels were original as the paintwork when purchased. It drove fine before, even with the inner tyre wear issue, another common problem on the W211.

 

[timskemp]

As an ex-W211 owner I know how sensitive they are to setup, not helped by the fact that the steering feel is so damned good on them as well so you know when it's wrong. Mine tracked dead straight but always had inner-front wear issues, was going to get it sorted but got rid...

 

[gIzzE]

Front left ball joint bush?? Not hit a pothole recently??

 

[KLP 92]

Front left ball joint bush?? Not hit a pothole recently??

Think it was changed last MOT, i avoid them like the plague!

 

[mr. shr]

Thats not a good idea with modern cars especially.. firstly the indicator cancel will be in the wrong position and also if the steering angle sensor is not reset properly it will bring up all sorts of ESP issues.

For information:
Can also actually destroy the sensor. (although would need to be more than just a couple of nothces out to do this.)

I know cos when I replaced the combination switch on my S211, on reassembly of everything, I didn't pay proper attention to the alignment requirments of the steering angle sensor (the two arrows were not aligned).

When I put everything back together and went lock to lock, I heard a 'snap!'

ESP was screeming at me.

Took it all apart and found a tiny piece of white plastic broken off inside the sensor.

Entirely my fault as didn't pay proper attention to the alignement arrows etc.

Anyway, sensor was only good for the bin. About 250 pounds later for replacement sensor and all ok again.

So moving the wheel a couple of notches either side probably wont cause the 'snap' I had, but as others have said here, it's not the best way to go about solving the underlying issue.

Good luck.