S211 / W211 Estate Ride Height, Inclination Angles & Reducing Negative Camber (Non-Airmatic)

[pretzelmeister]

Hi All.
Hoping someone can help with some ride height & camber / alignment queries please?
I have an W211 / estate - facelift 2007 - WDB211208 - Avantgarde (Code 954) - with self-levelling air suspension at the back (but not airmatic) - and steel springs up front - and am running 16" rims with 225/55 tyres all around.
I have too much negative camber up front.

I believe front camber adjustment bolts will only give up to third/half-degree adjustment - which is not enough.
So suspecting is a ride height issue. (Torque struts, spring control arms, lower ball joints have all been replaced within the last few years / 30k miles, but I believe shocks are original.)
When had rear tyres replaced recently, garage put the car on the alignment rack for me so I could measure ride height:

According to spec, looks like my front ride height is wildly out.
I am pretty sure I have correct springs on the front - 211 spring points (which is in the 206-230 range) so spring 2113210404 (x1 Green + x2 Yellow).
And as the shocks haven't been changed, I am assuming that the spring pads and shocker circlip positions haven't been changed either.
Both of my rear air struts have been replaced with Arnott A-2726s.

Do I have the correct target inclination specs?
Anybody know what the stock ride height is / should be?
If I were to install thicker spring pads up front (or maybe would need to be longer springs - A211 321 05 04s instead of A211 321 04 04s?) , would that sort it - by increasing ride height and reducing negative camber?

What's my next step? - Check front spring pad sizes (I believe can do this 'by feel' for the 'number of bumps'?) - and also check front shock circlip positions?

All help gratefully received - thank you. - Have been munching through tyres much faster than I would like!

 

[Jobsworth]

These cars do “relax” as the years go by, and the result is too much negative camber on the front wheels. Fit the adjustment bolts to the inboard end of the camber arms (the arms the spring struts attach to). You might be surprised how much it pulls the wheels in. You’ll need to adjust the front toe after too, it goes out about 2 turns each side after you fit the adjustment bolts

 

[pretzelmeister]

These cars do “relax” as the years go by, and the result is too much negative camber on the front wheels. Fit the adjustment bolts to the inboard end of the camber arms (the arms the spring struts attach to). You might be surprised how much it pulls the wheels in. You’ll need to adjust the front toe after too, it goes out about 2 turns each side after you fit the adjustment bolts

Thanks.
Been looking at how to get hold of and the fit camber adjustment bolts. Looks like they can give max 42 mins of adjustment each side, and while that will help, it doesn't look like will be enough to get back within spec?

Also, in post I saw about fitting them, someone said they used a hand-winch (pull-me?) to draw the spring control arms towars the centre of the car while fitting the adjustment bolts - A000330017 / Febi Bilstean 21560.
Is that really necessary? Presumably it will make fastening the bolts a bit easier, but will the fastening alone not pull the arm in?

 

[badgx]

The front right camber reading isn't too bad, a little negative camber is okay for road holding but will wear out the inner part of the tyres and the bolts will certainly help a tiny bit.

Do the various suspension bushings look tired, do they need replacing? New bushes will also help bring angles closer to spec.

Has the vehicle been involved in any accidents that may have slightly damaged some suspension parts?

Are you able to get a free reading from another garage, the equipment should be calibrated but you never can tell.

 

[pretzelmeister]

The front right camber reading isn't too bad, a little negative camber is okay for road holding but will wear out the inner part of the tyres and the bolts will certainly help a tiny bit.

Do the various suspension bushings look tired, do they need replacing? New bushes will also help bring angles closer to spec.

Has the vehicle been involved in any accidents that may have slightly damaged some suspension parts?

Are you able to get a free reading from another garage, the equipment should be calibrated but you never can tell.

Bushings all look good - torque struts, spring control arms, lower ball joints all have been replaced relatively recently.
No accident damage that I am aware of.
Can try getting another garage to check for me - I think maybe KwikFit offer a free check.

Looks like I can't adjust ride hide on the front with spring pads. So I guess different (longer) springs is 1 option, but also wondering, if I change position of circlips on the front shocks - raising them a notch or 2 - will take me in the correct direction - i.e. raising ride height & reducing negative camber?

Also not sure why front cambers are so different - given ride heights so similar - maybe due to uneven front tyre wear when alignment was done?

 

[Jobsworth]

When you fit the adjustment bolts and pull the lower arm inwards the ride height will also raise slightly by virtue of the bottom mount of the spring strut being pulled slightly more vertical. Difficult to visualise in your mind

 

[pretzelmeister]

When you fit the adjustment bolts and pull the lower arm inwards the ride height will also raise slightly by virtue of the bottom mount of the spring strut being pulled slightly more vertical. Difficult to visualise in your mind

Thanks. I get that. But if the max camber adjustment is - and I'm not sure if is 42 minutes or 0.42 degrees / 25 minutes, but I suspect the former - will not be enough to get within spec. Hence why I am wondering if I can reduce neg camber by raising ride height via shockwr circlips - or is longer springs the only route to remedying. That's what WIS suggests...

and somewhere else I read that spring pads not an option for front of W211...

...and I don't see any front spring pads listed in EPC for my W211 - just the little shim - A2113230052.

 

[Jobsworth]

A 42’ reduction is going to bring your front left to 1 deg 28’ which is within spec. I feel you are over-thinking this.