Steering alignment

[nickmann]

Hi,

My steering wheel is pointing to the right when I'm driving straight. Not life-or-death, but irritating. No worries, thinks I, phoned the local tyre place to book in for laser alignment, and they said they won't do it because they might "upset the adjustable camber", and I need to o to MB dealer. They are usually OK, I've been there before and had the alignment done on other makes.

I took a look under the front and the only think that looks adjustable to me is the track-rods. The susp. arms and the steering arms look very solid and non-adjustable to me.

Is the trye place getting my humble offering mixed up with something more exotic, desirable, and, well, adjustable??

Thanks
Nick Mann
1997 c240 Elegance Estate

 

[Steve_Perry]

Umm I didn't think there was anything exotic suspension wise on the C Class or the C240. Once you have changed your tyres around as per your other thread you may find that your car's tendency to drive straight with the steering wheel pointing slightly right may have changed too.

S.

 

[Alps]

nickmann, i just had my steering aligned at Elite`s in rainham, they are supossed to be the nuts, BUT, i came out and drove down the rd and the steering wheel is now like yours, slightly to the right, so i went back and they set it all back up on their fancy laser alignment machine (on another machine just in case the machine was at fault) and he showed me the straight steering, but when he took it off, the same!

ive been told they should have switched the car on when they did the alignment due to the play in the steering rack?

wadya reackon?

 

[richy]

All the camber / castor is adjustable on mine, front and rear, I know cause MB just done it !
I can only think they are put off in case somethings siezed and if they break it = big bills.

Any decent road race / rally prep firm should have these full alignment machines although you may well get the same reaction.

MB is about £90 for the full treatment and they certainly improved mine to dead straight etc...

BTW this kind of set up check (KDS ) from BMW is around £250 so I thought the Merc dealer was reasonable for this

It really is worth it if youhave any knid of decent expensive tyres on plus a couple of MPG usually results.

 

[Dieselman]

The caster and camber are both adjustable. The tracking is the last adjustment that should be performed as it will not affect the other two but each of the others has an effect on all three settings.

On MB cars the steering will have to be turned against the road camber even when correctly set. Check by driving on the opposite camber.

The steering wheel will also be affected by caster or camber settings even so that the wheel may have to be turned to drive straight.

There are special adjustment bolts available to set caster or camber if needed.

Your setup is further complicated by having one of those funny steering box thingys, although this shouldn't present a problem.

 

[Ian B Walker]

There are two adjustments on each front wheel for the camber angles. Both are nust and bolts with eccentric washers. Please use a specialist to adjust them as the handling of the car will be seriously affected if you try yourself. Mb Blackpool charge £150 for a complete steering geometry set up.