spawn_x

Finished swapping in a CLS steering rack into my '03 MY. I retained my inner/outer tierods and swapped the rack only.

However - my steering wheel is off, and naturally I have an ESP light.

The racks have a plastic retainer on them that also acts as a guide - I was under assumption this would be aligned, but is it possible that I installed the column and was off on the splines, despite the plastic guide?

Most vehicles I've worked on had the steering rack splines marked so you can't get the splines wrong, not sure what's up with the mercedes plastic thing, maybe its adjustable?

Any help would be great.. Thanks

BC928

Why did you do a CLS rack?

spawn_x

They are called the "CLS rack" because they were put in all CLS's, but some 05 and all 06 E55s have them as well.

It has a better steering ratio and handles night and day compared to the first versions (like my 2003 built).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/272144874827?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
The new ones appear to be used up to 2011 on all E and CLS models, so it should be a good rack. More reading if you want: https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ion-parts.html

But I cannot figure out what's wrong - steering wheel off-center, ESP light on, but the plastic sleeve on the rack allows the rack to go on the splines one way only?

I am HOPING it is as simple as new alignment, but I would have guessed the center would remain the same?

AMGPilot

The rack wasn't centered when you installed it

austingtir

^^
Interesting stuff. I'll be interested to hear how you get around the esp light if its not just down to the rack not being centered.

I was under the impression this swap could not be easily done due to this esp error and coding not that I know anything much about it. But if this works out for you I want to know so I can do it to mine as well.

StarvingArtist

Have you done the lock to lock reset of the steering angle sensor?

spawn_x

The swap is direct austin, fair amount of people have done this with no issues

I haven't done the lock to lock yet, more concerned with the rack not being centered. I will put it up on jack stands and see if I can get it to go on a different spline

CharlyE500

I have 06 E55 and handling suck compare to CLS55 so not sure they have the same steering rack.

austingtir

Would anyone know the part # for a Right hand drive CLS55 steering rack?

spawn_x

Move your steering lock to lock and see how many turns it takes. The cls rack is 2.8 turns, and there is confirmations from mb reps that 05 and 06 do have the upgraded racks.

I removed the steering shaft joint at the rack and was able to slide it on with different spline alignment, and steering wheel is back to its original position. My assumption that the plastic sleeve on the rack allows to only slide the shaft into one place was wrong, apparently you can still misalign it off by a spline, so check that the steering wheel is centered lock to lock before you finish tightening everything back together. No more esp light, although i did the lock to lock a couple times afterwards.

Driving feel is definitely improved, easy job and a used rack can be had for under 300, definitely a must have if you got the old style.

oneslow55

Been told serveral times from 3 amg mechanics that the 05 ,06 e have the cls rack