Rear camber adjustment
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Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2002
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Rear camber adjustment
Have been having problems with slight pull to right and finally had alignment shop determain that they need to adjust rear camber, but can't. I checked with the dealership and the parts guy mentioned a rear camber adjustment kit (part #202-350-01-06) which I have found on line for only $18 a side. I have heard other people on this site say the only way to adjust rear camber is with aftermarket adjustable camber arms at multiple hundred $$ per set. Even my service guy at stealership said he was not aware of rear camber adjustment bolts.
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Joined: Jan 2007
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From: NY/NJ
05 C230K SS 6MT, 00 Audi TT 180Q 5MT
Have been having problems with slight pull to right and finally had alignment shop determain that they need to adjust rear camber, but can't. I checked with the dealership and the parts guy mentioned a rear camber adjustment kit (part #202-350-01-06) which I have found on line for only $18 a side. I have heard other people on this site say the only way to adjust rear camber is with aftermarket adjustable camber arms at multiple hundred $$ per set. Even my service guy at stealership said he was not aware of rear camber adjustment bolts.
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I have heard of the KMC Camber kits but if I remember they run a couple hundred and are more designed for someone who has lowered their car, which I have not. I just need a little right rear camber adjustment to take out a slight right pull and prefer the price of these if they would work.
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Joined: Jun 2002
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From: So. Oregon Coast
C230 Sport Coup + 2006 W164 ML350 + 99 Ford Escort RIP
What a lame answer.
It's like "You guys playing cards?" while watching the cards get dealt.
Of course he needs an alignment, hence asking the question.
I've been looking at camber arms, so I'd love to find out if there's something cheaper. The only problem with the bolts is getting someone other than a dealer who knows
a. They are there and
b. How to adjust them.
The arms are pretty obvious and easy to adjust and allow a huge range of adjustment. Just waiting for paycheck from my new job, so I can correct my -3 and -4 neg rear camber that eats tires.
The 202 pn on those bolts implies they are for a W202.
Likely you'd have to have the dealer install and do the alugnment.
It's like "You guys playing cards?" while watching the cards get dealt.
Of course he needs an alignment, hence asking the question.
I've been looking at camber arms, so I'd love to find out if there's something cheaper. The only problem with the bolts is getting someone other than a dealer who knows
a. They are there and
b. How to adjust them.
The arms are pretty obvious and easy to adjust and allow a huge range of adjustment. Just waiting for paycheck from my new job, so I can correct my -3 and -4 neg rear camber that eats tires.
The 202 pn on those bolts implies they are for a W202.
Likely you'd have to have the dealer install and do the alugnment.
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Bolt instalation
I agree with your opinion of MJ50, but did not think the idiot justified a response.
I also have your concerns. The alignment shop owes me to finish alignment as soon as I get them something that will allow rear camber adjustment. I don't need a whole lot of adjustment since I have not lowered the car and therefore do not see need for camber arms. Am hoping that installation of these bolts is something alignment shop can accomplish since stealership would probably charge 100+ for install. Also hopeing that this will correct slight right pull. Alignment shop says to get for both sides even though it is only the right side that is out of spec. If he can't get all of the adjustment he needs to bring right side into spec, he would slightly adjust left side to match right.
I also have your concerns. The alignment shop owes me to finish alignment as soon as I get them something that will allow rear camber adjustment. I don't need a whole lot of adjustment since I have not lowered the car and therefore do not see need for camber arms. Am hoping that installation of these bolts is something alignment shop can accomplish since stealership would probably charge 100+ for install. Also hopeing that this will correct slight right pull. Alignment shop says to get for both sides even though it is only the right side that is out of spec. If he can't get all of the adjustment he needs to bring right side into spec, he would slightly adjust left side to match right.
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2002 C230 Coupe
The OEM camber bolts "crash bolts" are only for the front, I believe. This is because the front thrust arm bushings have oval-shaped bolt holes, with 4 rubber ridges inside. The normal bolts from the factory are standard bolts, and only fit in the center of this oval. The "crash bolts" are the same size as the normal bolts, but have two grooves along the length. This allows for installing the bolts right on the inboard or outboard rubber ridges, instead of between them. As MJ50 mentions, this only offers 0.5 degree of camber adjustment.
This cheap option only works where the bushings are designed for this setup. The rear suspension links don't have these kind of bushings, so there isn't any rear camber adjustment available.
I lowered my car, and I had to use adjustable rear camber arms to fix my rear alignment. I am surprised, though, that your mechanic finds four stock setup so far out of camber alignment in the rear. Do you have the printout for the alignment showing the camber degree?
This cheap option only works where the bushings are designed for this setup. The rear suspension links don't have these kind of bushings, so there isn't any rear camber adjustment available.
I lowered my car, and I had to use adjustable rear camber arms to fix my rear alignment. I am surprised, though, that your mechanic finds four stock setup so far out of camber alignment in the rear. Do you have the printout for the alignment showing the camber degree?
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From: So. Oregon Coast
C230 Sport Coup + 2006 W164 ML350 + 99 Ford Escort RIP
I have the front bolts installed, but no one other than the dealer will touch them, even after calling and having them swear to me, they'll do more than set the toe, and let it go. Who are you asking about camber? Mine isn't stock, if you were addressing me.
I'm not voicing an "opinion of MJ50", just teasing him about the one thing. Boys will be boys with their toys.
He's been here a long time, helped a lot of people, so IMHO senor' Newbie, I wouldn't call him an idiot.
I'm not voicing an "opinion of MJ50", just teasing him about the one thing. Boys will be boys with their toys.
He's been here a long time, helped a lot of people, so IMHO senor' Newbie, I wouldn't call him an idiot.
Last edited by C230 Sport Coup; Nov 9, 2007 at 03:33 PM.
Thread Starter
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I have been busy and have not reviewed this in awhile. jolenicz had asked me to submit my rear camber readings. They are -1.1 or the left and -1.8 for the right. Not a huge difference, but enough so says the tech to cause the slight pull to right. My question is, will paying $260 for adjustable rear camber arms correct this problem and get me going straight?
I also noticed that the front camber is -0.3 left and -0.7 right, but this shows to be in spec.
I also noticed that the front camber is -0.3 left and -0.7 right, but this shows to be in spec.
Thread Starter
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Camber arms
I was hoping that someone could tell me if buying the camber arms to correct the small left to right camber difference mentioned in my post above would correct the slight right pull that I have. These arms are usually sold to people who have lowered their cars (which I have not) and would hate to spend $260 to find out afterwards that it did not correct problem.
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From: Fresno, CA
Blk on Blk C240
Your car pulling to the right.
I was hoping that someone could tell me if buying the camber arms to correct the small left to right camber difference mentioned in my post above would correct the slight right pull that I have. These arms are usually sold to people who have lowered their cars (which I have not) and would hate to spend $260 to find out afterwards that it did not correct problem.
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2005 C230 Kompressor
I know this is an old topic but it is still happening a lot on Mercedes. The REAR TOE needs adjusting if you rear tires are worn on the inside like mine are. Actually you can stand behind the vehicle and see they are tilted outwards at the bottom. It should not be like this if you can actually see the tilt.
Here is the answer from a MB specialist I found on the net: http://www.justanswer.com/mercedes/7...g-time-no.html
There are bolts at the tracking arm that can be adjusted.
Here is the answer from a MB specialist I found on the net: http://www.justanswer.com/mercedes/7...g-time-no.html
There are bolts at the tracking arm that can be adjusted.
Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 131
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From: Wichita, KS
2002 C230 Coupe
If your concern is tire wear, I can verify that toe will wear out tires more than camber. Lowered an older BMW where that causes rear toe out and negative camber. Ran the inside edges off the rear tires within 10K. Corrected the toe and left the camber for handling and the next set of tires went over 30K and wore pretty evenly.
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Mercedes-Benz CLK 550
I know this is an old topic but it is still happening a lot on Mercedes. The REAR TOE needs adjusting if you rear tires are worn on the inside like mine are. Actually you can stand behind the vehicle and see they are tilted outwards at the bottom. It should not be like this if you can actually see the tilt.
Here is the answer from a MB specialist I found on the net: http://www.justanswer.com/mercedes/7...g-time-no.html
There are bolts at the tracking arm that can be adjusted.
Here is the answer from a MB specialist I found on the net: http://www.justanswer.com/mercedes/7...g-time-no.html
There are bolts at the tracking arm that can be adjusted.
Fact is “Full front and rear wheel alignment” is no more!
Since the mid ‘90 model’s, with the ever increasing speed of vehicle assembly lines there has been no front or rear Camber (or front Caster) adjustment facility fitted OEM
Only current adjustment is front and rear Toe and situations where there is insufficient rear Toe once the issue of lack of Camber is overcome!
To attempt to return vehicle to factory specs to resolve costly premature inner edge tire wear, improve traction and fix steering pull the only current alternative for front Camber and Caster is to fit offset, slotted bolts (for the front only). But these are inaccurate - one only position bolts - offering a minimal .3 of one degree adjustment (3mm / 1/8”).
It’s no wonder many owners continually change tire brands or go from one MB Dealer or alignment shop to another trying to get it right/fix the problem!
We saw the need therefore "to fix it right the first time" by designing, developing, patenting (and re-instating from the 1990's) fully adjustable front (and rear) suspension for virtually all models.
The current K-MAC kits have up to 4 times the adjustment of these one only position offset bolts (both Positive or Negative). And unlike these one position bolts that require labour intensive jacking and disassembly each time, the K-MAC kits only require use of a single wrench to accurately adjust on car(under load) direct on alignment turntable (no need for labor intensive removal/replacement each time).
Providing ongoing full, precise adjustment of both Camber and Caster settings if altering suspension height, fitting wide profile tires/wheels, curb knock damage or being able to quickly fine tune/change specs on race days (extra Negative/plus track width to go deeper into the corners/lower lap times). With the unique K-MAC patented design only requiring use of a single wrench/no disassembly.
For the rear, similar kits for precise Camber adjustment (with also additional Toe to compensate for the new Camber facility). Importantly unlike the alternative rear upper adjustable Camber control arms available K-MAC kits do not move top of tire outwards - this reducing essential clearance top of tire to outer fender when adjusting to fix premature inner edge tire wear/improve rear traction.
Also instead of spherical bearings as used on many of these upper control arms which prematurely pound out allowing metal to metal contact. At K-MAC we have developed long life elastomer bushings.
Bonus with all the four front and four rear K-MAC bushes is that they are also designed with twice the load bearing area and replace the highest wearing suspension bushings. And with K-MAC no special tools are required to fit.
Note (Product background re bushings): Majority OEM bushes have air voids to allow 2 axis movement. So control arms can travel through their required arcs without binding, locking up.
Essential with today’s modern designs of “multi-link” arms with different angle mount points!
Yet most “aftermarket” replacement bushes the industry standard is to eliminate these air voids in an attempt to improve both steering response and reduce wheel hop, loss of traction under brake and acceleration.
The opposite is often the case – the elimination of the air voids causes even more severe wheel hop, loss of traction through binding, locking up of arms.
K-MAC bushes – with 50 years now of bush technology are designed without the air voids but where needed with “full 2 axis movement”. Result is power to the ground – maximum traction/acceleration/braking - along with noticeably improved directional control and steering response for highway driving, lane changing.
