Highway wander, any ideas?
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Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
The redesigned silicone filled castor bushes definitely seem better. My old set failed early. The present set are fine.
My Holden Berlina in Aus went through three sets of front rotors in 19,000Km from new.
Suffered wheel shimmy under braking. We finally refaced a worn set & that stopped it.
My Holden Berlina in Aus went through three sets of front rotors in 19,000Km from new.
Suffered wheel shimmy under braking. We finally refaced a worn set & that stopped it.
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From: Perth, Australia
Audi A4 Quattro 2013
I might need to get something done sooner. It's fine around the metro area but today I was on country roads at 110km/h today and it was going left again. Our country roads are not very smooth.
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From: Perth, Australia
Audi A4 Quattro 2013
Also, any reputable suppliers out there? MB dealer wanted over $150 just for the parts.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
See from post 151 here regarding improved bushes & P/N's
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...+castor+bushes
P/N A 000 330 00 18 is for bolts only - Bushings or bearings as Benz call them P/N's are above.
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...+castor+bushes
P/N A 000 330 00 18 is for bolts only - Bushings or bearings as Benz call them P/N's are above.
Super Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 645
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From: Perth, Australia
Audi A4 Quattro 2013
See from post 151 here regarding improved bushes & P/N's
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...+castor+bushes
P/N A 000 330 00 18 is for bolts only - Bushings or bearings as Benz call them P/N's are above.
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...+castor+bushes
P/N A 000 330 00 18 is for bolts only - Bushings or bearings as Benz call them P/N's are above.
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From: VA
THE C350
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Joined: Oct 2010
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From: Perth, Australia
Audi A4 Quattro 2013
Well. I booked my car in to Mercedes Benz to get a castor kit installed. I weighed up the options. If I bought the parts myself, with labour, I would have saved less then $100. And this way, I get Mercedes to do it, get a loan car for the day and get piece of mind knowing I can complain if it isnt done correct, plus I guess I get a Mercedes guarantee.
Funny thing tough. We have 2 MB dealers in the metro area of Perth Australia. One dealer quoted $500-$600 for the job. The 2nd quoted $360. I asked why the difference. Apparently the first dealers does the job and then on top charges $159 for the wheel alignment. The 2nd dealer said they include the alignment in the job. Mind you the first dealer is the one who told me bluntly that the AUX jack is not compatible with my car... fail!
Another suspension company (not MB) told me that the reason Merc's pull left in Australia is due to the roads more then anything. Our roads slope left. Euro roads are straight or slope right. He went on to tell me when Mercedes changes the steering from RHD to LHD, they don't bother changing the camber. He told me a lot of MB owners come through getting this job done.
The dealer I got it booked in with next Friday tell me this is a common job for them.
PS
Huge thank you to Glyn M Ruck for you assistance in the PM's. You helped me a lot telling me the parts I needed if I got them myself. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to crunch in the numbers to make my decision to go with MB. Your a true credit and valuable to the forum! Thank you for all your advise.
Funny thing tough. We have 2 MB dealers in the metro area of Perth Australia. One dealer quoted $500-$600 for the job. The 2nd quoted $360. I asked why the difference. Apparently the first dealers does the job and then on top charges $159 for the wheel alignment. The 2nd dealer said they include the alignment in the job. Mind you the first dealer is the one who told me bluntly that the AUX jack is not compatible with my car... fail!
Another suspension company (not MB) told me that the reason Merc's pull left in Australia is due to the roads more then anything. Our roads slope left. Euro roads are straight or slope right. He went on to tell me when Mercedes changes the steering from RHD to LHD, they don't bother changing the camber. He told me a lot of MB owners come through getting this job done.
The dealer I got it booked in with next Friday tell me this is a common job for them.
PS
Huge thank you to Glyn M Ruck for you assistance in the PM's. You helped me a lot telling me the parts I needed if I got them myself. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to crunch in the numbers to make my decision to go with MB. Your a true credit and valuable to the forum! Thank you for all your advise.
Last edited by anonymousmoose; Jun 1, 2011 at 11:02 AM.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
It's a pleasure. Make sure they set the castor 1 degree more positive on the passenger side!
You are going to have to tell them this.
You are going to have to tell them this.
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Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
MBSA knows all about it. Our roads are similar to yours but in better condition.
MBUSA has never heard of the fix so I don't know whether the Aus guys know. Remember Benz does all of it's endurance testing here & Namibia apart from cold weather so they pick these things up.
They must not set the car up to standard spec. Castor should be typically 10.6 degress passenger side, 9.6 degrees drivers side the rest of standard spec applies to front & rear.
MBUSA has never heard of the fix so I don't know whether the Aus guys know. Remember Benz does all of it's endurance testing here & Namibia apart from cold weather so they pick these things up.
They must not set the car up to standard spec. Castor should be typically 10.6 degress passenger side, 9.6 degrees drivers side the rest of standard spec applies to front & rear.
Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; Jun 2, 2011 at 09:15 AM.
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Joined: Oct 2010
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From: Perth, Australia
Audi A4 Quattro 2013
MBSA knows all about it. Our roads are similar to yours but in better condition.
MBUSA has never heard of the fix so I don't know whether the Aus guys know. Remember Benz does all of it's endurance testing here & Namibia apart from cold weather so they pick these things up.
They must not set the car up to standard spec. Castor should be typically 10.6 degress passenger side, 9.6 degrees drivers side the rest of standard spec applies to front & rear.
MBUSA has never heard of the fix so I don't know whether the Aus guys know. Remember Benz does all of it's endurance testing here & Namibia apart from cold weather so they pick these things up.
They must not set the car up to standard spec. Castor should be typically 10.6 degress passenger side, 9.6 degrees drivers side the rest of standard spec applies to front & rear.
I dont have much faith in the high quoted dealer, they told me bulldust about my audio (AUX) plug upgrade.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Sounds like you have found a decent dealer that actually reads the bulletins that Benz sends to them.
Don't take this forgranted though - many don't. Benz allows up to 2 degrees castor difference to correct this but I have never seen a car require more than 1 degree.
Don't take this forgranted though - many don't. Benz allows up to 2 degrees castor difference to correct this but I have never seen a car require more than 1 degree.
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Joined: Oct 2010
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From: Perth, Australia
Audi A4 Quattro 2013
update: I got the job done. They seamed very professional. Although I haven't noted much difference to be honest. I re-confirmed with the dealerships service department and the rep emailed me; "castor is 1.8 degrees more positive on the LHS".
I think maybe its just me not used to a car with stiff suspension. I guess if there is a slope on the road the car will follow it. Sometimes it does go straight.
From the short time I got to drive an acquaintances S500. I remember it also pulling a little. I'll have to drive another Merc on-day to compare. They offered to let me drive the new face-lift C-Class (they tried to up-sell me, I'd be more surprised if they didn't) but I unfortunately had not the time.
I'm pretty happy with the way I was treated at Mercedes Benz (this was my first time). Car came back vacuum'ed and cleaned. They even went right under the seats and cleaned it out. They found a hotel type shampoo bottle I didn't even see (previous owner maybe??). Exterior was also very clean. Came back sparking.
PS
They saw the new SLS AMG Gullwing with a SOLD sticker in their show room, in red.
I spoke to a sales rep and found out it was sold for just over $500,000 (AUD). wow
I think I found my modern dream-car, but I prefer the white convertible.
Of course the 1954 version would be the ultimate if I ever strike oil.
I think maybe its just me not used to a car with stiff suspension. I guess if there is a slope on the road the car will follow it. Sometimes it does go straight.
From the short time I got to drive an acquaintances S500. I remember it also pulling a little. I'll have to drive another Merc on-day to compare. They offered to let me drive the new face-lift C-Class (they tried to up-sell me, I'd be more surprised if they didn't) but I unfortunately had not the time.
I'm pretty happy with the way I was treated at Mercedes Benz (this was my first time). Car came back vacuum'ed and cleaned. They even went right under the seats and cleaned it out. They found a hotel type shampoo bottle I didn't even see (previous owner maybe??). Exterior was also very clean. Came back sparking.
PS
They saw the new SLS AMG Gullwing with a SOLD sticker in their show room, in red.
I spoke to a sales rep and found out it was sold for just over $500,000 (AUD). wow
I think I found my modern dream-car, but I prefer the white convertible.
Of course the 1954 version would be the ultimate if I ever strike oil.
Last edited by anonymousmoose; Jun 17, 2011 at 12:16 PM.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Tramlining is always more of a problem with stiff suspension & some tyres. Benz allows max + 2 degrees so you should be fine.
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From: Perth, Australia
Audi A4 Quattro 2013
Super Moderator
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
You could rotate the wheels across the axle if it is tyres. With your new setup your tyres will wear evenly when you fit new ones.
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From: Perth, Australia
Audi A4 Quattro 2013
I thought about this. I might do this next service or if I ever need to take it into the shop. The highway wander is not so bad as I probably am conveying. And the 2006 S500 I drove a month back had similar pull.
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From: 1 hours drive north of Sydney Australia
2007 W204 220CDI Classic Sedan
In my opinion a slight pull to the left in Australia on a crowned road is a good safety feature. Mine does .
If for ever reason eg , inattention or a nano sleep, the car will tend to the veer to the road shoulder & wake you up. You will also not kill some poor B coming the other way with a family of kids.
If for ever reason eg , inattention or a nano sleep, the car will tend to the veer to the road shoulder & wake you up. You will also not kill some poor B coming the other way with a family of kids.
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From: Perth, Australia
Audi A4 Quattro 2013
After Mercedes put in the adjustable camber kit, they did an alignment. After a couple of weeks I still wasnt happy and took it back to the dealer that sold me the car to have a look if it was the tyres. He found Mercedes put to much 'toe-in' when they did the alignment. I was informed if I didnt bring it in, it would have had a bad effect on my tyre wear.
Car drives straight now.
Pays to double check if one feels something isnt right.
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From: Perth, Australia
Audi A4 Quattro 2013
, 2nd dentist said that was bull-dust and a 3rd agreed.
