luca67

Hello,
have you seen this type of camber bolt? Shouldn't it have a tab or some type of eccentric washer on one end?
My car has alignment issues and pulls to the right, just like many otehr w203 out there. The passenger front tire has much more negative camber than the driver side and I found out is also has this bolt installed (probably to correct such camber?). If so, it isn't doing much... so I wonder if the bolt is actually missing the tab or washer that makes it effective or the suspension is so screwed up that the bolt can't do much about it.
My mechanic told me that the strut is probably bent, and gave me an estimate of 1400$ to replace both front struts.
As far as I know the car was not in accidents, but who knows...
Would the Mercedes camber bolts in installed in the lower arm mountings help? Do they fit the 4matic arm bushing/mounting?
Sorry fo the long explanation
Thanks
Luca

phister

looks as though someone just replaced the OEM ones with whatever they could find. most camber bolts have the eccentric tab and theres an arrow on the bolt head to indicate where the tab is at. Those look like a ghetto replacement. OEM MB use fluted bolts on the control arms to adjust the camber.

phister

also 1400 to replace the struts is ridiculous. You can order OEM ones from RMeuropean for less than 250 for each side and do the install yourself. But if you want a shop to do it shouldnt cost more than 250 to install just the fronts.

luca67

I don't think that bolt can do much in terms of adjustment without the proper tab/washer.
I took a closer look and it looks like that top camber bolt has slipped, causing the excessive negative camber. I believe these type of camber bolt cannot be torqued as much as regular bolts, hence the slipping.

The 1400$ included the top mounts (100$ each?), labor (4-500$) and alignement (200$ !!).
I'd rather try replacing that bolt with a better one, or installing the fluted OEM bolts in the lower arm mounts, assuming they are available for 4-matic W-203 models, before I replace struts, etc..

Tri-Star

I have a 4matic and plan to purchase the camber kit this summer at some point ... should be soon.

Mercedes Part #: 2039900099
Cost $71.00 per side
You will need a kit for each side of the car.

Hope this helps!

luca67

Hi Tri-Star,
Thanks for the info.
Are you going to install them because your lowered the car or to correct a bad alignment like mine?
DIY? from what I have seen, the steering linkage is right there in the way of the rear bolt...

phister

You only need to replace the top hats if they're damaged. Most shops would remove the top hat and reinstall it on the new struts. Labor should not be in the 4-500 just to install front struts. Most tuner shops don't charge that much to do all for corners.

If you want I have some eccentric bolts sitting around from spc I'll sell you. But the funny thing is that to have bolts on the OEM struts of ours you have to modify the bolt hole, and I don't know if that was done. Splinter, a member here had to drill out the bolt hole to make it oval shape that is needed to make the eccentric bolt turn and adjust the camber.