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Alright, let me set the stage.
Car in question is a 2007 C280 4Matic, with nearly 140k on the clock.
I've had the car for about 3 years now?
Had the car inspected in June, failed because of a bad front tie rod.
Took a look at the rear suspension, and decided that instead of blowing alignment money twice, the rear needed a complete overhaul. Plus i had an obnoxious clunk sort of noise from the rear when hard cornering or going over a speed bump. Assumed it was the sway bar bushings, still feeling kinda dumb for that assumption, considering the sway bar moved freely in the bushings when I started taking things apart.
In the process, I found the rear coil springs had both split half a coil off.
Anyways, tore the car down to its component parts. and built it up from scratch. So much so that the only old parts from the rear subframe that remain is the front bushing on the rear Differential, the sway bar itself, and the wheel carriers/hubs
New Tie rods, Traction/torsion rods, control arms, bushings in the wheel carriers, sway bar links, sway bar bushings, coil springs, shocks, subframe bushings, brake rotors, pads. ect ect.
Nearly all parts are made by Lemforder, with exception to the Bilstein springs (2 silver spot, just like the originals) Bilstein shocks (OE style, not the harsher ride variety, or lowered) and the Mercedes lower control arms.
Sandblasted the rear subframe and painted with Corroseal and oil base topcoat to hopefully stop the rust.
Anyways, heres my issue.
After all this work, and all these new parts, and a brand new alignment. My rear tires have somewhere around -2.8 degrees camber each! (if my math is right, didn't get a spec sheet from shop, Difference between top, and bottom of 16 inch rim is 20mm measured against a very accurate level, math says 11mm max) The car looks like I've built it for track days! which is not the intent.
I am aware the rear has no adjustable camber, hence my confusion.
So clearly, it's not a worn part issue. since they;re all brand new. Pretty sure its not the coil springs considering the amount of tension they had on install. For the springs, I used the part number pulled from WIS to cross reference. Maybe the spring pads? I left the originals in, with a new coil shim in the control arm, Again a WIS part number, would've missed them without it.
Whats the stock distance for center of hub to fender on these cars? Wondering if it's riding a bit low.
Any help/insight would be greatly appreciated, I simply can't figure out why with all brand new, theoretically correct parts why I have this problem.
THAT'S RIGHT - THERE IS ONLY REAR (AND FRONT) TOE 'DIRECTIONAL' ADJUSTMENT OEM!
No front Camber or Caster and no rear Camber to adjust tire contact angles, spread load more evenly.
Essential to resolve costly, premature edge tire wear.
It is all to do with cost cutting and the ever increasing speed of auto assembly lines.
We saw the need therefore to re-establish from the early 90's once ago full, precise adjustment.
KMAC rear kit replaces the lower arm inner bushings. Includes bush extraction tool - install without need for arm removal.
Also includes "extra" rear Toe adjustment to compensate for the new Camber facility.
The KMAC unique patented design allows precise single wrench adjustment. Accurately (under load) direct on alignment rack.
Similar kit for front replaces the 4 (highest wearing) bushes providing Camber and also Caster adjustment to compensate for the new Camber settings and also resolve steering pull.
These bushings also replace the soft rubber, oil and air voided OEM with Mono ball self aligning bushes. This KMAC design significantly improving brake and steering response. Also manufacture uprated bushings for the 6 rear multi link arms, less twitch, flex, loss of traction especially when applying power to lane change, overtake.
W203 Front Camber and Caster kit #502216 K $480 Rear Camber (and Extra Toe) Kit
4/04-07 #501926 J $380
00-3/04 #502026 H $345 Uprated rear Multi link arm bush kit #501528 K $480
AMG #502528 K $480
DHL air delivery worldwide $40 one kit ($20 each extra kit)
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