Glyn M Ruck

You don't say what mileage is on this car. Look for damaged bushes & ball joint play. Benz suspension mounting points don't bend easily. The best thing you can do is fit the 4 fluted bolts & get the car back on an alignment machine & get things as close to perfect as possible ~ you usually have a little more to play with when all points are adjustable than paper would suggest. A small amount of extra negative camber is not a bad thing for stability but can cause the car to be more prone to tramlining. It usually helps Benz cars to reduce outer shoulder of tyre scuffing. Your problem of inner shoulder wear is unusual if toe is correct. You are wise to try & get cross camber correct.

dave2001auto

Thanks for the reply Glyn M Ruck

My car has 58,000 miles. The front end has been inspected by the dealer, an INDY and Firestone alignment. All say it okay. It was purchased used with greater wear on the inner edge of all 4 tires. The prealignment toe angles were +0.28 (L) and +0.20 (R), toe in. I would expect the positive toe to cause outter edge wear. My Toyota Sienna and Nissan Maxima with -1.5 to -1.7 camber would wear out the inner edge of 60,000 to 80,000 mile tires in less than 20,000 miles. So I don't like the idea so being OOS with too much negative camber.

All my new Japanese and American cars developed negative camber after about 30,000 to 40,000 miles without an accident. I think the springs just got weaker and car just lowered itself. I don't see how people can have -2.0 camber and get any life on the tire.

dave2001auto

Glyn M Ruck and others,

My regular mechanic doesn't feel confortable doing it cause it will be the first time. The alignment shop says they only adjust the alignment and don't install parts. If I can get it installed, the alignment shop will adjust the camber.

I looks like the installation will be up to me. How long does it take to install the camber bolts and does the caster bolts take much extra time? It will be done at home with limited lift ability. One simple floor jack and 2 stands.

Barken

Hello my name is Peter (and I realized that I may have posted this in the wrong section - sorry about that chief)

From sweden (thats why my poor english) with a 160hp W203 hatchback 200 kompressor daily driver..
(2002 100000 km / 63000 miles)

I try to do all trackdays I can, with this car that is absolutetly bonestock..
the first times even the tires and brakes was the same as when it left the factory

the good thing with driving on old tires is that they dont wear so much

after two trackmeetings, I changed to R-tires. on my stock rims.

the problem for me is, that that car is veeery heavy, so it ate the R-tires..
(mostly outside on front wheels)

with both setups, actually it corners really really good - but it understeers like a pig..

The chassie (avantguard ?) is as I said bonestock, so I probarbly has lot of work cut out for me..


My object is to get the tires to last longer, and oviously more grip

1. the car understeers like a pig, so I want as much Camber as posible at the front. Have found a couple av adjustmensts screws - (or mayby make some mysel ), mostly for saving the front tires - but perhaps loose some of the understeering.

2. bushings. they are 12 years old, and I have a skuirking noise from the back - so rear main are going to be replaced..
should I replace the outher bushes as well ?
do they loose performance, even when they are not broken ?
And is it wourth the extra cost, and cost in comfort to go with polyurethane?

3 Lower it - I dont like lowered Cars, but I realize that I will get more Camber with a lowered front..

3.5 shocks (ev springs), I reckon the 12 year old shock might be "not in mint condition, so I am thinking of repalcing them..
But I want to retain as much comfort as posible have looked at Koni FSD or mayby Kony Yellow/str or something similar

4. is it possible to remove the steeringwheel airbag, passenger Airbag door bags and disable the warnings ?

its very fun using a MB at trackdays, last time it was the heviest car there, and the one with poorest kg/hp - but I certeny was not the slowest

one (!) Merc and 30-40 bimmers at that trackday total 100 cars..


any other suggestions ? thicker rollbars etc are very intreresting


If someone is intrested I can post what I am doing / with DIY etc


thanks
Peter


ps - money is an object

TheRulesLawyer

I'd try a rear sway bar first. Most cars I've had that's a huge transformation in car balance. Also cheap and easy to install.

Corske

I do have a couple of questions here :

1. Which of the control arms are for the camber, upper or lower ? I assume one of those arms is for caster as well.

2. I am planning to adjust the negative camber on both wheels with this bolt, will I notice any difference in ride quality or looks ?

3. If I adjust the camber should I adjust the caster as well?

4. It’s not clear for me from the quoted post, If I want to get rid of the right pull do I need to adjust the camber for both wheels or just one of them. LHD

Sinan Khan

I have 2006 W203 and have the exact same question.
The castor angle on left is less as compared to the right wheel and the car pulls to the left. There is a 3mm difference in the wheel positions(the left wheel is 3mm behind)

so, can i cover this gap with this fluted bolt?

In which arm i will have to install this bolt to adjust the castor?

will it also affect the camber?

dave2001auto

see the prior post. Has pictures and directions. The stock factory bolts do allow for some adjustments. The optional bolts just allows more adjustments.
I only did the camber bolts and after 4+ adjustments on the alignment rack runs perfect. Got the lifetime alignment. One gal was able to get it near 100% perfect. Most of the guys only knew how to adjust one setting at a time. Mark your old reference points before disassembling.