Alrighty I put in new vogtland springs, #5 pads in front, #4 pads in rear, koni external adjustables, and kmac eccentric bushings on all four corners. I am also running staggered 18's with 255/35/18 0n rear and 225/35/18 front.

---took it for an alignment after parts install and the guy said my steering rack was off center but that he allowed for it in the alignment. (Im guessing this is possible since I just had a shop swap in the 5,5L motor, did they have to mess with the sub frame?)

---tires are rubbing like crazy, the traction light is flashing and going crazy AT STEADY FREEWAY SPEEDS!!! car drives like S**T!!!

---it drove fine after 5.5L swap right before the spring/bushing install, but steering wheel was just off center, took it up over 100mph.

ANY IDEAS HERE?? Much thanks!! so much money and to have an undriveable car is simply miserable.

 

did you take your car to a reputable shop for alignment?
maybe you have some issues with front steering components/ suspension?
did you have a health check on these parts?

who did your k-mac install, maybe shop messed up installing them wrong?

take som good pics of you drop from all angles.
what's your wheel gap now front/rear?
1 finger - 1½ finger - 2 finger space?

your koni shocks were they much shorter than stock AMG shox?

are you happy with your drop?
does it look good than b4 with previous height?

 

Did you have those tires on before the alignment? The front should be a 225/40/18. That shouldn't make it go that crazy though.

So you did the suspension install and then it drove fine on the way to the alignment shop? Now it drives like crap after the alignment?

 

Hi-- thanks kowalski and ecturbogsx, actually the fronts are 225/40/18's my mistake, Im waiting to go over there and check for the fender gap later today, the car drove fine after the 5.5 swap which a t the same time i did the koni's and brakes but stayed with stock springs.
I drove it for a few weeks without doing the alignment as I wasnt sure I wanted to stay with stock springs and it drove fine save for the steering wheel being off a quarter turn.
I then swapped the springs for vogtlands, swapped to the KMACS, and put #5/#4 pads in. the car was almost undrivable on the way to the alignment shop (A supposedly "performance" alignment shop--spose to be a good shop)
Now the car rubs really bad and the traction lights go all crazy at freeway speeds, even steady speed....

 

Something is definitely wrong. I would want to get checked every suspension component to be sure assembly of all parts are correct.

 

Did you mention at another time that you got the Vogtlands from ebay? Or am I thinking of someone else. Sounds like a very odd sitch

 

Based on the symptoms, it should be something blatantly obvious. Check all of your control arms, bushings, tie rod ends, etc. Sounds like a pretty major problem.

Do you know if it is rubbing front or rear or both?

 

Post up your alignment spec sheet from after the alignment. Also, the car doesn't have a steering rack, but a steering box.

The KMacs are unfortunately about the only game in town when it comes to adjustability. I know that at the front at least, both camber and caster are adjusted together, ie. not like on other cars with separate adjustment, the nature of the KMac parts is such that if you adjust one, there will be a change on the other. So the tech has to look at the machine and play with all the settings together.

 

Why was your steering off a 1/4 turn, this seems like A LOT Something is definitely wrong with the suspension install as I have almost the same set up (sans K-MAC in the rear and the Konis but that shouldn't make a difference) and I have had no problems.

I run 235/19/35 in the front and 265/19/30 in the rear with no rubs on either.

As Saab had stated the C43 has a steering box, perhaps he was referring to the drag link being off center, this would account for why your steering wheel was "off a 1/4 turn"

The 55 motor swap should have been essentially plug and play, nothing should have been altered with the sub frame. 43 and 55 motors share the exact same block.

As far as the traction control light flashing at freeway speeds that might have something to do with the incorrect tire size in the front.

 

I agree with 503C43 about 1/4 turn of your steering wheel being off. I've lowered many cars in my time, both on my own and by shops. The steering wheel has never been out of alignment by more than a few degrees, but usually not at all. If yours was off by that much after the install, they moved something during the install.

Also, you don't state what, "drives like ****" actually means? Rubbing like crazy? If it was there with the wider tires before, I'm sure lowering it would not cause a major disruption. In other words, the problem would have been apparent already.

Also, define 'rubbing'? During turns? Lock-to-lock? Or during normal city driving? What's rubbing, the fenders from being too low? Or the tires on the springs and struts??

The traction light could be a bunch of things wrong, but I'm leaning towards they didn't attach something properly or there is interference. Again, be specific with your description of the issue.

Good luck and post your results when you learn the answers! Better yet, attach some pics!

 

Another point about rubbing - I was convinced, after a bit of suspension work and with the installation of the 18s, that I had tire/fender interference. It would 'squeak' loudly over bump in the road. However, it turned out that the bolts holding the lower control arms in place weren't torqued to spec. Once tightened up, it was all good. And with the KMacs, if those aren't tight, then that could mean your alignment is actually off as well.

 

Thanks so much for all of your help--I felt the situation was out of my skill level so I had my longtime shop check it for me---yes I thought steering rack/subframe off sounded weird.
---I pick up the car tomorrow and Ill take pics/ slash measurements for you. Apparantly my control arm bushings were so stuck and rusted around the edges that they had to actually cut them out and have a shop press in the kmacs......they said a bunch of the metal filings were al over all the sensors and they blew it all out and solved the traction light thing--alledgedly.
Ill drive/look at the car tomorrow and see.....

 

Listen to this man right here. It sounds like your alignment also is still terribly off!!!!!!

 

1. Thanks for all of your help--Im so glad to have this resource

2. picked up the car--it has zero finger fender gaps all the way around---I did buy the vogtlands on ebay, they say 35mm w202 on the vogtland box---maybe those are some super low ones? I went for vogtland bc I wanted semi-low...the cars ride is actually nice, has one weird rub at left front that pisses me off.

3.WTF???!!! here's my "alignment" numbers:

left front: camber 1.9//caster 4.3// 1/8 toe

right front: camber 1.8// caster 4.8// 1/8 toe

left rear: camber 1.7// 1/8 toe

right rear: camber 1.9// 1/8 toe

why would all the #'s be all over the place? did they not know how to adjust the KMACS?? How do I find a place that can fix?

car steering wheel is still a cpl degrees left--just a touch.

car drives nicely, handles well, but turns different to the left than the right, oversteers to right, understeers left...

 

maybe im the actual idiot----looks like those #'s are within normal limits? still steering wheel is off a cpl degrees

 

I've heard that if they don't centre the steering properly it ****s all kinds if **** up

 

Are you sure it is rubbing? Have out seen evidence of it, ie. scrape marks on the fender or tire? If you are on OE Monoblocks, there should still be sufficient clearance with their offsets and therefore no rubbing. If its a squeak type of noise, double check the bolts on the lower control arms for correct torque, if I remember right it's about 40-45 ft lbs. I mentioned before, I thought I was rubbing, but it was just the LCA bolts not properly torqued.

Might sound obvious, but also double check your tire pressures. If one is low, it'll throw off steering. Because the sidewall is relatively low profile (and therefore stiffer as well) it may not be obvious just by looking at it.

 

Checked control arms and bushings and they were all very good---none making noise. I found a rub spot chewing up some of the tire on driver side front so Ill grind out where it looks like its hitting.
I think its a great idea to check tire pressure! that may be the problem and I havnt done that.
the car is ALMOST there. I drove it through the hills and definately the steering is off to the left a cpl degrees and I find it irritating that the cars steering is different to the left than to the right. : (
Is it possible that the steering box is off center or did those guys just not know how to align it and just making an excuse?
I found a performance alignment place with great reviews so I think Ill try them.
I HAVE SPENT 25k ON MY C43/C55 since APRIL LOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!

Theres ALOTTA NEW STUFF on her...

 

A rub spot on the tire is NOT normal and grinding the part (which one?) is NOT the solution. Can you post a photo or two to show us what's happening? You are using OE 18" Monos right? Are you sure the ET's are correct? What are the # front and rear?. That should at least point or clear a potential area.

 

Maybe shop put a back wheel/tire on the front? Different sizes could make crazy rubbing happen. Also might indicate why the ESP light was going off? Sounds dumb but could be?

 

$25K on your C43 since April I thought I was crazy spending $18k over the last 2 years

Besides the 55 swap what did you spend the $25k on?

 

hey drbc43amg Ill post a pic tomorrow Im running 18" enkei raijins off tire rack staggered like the monos. It appears the car was hit front left---just a bit a one time, the gaps are off a bit and fender/bumper at that point too. it rubbing there at the intersect of fender and bumper, rubber dust on there and far edge of tire getting chewed and I am extremely annoyed, i keep trying to pull it out a bit and it never works.
503c43///amg: nothing else too wonderful just a lotta new parts
1. bought her on ebay guy said great car and came to me rusted and effed up---I almost just ditched it but decided to fix so some bodywork and paint--not the wholw car, just bad areas.
2. enkei raijin wheels off tire rack 18x8 and 9. new kumhos
3. new: calipers, rotors, pads, springs, koni ext adj shocks, kmacs, pull everything apart, paint all the arms, new perch pads, de-rust it all
4. ground strap, throttle position sensor, k&n, plugs, valve cover gaskets, rear main seal,crank case vents, full tranny service, pwr steering hoses and reservoir, coolant hoses, reservoir, steering damper, tie rods, fuel filter, fuel filter bracket
5. drop the diff out, check it, pull lid off clean, new fluid new gasket, whatever the rubber thingys like bmw guibo on the drive shaft, engine mounts, maybe hubs or wheel beaarings
6. tune up 4.3 motor with new valve gaskets etc////change my mind////pull it out////buy 2002 clk55 motor and ship it/////do exact same stuff to it that I just did.
7. smog it, align it---oh switch springs twice.
8. now rubs and alignment still off and Im furious after all that.
9. oh nice alpine system with amp for mains speakers and base amp with tasteful 10" woofer in custom discrete enclosure all JL audio...
10. probably even more

 

Sounds like your 43 is becoming a money pit. Hope you reach the bottom of the well soon...

Regarding your 18" can you post the following:
1. Exact (and full) tyre sizes front and rear as seen on the tyre wall
2. The front and rear ET (offsets) of the wheels. You should find that info on the inside of your wheel rim.
3. If the car was hit in one corner, apart from some damage to the front bumber, what other damage can be seen?
4. Have you tried removing the front bumber? Easy job (5 minutes max) = 4 bolts and pull gently out. Make sure you disconnect the temperature sensor before removing the bumber. You could have an alignment clamp which is broken.
5. Check for any visible damage under the bumber (front apron and surrounding bodywork.

 

I wanted to ask you guys what spring pads would be good on 17inch oem c43 rims. The setup I have is Bilstine sports with vogtlands sports? Im running on stock spring pads.

 

Hi guys I wanted to follow up with you on this--thanks for all your help. I havnt had any pics for u as my cars been in shop getting stereo. It appears the reason for the rub is really bad bodywork from some previous owner at one point on the L front fender. the correct flare wasnt restored and thats why its rubbing. On the steering it does seem possible the steering box is slightly off--is that possible. the alignment is good but wheel of a few degrees....