HELP! Lowered with alignment problem
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Joined: Oct 2012
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From: LONG ISLAND , NY
C63
HELP! Lowered with alignment problem
Since i have gotten my car lowered with H&R springs my car has always pulled to the right. i have gotten alignment done three times now, last one at the dealer. The alignment is in specs but the camber is more negative due to it being lowered. I read some other threads about buying camber bolts? Has anyone resolved this? This is the same issue with two different set of wheels.
Last edited by Aresh; Nov 11, 2013 at 10:30 PM.
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Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Texas
10 C six trizzle
post up your alignment specs. Do you know what adjustment bolt kits are in it and where? Or are you getting it aligned at some ntb/discount non dealer shop- as they only adjust the toe which has no affect on vehicle pulling/drift only steering wheel position. either way post the specs ill give you my input. keep in mind crap tires, worn tires, especially directional tires and/or bent wheels will also cause pulling.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 185
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From: LONG ISLAND , NY
C63
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
From: LONG ISLAND , NY
C63
post up your alignment specs. Do you know what adjustment bolt kits are in it and where? Or are you getting it aligned at some ntb/discount non dealer shop- as they only adjust the toe which has no affect on vehicle pulling/drift only steering wheel position. either way post the specs ill give you my input. keep in mind crap tires, worn tires, especially directional tires and/or bent wheels will also cause pulling.
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Joined: May 2010
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From: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
2010 C63 AMG, 2009 ISF , 2002 L-Tuned IS300, 2011 ML350
Sorry to hear about ur problem, I never had an alignment with my car after lowering 3 years ago. And my car drive straight like on rail.
Hope u get ur issue resolved.
Hope u get ur issue resolved.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 396
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From: Montreal Quebec
2016 C63S, 2012 ML350
I too had this issue after installing H&R springs on my '10 P31. Even know the alignment was in spec, I bought the MB camber bolts which helped, though it's not perfect, it's defiantly better.
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2012 C63;1971 280SE 3.5(Sold);2023 EQS 450 SUV 4 Matic (Wife's)
The reason the car is pulling to the right after lowering is that the camber and caster are no longer equal side to side. As mentioned camber bolts may alleviate the pull but not eliminate it all together. If the camber bolts do not cure the pull then you will need to live with it or buy KMac bushings for the front and probably the rear. I have KMac in the front and mine is almost acceptable but still pulls a bit to the right. The alignment guy at my dealer says it is probably radial pull in the tires but I don't think so as I have moved the tires (F&R) side to side with no difference in the pull. I also think he is paid flat rate and does not really want to get into it because he will not be paid for all his time so he is making excuses. The only thing he would set last time I was there was front toe saying the rest where close enough and not going to cause a pull but he was wrong. Just like throwing money away going there.
Tire Rack says you can set Cross Camber and Cross Caster 1/4 degree more to overcome a pull to the right (to compensate for a crown in the road). So a slight pull might be corrected with a 1/4 degree more negative camber on the right side and 1/4 degree more positive caster on the right side. I am getting rear bushings this winter as well because my rear camber is off side to side on the rear as well. I will get a full alignment in the spring from an independent alignment guy and see if I can get mine sorted out 100%.
Tire Rack says you can set Cross Camber and Cross Caster 1/4 degree more to overcome a pull to the right (to compensate for a crown in the road). So a slight pull might be corrected with a 1/4 degree more negative camber on the right side and 1/4 degree more positive caster on the right side. I am getting rear bushings this winter as well because my rear camber is off side to side on the rear as well. I will get a full alignment in the spring from an independent alignment guy and see if I can get mine sorted out 100%.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 185
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From: LONG ISLAND , NY
C63
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
From: LONG ISLAND , NY
C63
The reason the car is pulling to the right after lowering is that the camber and caster are no longer equal side to side. As mentioned camber bolts may alleviate the pull but not eliminate it all together. If the camber bolts do not cure the pull then you will need to live with it or buy KMac bushings for the front and probably the rear. I have KMac in the front and mine is almost acceptable but still pulls a bit to the right. The alignment guy at my dealer says it is probably radial pull in the tires but I don't think so as I have moved the tires (F&R) side to side with no difference in the pull. I also think he is paid flat rate and does not really want to get into it because he will not be paid for all his time so he is making excuses. The only thing he would set last time I was there was front toe saying the rest where close enough and not going to cause a pull but he was wrong. Just like throwing money away going there.
Tire Rack says you can set Cross Camber and Cross Caster 1/4 degree more to overcome a pull to the right (to compensate for a crown in the road). So a slight pull might be corrected with a 1/4 degree more negative camber on the right side and 1/4 degree more positive caster on the right side. I am getting rear bushings this winter as well because my rear camber is off side to side on the rear as well. I will get a full alignment in the spring from an independent alignment guy and see if I can get mine sorted out 100%.
Tire Rack says you can set Cross Camber and Cross Caster 1/4 degree more to overcome a pull to the right (to compensate for a crown in the road). So a slight pull might be corrected with a 1/4 degree more negative camber on the right side and 1/4 degree more positive caster on the right side. I am getting rear bushings this winter as well because my rear camber is off side to side on the rear as well. I will get a full alignment in the spring from an independent alignment guy and see if I can get mine sorted out 100%.
What a hassle, if i knew lowering the car was going to cause this, i would have went with coils.
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Joined: Jan 2012
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From: Montreal Quebec
2016 C63S, 2012 ML350
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2010
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2012 C63;1971 280SE 3.5(Sold);2023 EQS 450 SUV 4 Matic (Wife's)
You can get camber bolts (collision correction bolts) from the dealer but they have limited adjustability and can only be installed to increase or decrease negative camber depending on which direction you need or want to go. You can put them in yourself but it is not really intuitive.
If you buy coilovers you will still need to do a detailed corner weight balance to get it right and I suppose the alignment could still be off.
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 42
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From: Texas
2013 C250 coupe
i had my car lowered on H&R also got it aligned..pulled to the right got the alignment bolts had them installed and re-aligned all at dealer by a guy that i know very well watched him put it all in spec..and still pulls very very slightly to the right..he has aligned alot of my other cars bmw,audi,etc and they are perfect..i just settled with it.. i have no excessive tire wear or anything..and like i said it is very very slight..im also very picky most might say mine is perfect..
Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 139
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From: West Loop, Chicago, IL
Obsidian Black 2009 C63 w/ P30 Package
Since i have gotten my car lowered with H&R springs my car has always pulled to the right. i have gotten alignment done three times now, last one at the dealer. The alignment is in specs but the camber is more negative due to it being lowered. I read some other threads about buying camber bolts? Has anyone resolved this? This is the same issue with two different set of wheels.
Super Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 700
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C63 AMG
I put some H&R springs on my car today and so far it is perfect after the alignment. The springs were installed and car aligned at a suspension specialist so it might just need another alignment.
Mine is a RHD car but I cant see that making a difference.
Mine is a RHD car but I cant see that making a difference.
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Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Texas
10 C six trizzle
saying the car is in specs and very vague. Call them and have them fax or email you the specs. usually on the 204's i try and set the cambers about even and 45-60' caster pull to the left to overcome the texas road crown. You cant just go throwing in these bolts at random it doesnt work like that. It depends on what the car needs. changing the bolts also drastically changes the toe. Get the specs and post them up, i can tell where to put the bolts if needed etc...
Member
Joined: Jun 2012
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From: Perth Australia
2013 ML 350 Bluetec
Since i have gotten my car lowered with H&R springs my car has always pulled to the right. i have gotten alignment done three times now, last one at the dealer. The alignment is in specs but the camber is more negative due to it being lowered. I read some other threads about buying camber bolts? Has anyone resolved this? This is the same issue with two different set of wheels.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
From: LONG ISLAND , NY
C63
post up your alignment specs. Do you know what adjustment bolt kits are in it and where? Or are you getting it aligned at some ntb/discount non dealer shop- as they only adjust the toe which has no affect on vehicle pulling/drift only steering wheel position. either way post the specs ill give you my input. keep in mind crap tires, worn tires, especially directional tires and/or bent wheels will also cause pulling.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,296
Likes: 380
From: Texas
10 C six trizzle
wow those specs actually arent all that bad at all. the front and rear toe are alittle on the sloppy side - they should be exactly the same or within .04 or less typically. As for the which bolts to use depends on where you live and how your roads are. Right now the way your car is set up it has a .06 camber pull to the left (camber pulls twice as hard) and a .06 caster pull to the right. so in essence it should drive perfectly straight given your wheels arent bent, tires are perfect (note even new tires can cause pulling) and you are on a perfectly flat surface. If the roads where you are, are nice a flat i'd go ahead and get 2 of the adjustment bolt kits and pull both the left and right camber control arms in which should lower them around .20 (keep in mind we are talking minutes, .60 = to 1.00 degree) If your roads suck like they do in texas, there is a huge slope down to the right or outside of the road - im in usa so we drive on the right side. So we set our cars to have a pull to the left around .40-1.00 preferrably with as much caster as possible because caster isnt a wearing angle. keep cambers close to each other for similar wear. If this were my car i'd pull in the left camber and pull in the right torque strut/thrust arm which would give you a nice little pull to the left so when you let go of the wheel it doesnt dart to the right and pull you off the road. Either way with how low you are you still going to have around -2.00 camber which will wear more on the insides but less than the -2.30 it has now. Feel free to ask away if this was confusing.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 185
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From: LONG ISLAND , NY
C63
wow those specs actually arent all that bad at all. the front and rear toe are alittle on the sloppy side - they should be exactly the same or within .04 or less typically. As for the which bolts to use depends on where you live and how your roads are. Right now the way your car is set up it has a .06 camber pull to the left (camber pulls twice as hard) and a .06 caster pull to the right. so in essence it should drive perfectly straight given your wheels arent bent, tires are perfect (note even new tires can cause pulling) and you are on a perfectly flat surface. If the roads where you are, are nice a flat i'd go ahead and get 2 of the adjustment bolt kits and pull both the left and right camber control arms in which should lower them around .20 (keep in mind we are talking minutes, .60 = to 1.00 degree) If your roads suck like they do in texas, there is a huge slope down to the right or outside of the road - im in usa so we drive on the right side. So we set our cars to have a pull to the left around .40-1.00 preferrably with as much caster as possible because caster isnt a wearing angle. keep cambers close to each other for similar wear. If this were my car i'd pull in the left camber and pull in the right torque strut/thrust arm which would give you a nice little pull to the left so when you let go of the wheel it doesnt dart to the right and pull you off the road. Either way with how low you are you still going to have around -2.00 camber which will wear more on the insides but less than the -2.30 it has now. Feel free to ask away if this was confusing.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,296
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From: Texas
10 C six trizzle
well since your having the dealer do it, no need to buy the bolts separately they can bill them on the repair order. Tell them to put one in the left camber and pull it in. Put one in the right torque strut/thrust arm and pull it in. The specs should then become something more like....
Left Right
camber -2.10 -2.18
caster 11.16 11.54
also insist that the press bar - for pressed toe be used as toe is usually the #1 killer of tires. Most are too lazy to use this even though it takes only a moment.
thats an estimate and every car is alittle different but thats the ball park of what it will change to with those bolts. Either way you'll be running slightly less camber to help lessen the wear, and it'll have a nice pull to the left to help keep the car on the road. Keep in mind if the steering wheel is off it has to do with the toe settings only.
Left Right
camber -2.10 -2.18
caster 11.16 11.54
also insist that the press bar - for pressed toe be used as toe is usually the #1 killer of tires. Most are too lazy to use this even though it takes only a moment.
thats an estimate and every car is alittle different but thats the ball park of what it will change to with those bolts. Either way you'll be running slightly less camber to help lessen the wear, and it'll have a nice pull to the left to help keep the car on the road. Keep in mind if the steering wheel is off it has to do with the toe settings only.
