Installing K-Mac Rear Camber and Toe Bushings
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From: Cincinnati Area
C63 507 with BS Body; 2008 SLK 55
Installing K-Mac Rear Camber and Toe Bushings
Many here are lowering their car and many have issues with the car pulling in one direction and/or with uneven tire wear. I recently installed the KW Clubsport Coilovers on my C63 (love them!) and did lower the car significantly vs before (when I had only HR springs). As a result I had 2.5 degrees negative camber in the rear and boy, did my winter tires not like that..... I also suffered from poor grip whenever the road was wet, especially with salt involved.
So I ordered the rear camber and toe bushings kit from K-Mac (K-Mac part number 502226) and had them recently installed.
Here are pictures of the kit as I received it. The quality is impressive. The design is very well thought through. The bushings are robust and designed in a way that allows a huge adjustment range that can be adjusted directly while on the alignment rack, without any need to disassemble - under load. The kit even comes with a special tool to press the old bushings out and press the new ones in.
Picture 1 shows the toe arm bushings, picture 2 a camber arm bushing and pictures 3 and 4 show the bushing insertion/removal tool.
So I ordered the rear camber and toe bushings kit from K-Mac (K-Mac part number 502226) and had them recently installed.
Here are pictures of the kit as I received it. The quality is impressive. The design is very well thought through. The bushings are robust and designed in a way that allows a huge adjustment range that can be adjusted directly while on the alignment rack, without any need to disassemble - under load. The kit even comes with a special tool to press the old bushings out and press the new ones in.
Picture 1 shows the toe arm bushings, picture 2 a camber arm bushing and pictures 3 and 4 show the bushing insertion/removal tool.
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From: Cincinnati Area
C63 507 with BS Body; 2008 SLK 55
Installing bushings is usually a messy affair. The original ones can be stuck so well, that one has to burn out the interior rubber and sleeve with a torch, then cut the remaining outer bushing shell with a saw to get it out. I do NOT recommend anyone to take this on themselves and in their garage (unless they are either very experienced, or masochists, or both....). Not an issue for an experienced mechanic, though.
Once installed the bushings work very well, the adjustment range is huge and adjustment is very easy. That kit will resolve your alignment issues once and for all, no matter how low you have gone.
Total cost: 405$ for the bushings (leadtime under a week shipped from Sydney, Australia, shipping included). Installation was 585$ for labor and alignment. Depending on whether the old bushings cooperate or not, you have to expect 3.5-5 hours work.
I now have 3.5 degrees neg. front camber (track spec), 1.5 degrees neg. camber in the rear, and only very small toe both front and rear (0.15 degrees if I remember correctly). The car runs straight and true, stable, but eager to turn in. Perfect!!
Picture 1 shows the camber bushing installed, picture 2 the toe arm bushing installed and picture 3 the OEM bushings we took out.
Once installed the bushings work very well, the adjustment range is huge and adjustment is very easy. That kit will resolve your alignment issues once and for all, no matter how low you have gone.
Total cost: 405$ for the bushings (leadtime under a week shipped from Sydney, Australia, shipping included). Installation was 585$ for labor and alignment. Depending on whether the old bushings cooperate or not, you have to expect 3.5-5 hours work.
I now have 3.5 degrees neg. front camber (track spec), 1.5 degrees neg. camber in the rear, and only very small toe both front and rear (0.15 degrees if I remember correctly). The car runs straight and true, stable, but eager to turn in. Perfect!!
Picture 1 shows the camber bushing installed, picture 2 the toe arm bushing installed and picture 3 the OEM bushings we took out.
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From: Tokyo, Japan
2012 C63 AMG BS, 2010 C63 AMG (sold), 2006 M3 (sold)
Looks quality!
I also had the clubsports on my previous c63 and absolutely loved them too. You're right about the rain, luckily Fuji Speed Way is a very forgiving track. Curious to know how the K-Mac fair.
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I also had the clubsports on my previous c63 and absolutely loved them too. You're right about the rain, luckily Fuji Speed Way is a very forgiving track. Curious to know how the K-Mac fair.
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2012 C63;1971 280SE 3.5(Sold);2023 EQS 450 SUV 4 Matic (Wife's)
Nice post Wobble! 
I am currently installing these same bushings in the rear of my car. One side is done and the other just needs to be bolted back together. Will do a post in my thread when I am done.
I am currently installing these same bushings in the rear of my car. One side is done and the other just needs to be bolted back together. Will do a post in my thread when I am done.
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From: Cincinnati Area
C63 507 with BS Body; 2008 SLK 55
Somebody who has used those should probably chime in. As far as I know they have nowhere near the adjustment range. I wanted something that allows me to change camber repeatedly depending on track, tires etc. Also, camber and toe adjustments are interdependent. You cannot just adjust camber, but need to correct toe also when you do that.
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2012 C63;1971 280SE 3.5(Sold);2023 EQS 450 SUV 4 Matic (Wife's)
Phil, there are no camber adjust bolts for the rear. You need to go aftermarket if you want any adjustment for the rear camber. There is only toe adjustment for the rear on our cars.
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'09 Calcite White C63
Wobble, it's funny that I ran across this post.... I literally just messaged Kent about getting the rear camber kit ordered/installed.
How are the camber plates treating you?
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2012 C63;1971 280SE 3.5(Sold);2023 EQS 450 SUV 4 Matic (Wife's)
There are factory camber bolts that can be ordered through MB. They are not adjustable, and only provide about .5 degrees of positive camber over stock.
Wobble, it's funny that I ran across this post.... I literally just messaged Kent about getting the rear camber kit ordered/installed.
How are the camber plates treating you?
Wobble, it's funny that I ran across this post.... I literally just messaged Kent about getting the rear camber kit ordered/installed.
How are the camber plates treating you?
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From: Cincinnati Area
C63 507 with BS Body; 2008 SLK 55
There are factory camber bolts that can be ordered through MB. They are not adjustable, and only provide about .5 degrees of positive camber over stock.
Wobble, it's funny that I ran across this post.... I literally just messaged Kent about getting the rear camber kit ordered/installed.
How are the camber plates treating you?
Wobble, it's funny that I ran across this post.... I literally just messaged Kent about getting the rear camber kit ordered/installed.
How are the camber plates treating you?
Thread Starter
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From: Cincinnati Area
C63 507 with BS Body; 2008 SLK 55
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2012 P31 C63 Coupe Trackrat, 2019 GLE63S Coupe Beast
I'll know when I get the car back, Harry's going to have a before/after comparison on the specs he was able to achieve. And I owe you a beer... 3 weeks and counting - waiting on Weistec to send my valve body back.
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2012 C63;1971 280SE 3.5(Sold);2023 EQS 450 SUV 4 Matic (Wife's)
Thread Starter
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From: Cincinnati Area
C63 507 with BS Body; 2008 SLK 55
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'09 Calcite White C63
Badmeat, I removed (and sold) the K-Mac camber plates in the front, when I moved to KW Clubsport coilovers (they come with their own camber plates, different from the V3s). However, those same coilovers brought my rear down significantly compared the HR spring setup I had before, so I recently installed the rear bushing kit from K-Mac to get camber down to a reasonable value. Works great, has lots of adjustment range, but squeaks a bit, at least mine. Not an issue for me though, since I know there is a good reason for the squeaking. It will save me many sets of tires.....
I'm ordering the K-Mac rear bushing kit and MB front fixed camber bolts today. Hopefully within the next couple weeks I can get an appt. at TiC for the install, .5" or so raise on my suspension, and alignment. My camber is all out of whack (-1.8 & -2.4 rear, -1.8 & -2.0 front). I'm anticipating the rear feeling more planted when exiting a corner and getting back into the throttle. If I'm not happy with the front alignment, I'll pull the trigger on the front bushing kit or camber plates...still undecided as to which I would do.
I would imagine that some grease would help with the bushings squeaking, no?
Can you confirm in your billing?
Last edited by Badmeat; Feb 29, 2016 at 02:46 PM.
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C63 507 with BS Body; 2008 SLK 55
Unfortunately the price was 405 USD, shipped.
Some more grease may or may not help. The squeak is more a rubber noise than a metal squeak. But as said, it is not bothersome, it only happens occasionally, and only when going over uneven terrain slowly.
Some more grease may or may not help. The squeak is more a rubber noise than a metal squeak. But as said, it is not bothersome, it only happens occasionally, and only when going over uneven terrain slowly.
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From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
2016 S212 E400 RENNTech 345 whp/360 wtq
so I recently installed the rear bushing kit from K-Mac to get camber down to a reasonable value. Works great, has lots of adjustment range, but squeaks a bit, at least mine. Not an issue for me though, since I know there is a good reason for the squeaking. It will save me many sets of tires.....
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From: Cincinnati Area
C63 507 with BS Body; 2008 SLK 55
So what did you do after you uninstalled the K-Mac bushings? Live with the excessive camber and resulting tire wear, or did you find a better solution?
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2010 C63 AMG
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From: Cincinnati Area
C63 507 with BS Body; 2008 SLK 55
The watch-out with camber arms are 2:
1. Longevity of ball joint or (in this case) bushings, and rust of the steel adjustment rod and nut. Should be stainless, if possible.
2. And second, camber and toe are related. When you adjust camber you need to correct toe also.
The latter is why I chose the K-Mac bushing solution
1. Longevity of ball joint or (in this case) bushings, and rust of the steel adjustment rod and nut. Should be stainless, if possible.
2. And second, camber and toe are related. When you adjust camber you need to correct toe also.
The latter is why I chose the K-Mac bushing solution
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2010 C63 AMG
The watch-out with camber arms are 2:
1. Longevity of ball joint or (in this case) bushings, and rust of the steel adjustment rod and nut. Should be stainless, if possible.
2. And second, camber and toe are related. When you adjust camber you need to correct toe also.
The latter is why I chose the K-Mac bushing solution
1. Longevity of ball joint or (in this case) bushings, and rust of the steel adjustment rod and nut. Should be stainless, if possible.
2. And second, camber and toe are related. When you adjust camber you need to correct toe also.
The latter is why I chose the K-Mac bushing solution
