LAZiEJiMBO

Good day all,

I've been dealing with a constant shaking coming from the front of my car which starts around 45-50mph, is worse around 65mph then is less noticeable around 80. This has plagued me for about 2 year, it causes my tires to wear with notches. So far I've checked for bends/dents in the rims, purchased hub rings, tried going back to stock 16" ( less noticeable but can still tell its there) and changed the Tie rod assembly and steering damper. No luck so far. I've tried putting the car into neutral while at those speeds but there is no change so I can rule out the engine/transmission. Whenever I change my tires (-3 degree camber all around, so its every 8-9 months) the shaking is lighter but get worse when the tires become worn. My alignment guy said because my wheels were jiggling when lifted it could be my upper ball joints or wheel bearings. Anyone know if this is true?

Has anyone come across this evil problem? If so, any input? I plan on doing the labor myself so any suggestions would be gratefully appreciated.

The following is my setup:

h&r springs cut 1 coil all around
koni adjustable
19" Brabus Monoblock V

My list of to dos for this car:
- Of course fix the shaking
- flush radiator ( doing myself )
- replace plugs and wires ( doing myself )
- replace fuel filter ( doing myself )
- transmission/differential work ( don't think I'll be doing this one myself )

Have a great Holiday weekend everyone.

big_mike1979

the ball joint will give u the clicking noise and i had that replaced and never buy it from dealer, they will rip u off big time , i mean big time.
i had the same probs as your, it used to vibrate from 45 to 60 and less 80 plus and the prob was my rotor, i changed em and bam nice as it could be
if u get the half slotted half drilled like mine, it will vibrate lil bit which is normal, if not go back to get oem rotor and it wont vibrate at all

MarcusF

Here are some things you can try.

LAZiEJiMBO

This has been going on prior to changing the rotors and pads 2-3 months ago. I guess I will go with the ball joints next...

big_mike1979

sorry then .i dont know.. it could be the ball joint..i got that one changed as well

LAZiEJiMBO

Thanks for the input, no need to apologize. I think I'm so fed up with this problem, I'm just going to change everything out. It should make it so I can enjoy the car for another year or two.

vizionclk430

Have the same problem mine starts around 45ish then goes to about 65mph notice it more with the 19's but still with the stocks. I'm going to try some of marcusf info that he has to see if it helps the situation

mrgoodcat66

yes I also get vibrations in my car at 45-70ish and have tied many things to fix it but have had no luck.

Chappy

Check your lower control arm bushings too.

vizionclk430

So it seams like a few people is having the same issues can somebody with the knowledge make a list of the things to check so everybody can cancel out the things they had already fixed to try and narrow down the problem. It could also be a combination of things correct?

LAZiEJiMBO

nice to know I'm not alone in these hard times... haha

I've changed my tie rod assembly, steering damper, fixed the bend in the rim, purchased hub centric rings, and new tires (w/good mount and balancing)... still shaking...

robfox14

Have you had the car up on a computerized wrack and checked for a bent frame or not-visible-to-the-naked-eye front end damage? My dealership couldn't determine why my alignment was out and why the car was vibrating at higher speeds, so they sent it over to a specialty body-shop which after putting it up on their wrack assessed the problem to be an imperceptible bend in the lower control arm.

ematz

I have the exact same problem. here is a list of things I have replaced recently that didn't fix the problem:

Springs, installed H&Rs
Wheel bearings
Rotors (stock) and pads (Akebono)
Wheels have been balanced and checked for bends at numerous places
ABS control module replaced (for a different reason but still note worthy)
steering dampner
I will replace my shocks with Bilstein sports in July

I currently have the Dunlop Direzza tires and I'm starting to think maybe it's the tires causing the vibration. But like everyone else, the vibration starts at 45ish and stops at 70ish.

ematz

One last thing. I had the car at the steelership this past weekend. They checked evrything in the front and could not come up with a reason why there would be a vibration. I then had the car aligned at NTB with their computer alignment system and it was only slightly out of alignment. yesterday morning on the highway the vibration was still there.

bobbyjo9

for me the biggest bang for your buck was the ball joints. Easy fix and high wear item. Rear lower control arm bushings are another high wear item but more involved, in that a press is needed to swap the bushing. Wouldn't bother with tie rod ends... just replace the whole assembly. Not sure but I think the Idler arm bushing is usually overlooked as part of the " drag link assembly". Very easy part to swap and will make a difference. Steering damper will help a "correct" steering linkage perform, but will not fix the problem of worn out parts. Tire wear will be a great guide to shocks, wheel problems, and wheel bearings. Remember you get what you pay for... most discount tire stores really only care about getting you in and out. They either dont care or dont know how to read the tire wear to help you correct the problem. As for alignments.... forget a generic set up... you need someone that understands these front ends. One last note about tire pressure... I've found the listed pressure quieter and more comfortable but leads to more tire wear. The trade off is up to you.

Chappy

This thread is just full of frustration....

I just returned from a 1250-mile round trip to D.C. I drove the CLK since it has been sitting in the garage for months, loved by unused. It had only been driven around 500-600 miles since Thanksgiving!

I will tell you these cars are picky, but so am I!

You must be vigilant in terms of getting the work done correctly. Even a small amount of incorrect weight on one of the front wheels spells annoying vibration (even with factory wheels!!). If you don't have a very high-end wheel shop to take your ride, go to the dealer. They have the Hunter machine and 4-wheel alignment to get the work performed correctly. At some dealerships, they will honor an MBCA discount.

BTW, my ride to D.C. was vibration-free, but I did return to the shop after only a few miles after having new PS2s installed last summer. Reason? The balance was just a hair off. Once it was correctly balanced and aligned, it was smooth as glass, at any speed.

As mentioned previously, our suspensions are finicky and like smooth roads. I am not a tech (and don't repair my own car), so I'll let the suspension gurus chime in - or re-enforce earlier posts.

Let's start with the basics:

1. Wheels. I've only run stock 17s and factory AMG 18s on my car. If you have larger wheels (19s, 20s) chrome wheels, replicas, cheap wheels, bent rims or need spacers you could be out of luck in terms of ever achieving the holy grail of a smooth ride. A competent professional will need quality equipment to get the balance correct. Always test drive afterward and take it back RIGHT AWAY if not satisfied. Have the manager ride with you if necessary, but insist on having it done right.

2. Tires. Buy the best you can afford. Yes, it matters. There are MB-spec tires that are "approved". Use those if you can. I've had PS2s, PS1s, Nitto555s, Toyo T1Rs, and for my track sessions Azenis 615s. Michelins were best, then Toyo. Nittos were junk in terms of trying to get the balance right....was happy when I burned them off on track! The Falkens are almost toast, but only get driven to and from the track (they have never balanced well).

Special note: Tires that have been patched or plugged may never balance correctly.

3. Look again at Marcus' post (and others). There are many components that make up the suspension. If you have any play, replace the steering damper. As others have mentioned - ball joints, tie rods, bearings, sway bar bushings, lower control arm bushings, etc. all play an important role. The lca bushings in my 55 were shot at just 30K miles! The rubber can't hack it, so I sourced some polyurethane bushings and had those pressed in. One split on me at the track the first time I ran, so it was replaced but no problems since.

Note: If your car is lowered, you may have additional difficulty in obtaining the proper alignment or risk vibration or excessive/uneven tire wear.

4. Brakes. Warped rotors can have an impact as well.

5. Mileage/wear. Again, going to have an impact on what parts of the suspension are going to need attention.

6. Prior accident damage. Huge concern, particularly now that most 208s are in the hands of 2nd or 3rd owners. If the car has suffered prior damage (reported or not), you may be climbing an uphill battle in terms of ever getting the car "right".

I know, I know....this sounds like a long and tedious list. It is. But, when you get your setup done right, the reward is well worth it.

vizionclk430

Thanks chappy will have to put off till next weekend so I can try and figure something out.

LAZiEJiMBO

Thanks for the input guys. I just wish there was an exact answer to our problem. For example "Change part XXX and call it a day". Unfortunately for us its has resorted to a ton of money spent on guessing what it could be and ending up with negative results. I just don't see how there can be this many w208 owners with the same problem and none able to find what is causing it. Seems like there is something we have not explored yet.

Anyone know much about the steering box and if it would have anything to do with this problem?

mrgoodcat66

I think my best fix is to just sell the car and spend the extra money I would have spent on getting it fixed and get a 55 haha

bobbyjo9

if changing xxx is your goal then change the front end! LOL... seriously though, all the parts listed go bad and will cause a wobble in the front end. If you cannot diagnose with the info that has been given, take to the dealer and pay the diagnostic charge for the grocery list. With the exception of the pressed in bushings, all this can be done quite easily on the driveway with jack stands. There is no "single" part that goes bad at xxx mileage. Don't quote me, but I would expect every wear item of the front suspension and steering to run less than 500 in parts. To me that's cheap!

I re read your post and don't see that you have replaced the ball joints yet. These are an hour or so for the pair to replace and a good place to start. Tire cupping is a normal sign of bad ball joints

jreddyroc

so do most people who get 19s have this problem

bobbyjo9

Any time you go to a larger wheel it will amplify any existing problems. your just noticing more now orrrrr you are running non hub centric wheels

mtownfinest

wow i got a cls two and a half months ago and its starting to vibrate at all speeds, the faster i go the worst it gets. Going to the shop the morning.