going crazy, need help!!!!
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,775
Likes: 7
From: Los Angeles
CLK W208
going crazy, need help!!!!
hi everyone, I'm having a problem with my car riding like A$$. and by that i mean the steering wheel just doesnt feel solid and shakes a bit too as the speed increases. this is what i have done so far:
1. new tires all around
2. new bilstien shocks all around (less than 6 months old)
3. new steering damper (less than 9 months old)
4. new complete drag link and tie rod assembly (less than 2 months old)
5. new ball joints (less than 6 months old)
6. new wheel bearings (less than 4 months old)
7. new idler bushing
8. new motor mounts (less than 5 months old)
9. new transmission mount (less than 6 months old)
10. alignment was done a month and a half ago
11. the centric bolts installed for the front camber and aligned
12. ghostriders camber kit installed and alligned (LOVE THE CAMBER KIT)
13.wheels were rebalanced and checked as well.
after i changed the drag link and tie rod assembly the car felt solid for about a day and the steering was nice and tight and the next day i was driving down the hill and noticed car drives like crap again. i know i need rear rotors but my front ones where changed about a year ago and the braking is still good but when i do step on the pedal it makes a little noise but i really dont think worn rotors would make the car drive like the way mine does. so what else do you guys think it could be? at this point i'm open to any ideas.
1. new tires all around
2. new bilstien shocks all around (less than 6 months old)
3. new steering damper (less than 9 months old)
4. new complete drag link and tie rod assembly (less than 2 months old)
5. new ball joints (less than 6 months old)
6. new wheel bearings (less than 4 months old)
7. new idler bushing
8. new motor mounts (less than 5 months old)
9. new transmission mount (less than 6 months old)
10. alignment was done a month and a half ago
11. the centric bolts installed for the front camber and aligned
12. ghostriders camber kit installed and alligned (LOVE THE CAMBER KIT)
13.wheels were rebalanced and checked as well.
after i changed the drag link and tie rod assembly the car felt solid for about a day and the steering was nice and tight and the next day i was driving down the hill and noticed car drives like crap again. i know i need rear rotors but my front ones where changed about a year ago and the braking is still good but when i do step on the pedal it makes a little noise but i really dont think worn rotors would make the car drive like the way mine does. so what else do you guys think it could be? at this point i'm open to any ideas.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,486
Likes: 4
From: San Antonio, Tx
2000 CLK430
have you tightened the Steering Gear Box bolts that are located in the front drivers side wheelwell? There should be 3 bolts there that need to be tightened periodically. Also, with the car turned off, have a friend turn the steering wheel back and forth quickly and listen for any clicking sounds. My culprit ended up being my gear box ( has a little play) but you may end up finding another issue.
Greg
Greg
Super Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 502
Likes: 3
From: Bay Area
02 clk 55, 13 GL 450
LCA bushings.. Not the easiest to replace but sounds like you have covered all the other bases. OEM are rubber so try and source some poly replacements and you shouldn't have to deal with it again
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,775
Likes: 7
From: Los Angeles
CLK W208
have you tightened the Steering Gear Box bolts that are located in the front drivers side wheelwell? There should be 3 bolts there that need to be tightened periodically. Also, with the car turned off, have a friend turn the steering wheel back and forth quickly and listen for any clicking sounds. My culprit ended up being my gear box ( has a little play) but you may end up finding another issue.
Greg
Greg
thanks
Super Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 737
Likes: 38
From: Fort Worth, TX
2019 CLS450/ 2002 CLK55
You mentioned tires, but with no time frame. Have the tires been on the whole time during all of this front end overhaul?
Rim bent, over worn tire?
Maybe swap over some 'known good' wheels and tires from a friend and run around for a day?
Rim bent, over worn tire?
Maybe swap over some 'known good' wheels and tires from a friend and run around for a day?
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Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,775
Likes: 7
From: Los Angeles
CLK W208
yes tires are less than 1 month old and the wheels where recently checked and they had no problems at all and i had then checked at a rim repair shop with the little gauge meter that checks for straightness and all that good stuff. and i know for a fact the rims are good because they were custom made for my car from sctarch and went through many tests before going on the car. so that is also not the problem, but thanm you very much for the idea and please keep them coming.
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Super Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 502
Likes: 3
From: Bay Area
02 clk 55, 13 GL 450
Yes Greg i tightened those up too i just forgot to mention. Thanks for the suggestion, any other ideas? i will do what you asked me to do tonight and keep you posted.
Thank you very much, that is a very generose offer and i would take it in a heart beat except im in los angeles. but thank you very much none the less, its the tought that counts.
can you elaborate on that, is this the control arm bushing that you are talking about, and can you tell me where i can find that? is it the big piece that bolts to the side of the front shock towers?
thanks
Thank you very much, that is a very generose offer and i would take it in a heart beat except im in los angeles. but thank you very much none the less, its the tought that counts.
can you elaborate on that, is this the control arm bushing that you are talking about, and can you tell me where i can find that? is it the big piece that bolts to the side of the front shock towers?
thanks
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 81
From: Vancouver
CLK320
If every parts are in good condition, I suggest get alignment check again. Alignment is a tricky thing to get right when rims are big and car is low.
I had my car align on so many different set up, and found that is not simple as making the spec close to stock. I think maybe try bringing your car to a shop that dose corner balance and alignment for race or lower cars with big rims.
Hope this help
I had my car align on so many different set up, and found that is not simple as making the spec close to stock. I think maybe try bringing your car to a shop that dose corner balance and alignment for race or lower cars with big rims.
Hope this help
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,775
Likes: 7
From: Los Angeles
CLK W208
ok so i did some searching on here and i think i'm going to do the front lower control arm bushings. i have a few questions about the bushings, where can i find the urethne bushings for a good price? also as i read on other threads they were saying to just change the rear bushing on the front lower control arm and to leave the rest alomg, is this true?
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,775
Likes: 7
From: Los Angeles
CLK W208
i went to a different shop today and the mechanic lifetd the car and checked everything and said that everything is in great condition, how ever he rotated the front wheels and showed me a slight bend on the passenger side which when he rolled the wheel was very hard to see and he mentioned that the car makes the noise that sounds like the wheel bearing is bad. i had to go through 3 set of bearings in one month, first i changed them without changing the races(the ring that the bearing sits in) then i had to redo the job because the bearing busted and i took off the races and changed them the next time and the noise on the passenger side came back again so i changed them the 3rd time but the races where good so the 3rd time i just changed the bearing. this process was in a matter of 2 months. and keep in kind the noise has always been coming from the passenger side. so now again my bearing is bad, can a slighly bend wheel and i mean slight you cant even see it in rotation mess the bearing up so quick? what is the best way to check for bent wheels?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 81
From: Vancouver
CLK320
You can get a dial gauge and with some sort of holding arm to hold the gauge in place. Then you do couple of checks to make sure the run-out reading is within limit. You can place the dial tip at the edge of of your wheel lip. 2nd you can take off your wheel and place the dial on the wheel hub or the pilot DIM of the wheel hub. Since you get your wheels off you can also do the bearing play check to see if you have excessive bearing play. check the inner and outer lip of you wheels.
