Vibration driving me nuts all speeds
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,784
Likes: 84
From: SCV SoCal
2002 CLK430
OP - did you ever check the steering gear bolts? Both Twinsin and David mentioned them in this thread, but I don’t see where you replied. They are supposed to be done once every 4 years or 50K miles and take all of 5 minutes to do.
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 55
Likes: 8
From: Pleasant Hill, CA
2013 C63 P31 Eurocharged, 2006 SLK55 R171, 2013 Audi RS5
It sucks to spend $ on diagnosis but if you're throwing parts at the problem it can be worth the $100. Search long and hard for a reliable indy that will do jobs you can't or don't want to. Much better than randomly replacing tires and you can do the work yourself if still if you want, although I wouldn't think twice in replacing common luxury car things like Control Arms & bushings they can make a huge difference beyond smoothing out a wobble problem at a specific speed.
Anyway from old threads searching 60-65mpg I read:
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w208...60-65-mph.html
So we have many solutions to several different problems. Replica wheels can really hose a nice car like this, or a bent wheel. Road Force balance or proper rims can make a big difference, but sometimes as in the first guys' case some suspension parts needed to be taken care of. A good mechanic should be able to pin down what annoys you the most.
Marcus: Just got my clk so I'll have to try that. I see you mentioning steering bolts in a lot of threads, thanks for this page too: http://www.marcusfitzhugh.com/CLK/DIY/sgb.html
A lot of great other stuff on this page, I've bookmarked and read at least 5 of your 'articles' already, great stuff!
Anyway from old threads searching 60-65mpg I read:
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w208...60-65-mph.html
I had a pretty good shimmy going on and suspected the balance also. New tires did not correct the problem but replacing lower ball joints, steering damper, and re-torquing the steering gear bolts did
I had a bad shimmy also from about 55 to 70 or so and then from 95 to 100. thought for sure my sterring dampner needed replacing and lower ball joints and my steering gear bolts tightened.. but i put my stock 16 inch alloys on. and the car is solid as ever and no shimmy from 0-130mph i love it!!! just not the look. its must be something about hubcentric wheels. or my local tire shop has no idea how to balance a rim and tire correctly.
Clearly you want to rebalance first. I had my AMG replicas rebalanced twice and new tires up front. This did not correct the issue. I went on ebay and bought the stock 17s and now my MB drives the way a MB should.
Marcus: Just got my clk so I'll have to try that. I see you mentioning steering bolts in a lot of threads, thanks for this page too: http://www.marcusfitzhugh.com/CLK/DIY/sgb.html
A lot of great other stuff on this page, I've bookmarked and read at least 5 of your 'articles' already, great stuff!
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 535
Likes: 13
From: Franklin, MA
2006 CLK 350/. 2009 CLK 350/2005 Both White
Wow nice write bluebenzclk I kown it sucks chasing problems I was going to do a ball joint and tires rod 15 ea but tested them and they passed so I may waste another 30 like I did on the rotor. I like the indy idea but to spend money on something I can do would kill me and they may dod the old try ans relaced ans chge me for tie rod ball joint and bearing 400.00. I checked the bolts to the steering box it's fine the rims are original. I ma jsut live with it because another thing I notice the more I dirve the better the car ride. I was thinking bearings but they are fine and it ould not effect the ball joint looseness feeling I am getting...But the steering wheel is a new problem the when I make it straight it pulls left that did not happen last week ARGH!!!
Super Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 502
Likes: 3
From: Bay Area
02 clk 55, 13 GL 450
Wow nice write bluebenzclk I kown it sucks chasing problems I was going to do a ball joint and tires rod 15 ea but tested them and they passed so I may waste another 30 like I did on the rotor. I like the indy idea but to spend money on something I can do would kill me and they may dod the old try ans relaced ans chge me for tie rod ball joint and bearing 400.00. I checked the bolts to the steering box it's fine the rims are original. I ma jsut live with it because another thing I notice the more I dirve the better the car ride. I was thinking bearings but they are fine and it ould not effect the ball joint looseness feeling I am getting...But the steering wheel is a new problem the when I make it straight it pulls left that did not happen last week ARGH!!!
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 535
Likes: 13
From: Franklin, MA
2006 CLK 350/. 2009 CLK 350/2005 Both White
I was a mechanic for 9 years plus I did my entire front end on my BMW 325is this car is new to me 3 months. I have rebuilt engine installed them and have worked on owned for 20 cars. This is one tough car to get it right for instance today the vibration on the way to work was normal but on the way home there was barely anything how to you diag that. Today I realized after a u turn I felt the front end to the point it is the drag link. I would rather change all parts inner and outer and center to make sure I catch it all at once for 85.00. I also have gone with all the posts here and read the info so I am not to be fooled and waste money. I have had people tell me balance the tires look at the rims look at the flex disk. There are so many post here that point so many different scenarios that it hard to be sure be new with CLK's. I have checked the ball joints tire rods and they seem fine but driving the car say they are bad so I am going with that. Verifying the parts were the left right pull off the ground 8 inches then a bar to lift up the wheel to check the ball joints and a t crow bar as back up. That is how I found the problem with my BMW and changed both LCAB. I have a post for a wobble on a pathfinder that 10 years later people all over the world thank me today that I was one in a few that figured out the (pathfinder death wobble ).SO I can safety say I know my cars I just don’t through money at a fix.
My personal feeling is that the front end on a clk can trick you and even if you move te tires by hand to see if something is loose ids it feels fine go with what you feel when you are driving the car.The drag linkn with both inner and outer tire rods for 85.00 is a fair shot. It cover 6 points of failure if you look at the part closely.
My personal feeling is that the front end on a clk can trick you and even if you move te tires by hand to see if something is loose ids it feels fine go with what you feel when you are driving the car.The drag linkn with both inner and outer tire rods for 85.00 is a fair shot. It cover 6 points of failure if you look at the part closely.
Last edited by karayjay; Jun 5, 2012 at 08:48 PM.
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 51
Likes: 1
From: Phoenix
'99 CLK 320 Cabriolet
I just wanna add some more info to this thread, no solutions unfortunately. I have the same vibrations ~40 and then 60-80. They come and go. Recently they had all but gone away. But my front tires were wearing heavily on the outsides. I had the front aligned by a highly recommended alignment shop ("way out of alignment") and put new tires on up front and now the vibration is back and as bad as ever. It is confounding.
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Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 535
Likes: 13
From: Franklin, MA
2006 CLK 350/. 2009 CLK 350/2005 Both White
Up date new drag link installed asn way better now and better respones when turning right. There is stll a slight vibration the pulsating is a bit there but not as bad. I ma going for the left lower ball joint and then the wehel bearing right side... that should do it at this point the is a slight bearly noticable vibration betwee 20 and 35 asn thats it.
