CLK-Class (W208) 1998-2002: CLK 200, CLK 230K, CLK 320, CLK 430 [Coupes & Cabriolets]

Car feels like it's fishtailing?

Old Oct 28, 2013 | 10:52 PM
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Car feels like it's fishtailing?

Car feels like it's fishtailing when I go over bumps from the back end. Anyone know what this might be?
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Old Oct 29, 2013 | 02:12 PM
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Is this at high or low speed? Did you get new tires recently? Have you serviced your brakes? Have you checked your alignment?
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Old Oct 29, 2013 | 02:14 PM
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Check the remaining tread life on your rear tires. If they are bald or getting close, that may be your issue. Hard to tell with certainty without more information.
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Old Oct 29, 2013 | 02:21 PM
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Originally Posted by CJackson13
Is this at high or low speed? Did you get new tires recently? Have you serviced your brakes? Have you checked your alignment?
Going over bumps at low speed is less noticeable, high speeds it's more exaggerated. I will be getting new tires soon, brakes are good, is there a way to check alignment myself?

Originally Posted by LawRens
Check the remaining tread life on your rear tires. If they are bald or getting close, that may be your issue. Hard to tell with certainty without more information.
Yeah, they're pretty bad, gonna be replaced this week, but I've never heard of something like this simply due to low tread. Has that happened to anyone here before?
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Old Oct 29, 2013 | 03:15 PM
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Originally Posted by xero3g
Going over bumps at low speed is less noticeable, high speeds it's more exaggerated. I will be getting new tires soon, brakes are good, is there a way to check alignment myself?

Yeah, they're pretty bad, gonna be replaced this week, but I've never heard of something like this simply due to low tread. Has that happened to anyone here before?
If youre not a professional with alignment, just take it to an alignment shop and ask their opinion. Maybe it's time to replace springs and shocks?

Get ready for the surprise of grip. Fresh rear tires, to me, make the car feel like it's wandering from side at high speeds because of the sudden grip im not used to having. This is especially exaggerated because of the IRS.
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Old Nov 2, 2013 | 05:46 PM
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Originally Posted by CJackson13
If youre not a professional with alignment, just take it to an alignment shop and ask their opinion. Maybe it's time to replace springs and shocks?

Get ready for the surprise of grip. Fresh rear tires, to me, make the car feel like it's wandering from side at high speeds because of the sudden grip im not used to having. This is especially exaggerated because of the IRS.
Little bit of an update: replaced rear tires, still there. I got a chance to observe it a little more carefully and it seems that when I go over a bump with the left tire, it pulls to the left and bounces around. When I go over a bump with the right, it pulls to the right and bounces around. When both wheels hit a bump at the same time, it stays relatively stable. Any thoughts?
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