Hello,

Wondering if any experienced folks can give me some clues on what might be up with my 2002 W208 CLK55. I have 125k on it. In the last year I have replaced both lower control arms and lower ball joints up front. The steering damper, front wheel bearings. I just did the passenger side for all this a few months ago and the car is ridding so much smoother. When I got the alignment done they said the left front is off.

camber left front -0.4 deg

caster left front 4.3 deg

camber right front -1.2 deg

caster left front 5.3 deg

It slightly pulls to the left when driving. Also, when moving fast on the highway and braking hard, the left front shakes. Only when I brake. When I make slow right turns the left side feels a little squirly - almost like the tire is not totally flat on the road. Tire wear is NOT abnormal at all. Finally, when moving very slow and braking, sometimes I hear this little clank....like metal on metal sound. Its sounds like a spring buckle sound I used to get before I changed my front springs which were broken around the bottom.

When I had the recent front end work done on passenger side, my indy did not find anything wrong.

Just curious what it might be? Upper Control arms?

thanks!

 

Bump on this thread, similar experience with mine. Starting to think it's the cheapo control arms I got. Will be putting power flex bushings I've had into the originals. Hopefully that would make a change. But right there with you, only thing not changed up there is upper control arms, but look to be in great condition. I have a febi drag link on there that I will be switching out for a genuine one I have as it feels like legos next to the genuine.

The little clunk from the left front usually when going downhill, very slow speeds.

 

It may be that rear bushing in the LCA. Their factory design is very flimsy and people seem to complain about them a lot. I went ahead and installed Powerflex bushings in both sides of the LCA's and I love them.

Read all about it here: https://stumptownbenz.com/clk-polyurethane-bushings/

 

Did you forget the spring pad on that side when you changed the springs out??

If you didnt, make sure you have same size spring pads on both sides. Thatll effect the height which will effect the camber?

Also I dont think its a good idea to do suspension one side at the time because itll wear out unevenly

 

Thanks for all the replies.

@PKmak - I am not sure about the spring pad as my indy replaced the springs. I will investigate though.

@JoeJErnst - this good to know, the LCA bushings. I will have these looked at lext time I get the car in or on a lift.

@quik55 - you mentioned a drag link. I don't think this has been done on my car. Is that the same as the center link. Some other suspension components I've recently learned about are:

sway bar links
tie rod end
drag link / center link
stabilizer bushing / link

Maybe one of these could be the culprit?

thanks

 

Yea look under and youll see the pad on top of the spring. Itll have some notches on it like the one circled in the pic below.

Make sure its the same on both sides.