OldNate

My steering wheel has been shaking at speeds 40+ mph ever since I got it lowered. I only lowered it about 1.2 inches with Eibach springs. Why is it shaking? I have been reading around that it could be the ball joints, but if it were these, why did it only start to happen after I lowered it? I would REALLY appreicate some input in this. Thanks in advanced

raymond g-

in effect, you may have changed the geometry of the suspension beyond critical
specifications, ie just outside the envelope. if you've introduced more rake, it
will have shifted the COG forward and put more forward bias....all in all, changing
the balance of nature vis a vis, your suspension. did you get it aligned after
the lowering job?

OldNate

Yes, I got it aligned after the lower job. I don't know what to do Iv'e been in another lowered w210 which is lowered even more than mine and it doesn't do this.

raymond g-

- look for tie rod, ball joints, sway bushings (!) which need replacing.

- motor mounts (rev in neutral and note changes), firm braking at speed (note
changes), firm acceleration (note vibration).....any clues here?

- you didn't rotate or stagger tires, did you?

- you've eliminated MAF type...fuel induced, vacuum leak,etc vibration and
pretty sure it's suspension/steering, yes?

coincidental that this shaking occured now, yes, but time bombs do go off for
older cars. i just lowered my car (you embarrassed me enough, Nate ), new
smartkey arrived, and all on same day, car battery died a final death. eh...$h1t
happens.

OldNate

"- look for tie rod, ball joints, sway bushings (!) which need replacing. "

I would have to bring it to a dealer, that's my last resort.

"- motor mounts (rev in neutral and note changes), firm braking at speed (note
changes), firm acceleration (note vibration).....any clues here?"


Hmm, what do you mean by note changes?

"- you didn't rotate or stagger tires, did you?"

My tires are not staggered, and have not been rotated yet.

"- you've eliminated MAF type...fuel induced, vacuum leak,etc vibration and
pretty sure it's suspension/steering, yes?"

I'm preety sure it's the suspension/steering. That's where I feel the shaking from and besides, this happened after mucking with the suspension.

"coincidental that this shaking occured now, yes, but time bombs do go off for
older cars. i just lowered my car (you embarrassed me enough, Nate ), new
smartkey arrived, and all on same day, car battery died a final death. eh...$h1t
happens. "

haha, you actually lowered the car Raymond! I bet your car looks really nice now

So, most likely, it is probably the ball joints. But then on the other hand, if i take it to a dealer, they will probably blame it on the springs and say that they will not work on it since it isn't factory.

OldNate

oh, and i would like to add that when i make turns on inclines, I hear a "pop" from the wheel well. I heard that this is also a sign of messed up ball joints.

on a side note, how does your car ride at high speeds? how far did you drop it?

uberwgn

You're correct, the pop is typically a sign of a bad ball jt.

I'd also verify the roundness of your front tires AND wheels.

OldNate

Thanks for the input. I just hope that the dealer will still work on my car even though it is lowered. Also, the wheels have been popping ever since this shop installed new rims/tires on my car. Then I lowered it after that and the vibration at 40+ came. The tires are almost new so it cannot be that.

So we came to the conclusion that it is the ball joints. But, I also have a some negative camber on the back wheels. Not much, but the negative camber came when I lowered it. Does that have anything to do with it? Will the ball joints fix the vibration AND the popping?

Thanks again for all of your input.

raymond g-

your high or my high? i drive like a old man when i'm in da Benz.

Okay, i just buttoned things up after lowering (just completed today), gave it a
look over and took it out for a test ride. Definitely feel the spring rate difference.
Where the stock shocks/springs gave a plush boat ride, I'm now riding on
Bilsteins and Vogtlands. The ride now is like a taunt rubber band instead of
one loosely tensioned. Expansion joints are felt in the soles of my shoes and
butt and clearly heard...whereas before, they existed just as a cush and distant
ba-dump sound and easily ignored. Then again, it rolled like the Titanic as well.
It was raining so I didn't try to push it. Took it on a 20 mile jaunt through some
wide sweepers and straight ahead at quick 85 bursts. Absolutely no abnormal
vibrations, shaking, or suspension undulations. Steering was solid, ride firm.
One+ finger gap front and rear. We'll see how it settles. I may give it a
scootch of rake in front.

Tommy_s4

a pop could also be upper controll arms.

OldNate

See,that sounds about right. You dropped yours and yours does not do it lol. Although, i'm using stock shocks, might that have anything to do with it? I guess ill just have the entire front end checked =-\

raymond g-

how far was your drop?

OldNate

Eibach springs and #3 spacers all the way around. So, only about 1.2-1.3 inches

CQHall

Before you go off and install new control arms and ball joints, it could be as simple as your bolts need to be loosened and re-tightened in the right order (using the star pattern) and torqued to spec. If you tighten the bolts in a circle pattern, your wheels may vibrate.

Also, are you using OEM MB or after-market wheels?
Did you upgrade to sport shocks?

OldNate

Hi, thanks for your input. The "popping" sounds came right after I got new rims, and I used Eibach Sport springs for the lower. I DID NOT upgrade to sport shocks. I thought this could be the problem, but decided it can't be because I don't see how a stock shock would cause the popping. I am using after market wheels. The vibration started to occur after the lower.

CQHall

More questions:

1) Are the wheels hubcentric for MB? Basically do they fit snugly on the hub before you tighten the bolts?

2) Are you using Hub Spacers?





Try these 2 suggestions (they are both free).

A) Jack the car and loosen and re-tighten the bolts in a star pattern. Drive around and see if the vibrations start.

If that doesn't work then...

B) Put your stock wheels back on and drive around and see if the vibrations start. Doing this will confirm or deny that the aftermarket wheels are the problem.

OldNate

Oh my god, I think you might be right. When I was buying the rims, they told me that they had to re drill them a bit because they were slightly off, they weren't exactly 5x112. I thought nothing at first, but now i realize that that could be the problem.. On the other hand, it was not vibrating at that point. It only started vibrating after lowering. I'm going to try and loosen and re-tigthen the bolts like you said tomorrow in a star pattern. I do not have hub spacers. Wait, also will this also solve the "pop" sound? Doesn't that actually confirm the bad ball joints?

On a side note, i just sold my stock wheels a week ago

CQHall

Man, I hate to tell you this but, if they aren't exactly 5x112 with the proper hub spacing then the wheels are of no use to you. I'll bet the wheels were probably designed to fit on a Mustang or something, right?

They will NEVER be right. Period. They will cause nothing but drama.

I don't know how much money you have, but I'd say at least get some stock wheels that fit properly on your car so you can at least drive it around. Maybe try a junk yard. W208 CLK stock wheels will fit your car, too.

And another thing, sport springs ride at a different height and rebound at a faster rate than the shocks are designed for. Therefore your shocks will blow out in around 5,000 miles or less. Be prepared for that (meaning save your money for replacement sport shocks + labor charges). This happens on any car with sport springs on stock shocks.

CQHall

Oh...I forgot to address that POP sound.

That poping sound is probably your bolts moving around and settling into the bolt holes of the rims (which is something they should NOT do.)

I'd bet if you took the wheels off you'd find some metal shavings and wear in the bolt holes of the wheel.

OldNate

oh boy... i got myself into a large hole

OldNate

Thanks CQ! There was no more vibrating and no popping. The new rims looked SO nice which i got from here http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/18-me...81693127QQrdZ1

But then I got in an accident on the way home from the rim shop. The guy ahead of me slammed on his brakes and started skidding. So I slammed on mine but couldn't avoid him and crashed. Now my front end is ****ed up I feel like **** right now

CQHall

Damn! I'm glad you are OK (you are OK, right?)

OldNate

Yea luckily. I am okay and feel no physical pain whatsoever. But I'm just so dissappointed in myself. I worked so hard to finish this car, and it all goes down the drain. Insurance will cover it, but I don't know how good of a job the shop will do. Is paint matching white easy? Iv'e seen paint match on many other cars, and they seem to be bad,especially silver.

CQHall

Well, as the saying goes, "It could have been much worse."

Maybe make a post asking for a good body shop in your area. Also, call MB and ask them which shop they use.

C