vettdvr

Perhaps you should take off the tyres put them in the boot and get some tires.

However if you have tyres it might be that you have a belt off center in one of the tyres. Try swapping left and right side front tyres and see if that clears up the pull. If it does it is a tyre issue and you should put on a new tire.

Jim

KEELBOAT

This is all very tyreing i mean trying, no i meant tiring.

KEELBOAT

sbutton

Can't do that easily as they are directionals. Suppose I would have to get them to take the tyres off the wheels, and just swap the tyres but keep the wheels in the same place (or something like that?).... which is why I think they swapped the front / back in the first place. Surely that would have made some difference if it's a tyre problem.

Uggggg. This is a pain. Tiresome even. I'm getting Tired and Exhausted.

Steve

vettdvr

You can put the left front tire on the right front and the right front on the left front and drive 5 miles to see if it pulls. Leave them on the same rim just move rim and tire. This won't be a problem for 5 miles of test driving to sort out the problem. But then if your tyres can't do that I understand. Otherwise you could buy new tyres and then test it out. But the current tires are already paid for and a very cheap test.

mshakir

I had no problem finding shops who would align my E300D 1995. Now I have a 2008 E350 and nobody wants to touch it, even though Mercedes dealer has installed the caster/camber bolt kit on the right front wheel. I am so frustrated, I would like to get in and do it myself. However, I do not even know what bolt and which way to turn it to make caster more positive on the right and lower the caster on the left, even without having any alignment tools.

Any instructions anyone knows about that is available on youtube? Need pictures on what bolt to turn and in what direction for positive and negative caster.

vettdvr

I found a local "Firestone authorized dealer" that does alignment for a local MB repair shop. I bought a lifetime alignment with them. You might check a "real" Firestone dealer. Caution there are stores that put up the Firestone sign because they sell the tires but they aren't authorized dealers. You might check at the firestone site for an authorized local dealer and check with them. I also have the adjustment bolts installed.

mshakir

You are lucky you found Firestone to do it for you.

I have a Firestone(full service shop) near my house, who does life time alignment, oil change and all other work for my Mountaineer. He refused to do it for 2008 Mercedes. I went back to another Firestone shop who I used for several years near my old house and a pretty good alignment shop, they refused to do it. I tried Sears, who had done alignment on old Mercedes, they would not do it. Last I went back to another tire/alignment shop who did alignment on my old mercedes some 12 years ago, and who I was satisfied with, they also refused to do it. So far no luck, finding some one with alignment setup and someone who can make caster on right wheel more positive. My last chance is my visit to Mercedes, this Saturday. Let us see if they can do it.

vettdvr

FWIW I agree the right wheel needs more + caster to track straight. Mine is an 2003 and noone wanted to align it either until it was 5 yrs old then they did. Dah,, wonder what makes it so magic.

There is one thing the MB dealer does a load test on the front wheels to preload the front to add pressure that would exist from high speed driving. HOWEVER in the US we don't drive as on autobahn and don't need that much pressure. My vet does not use this pressure and is good to 150 on the track.

I found that the MB E can be aligned w/o the preload. Just get a good shop to set it up and add about 1 degree more caster on the right than the book calls for. MOST shops always want to set the alignment in the center of the range. The reason you have a range is to compensate for varing conditions. A shop will tell you right on the numbers and your car will be on the numbers and pull right. You can add 1 degree + caster on the right and still be within spec (not on the center of caster for the right wheel) and the car will drive straight. Too bad most shops don't understand you can be "in range/spec" and that is ok. They want to set on specific numbers and the car will pull right.

btv94

Are those number from new kit or original?


Thanks,

vettdvr

Those were the numbers I worked with my alignment guy to set for the car to drive straight. Doesn't mean it will work for every car but I also had the caster bolts.

Pulling with camber set correctly and tires wearing even means that the caster is off. Caster has little effect on tire wear but does affect drift/pulling to one side.

Which ever direction it pulls to needs more + caster. You CAN increase caster above the center of range target that everyone tries to hit. The reason they give you a range is to be able to be within limits. Many shops always want the center target, and this can result in a drift/pull.

The specs also include a cross caster range so one wheel can lead another and the specs will show by how much.

The real problem is most alignment shops don't really have a high skilled alignment person, they have someone who can set the front end, and they use the specs to show they hit target. Target may vary depending on the chassy and this is where they get lost in the understanding of how each adjustment affects drive ability. They have to use the computer not the brain.

btv94

Last set of tire that the shop guy aligned the car drive straight for first time.
He did show me that he also have OEM camber bolt kit if needed, but he convinces me it's not needed.
13k miles later the rear tire were almost gone and the car start to pull/drift to right and whem whem whem noise start.
Two rear tire were evenly worn and replaced at 15k miles. Warranty is 15k miles (Stagger tire).
I took the car for alignment when rear tires is replaced.
He only charged me $25 because after the alignment is done. He said that the alignment is not much change from last alignment, but I told him that the car is pulling to the right and very noisy.
He said that the front tires is little bit cupping even though the tires still has 40%.
At 17k miles now I'm replacing front tires in 3 days and will take car to alignment shop.
This time I will ask him to install MB OEM camber bolt kit($25 each) that he has available at his shop and I just try to understand how the number works.

vettdvr

I found that only Michelins' or the Conti would run smooth for the life of the tire. Check into the details and you will find MOST tires, and my guess is the ones you are driving on now have Made IN Japan on the sidewall. You will find the Michelins and Conti's are not from Japan and they also have a different splice in the belt which changes the tire harmonics. My guess your tires were cupping out on only one side of the tread.

btv94

Your guess is correct, the cupping is only on one side and it's inside, but it's Michelin Super Sport.
The set before this were Michelin Pilot Sport As Plus last. I'm getting Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 to match the rear tire that I had replaced.