ygmn

I went to get a slow leak fixed today - Left Rear.
They called me when I was walking in the door back home - Inner tire tread gone cords showing.
Dayum
Outer tread is practically brand new, Just over 20K easy miles. Cont DWS06 tire
For those who remember this is on the side that did not blow out from pothole.

I am POed - Cannot adjust stock car so it eats tires?
Not for me.

So I have been reading on here for couple hours and some other sites about REAR CAMBER ADJUSTMENT kits.

My head hurts, adjustable links, adjustable bushings ARGGGGG

So what do you think is best bang for buck?
Which is easiest to install?

I will worry about front another day but alignment guy said they look fine but this left rear is bad.
Time to go to dealer to see if they can align properly like it is.

K-Mac

No they cannot align as OEM there now is only basic Toe “directional” adjustment !!

No longer essential front Camber (or Caster) and no rear Camber to resolve costly premature excess edge wear (all to do with ever increasing speed of new car assembly lines).

We saw the need therefore and took on the role of producing “bolt-on” front and rear kits to re instate adjustment AUDI to VOLVO. While kits to suit Mercedes Benz range covers virtually every model 1968 to 2023.








AUDI to VOLVO - K-MAC Experience Of Resolving OEM Suspension Shortcomings Since 1964!

ygmn

but kit for front and rear cost more then any set of tires I put on car.

What other options out there?

Benzaddict32

In my experiences, I haven’t been satisfied with adjustable bushings. Typically when the camber is tearing up the inner parts of your tires, I have found replacing worn control arm bushings with factory bushings always did the trick. Many dealerships won’t replace the bushings alone, they want you to replace the entire control arm assembly.

ygmn

I do not believe it simple as just changing bushings.

Now that I remember first set of tires from Factory worn on inside.
The other rear is showing signs of wearing inside too.

bAlignment shop said everything seemed fine underneath from a bushing, link, ball joint kinda of way.
Car is still tight without much flex - the camber is just crazy leaning in when the car sits there.
Hell I can get behind it and see it.

Just called dealer he said yeah they do that - Eat tires on inside and going to check with tech on what they can do.

I also see where there is an aftermarket adjustable upper links - Some on here have used it.

I looked at Specialty Products Company
They have adjustable bushings but need fancy C-clamp to replace.
Bushings: Specialty Products Company | SPC Alignment | The Automotive Alignment Leaders
Tools: Specialty Products Company | SPC Alignment | The Automotive Alignment Leaders & Specialty Products Company | SPC Alignment | The Automotive Alignment Leaders

And we all know Site Sponsor K-mac who posted above
His seem to be simple to install as he includes tool.

Some adjustable arms:
Camber King by F1: Mercedes Rear Camber Kit Adjustable W207 W212 E-Class Made In USA E200 – T H E C A M B E R K I N G (f1-fabrication.myshopify.com)
Truhart: Rear Camber Kit #TH-M210 - TruHart
MBArts: MB Arts - Adjustable Rear Camber Arms (W212) (mbartsperformance.com)

I am sure there are others and I would like to see them.

up_too_late

I have had a similar experience of one tire wearing on the extreme inner edge on passenger rear, discovered after a loss of tire pressure. I had an alignment done and while it was out of spec, the opposite side was worse but was showing better tire wear, so I don't believe it is necessarily alignment. I had a shop check the bushings and was told they were fine. I'm probably going to pry at them myself when it's time to swap the winter tires for summer ones.

I purchased the car as a CPO @ 25k miles, and it had a new set of Continentals on it. That tire went out at 63k miles on the odometer, but those miles have been split over two sets of tires (winter and all seasons). I haven't kept exact records of my tire swaps and mileage but assuming even distribution year round I only got 20k out of them. They we're definitely getting borderline overall but I was hoping to get the rest of the summer out of them when it wore through the belts. Those tires were symmetrical so I had rotated them front to back and backs swapping sides and to the front.

When I checked my winter tires for wear I noted uneven wear left to right. These tires are asymmetrical and were only rotated front to back and vice versa. These tires started out at 13MM tread depth and are -1 so are 17" versus stock 18". I found all 4 to be 7MM deep on the outside edge, 8-9MM center, and 4-5MM inner on passenger side and 6-7MM on driver side. Definitely more wear, but I'm not sure it's worth throwing a bunch of money at it to make it perfect.

The only other thing in the back of my brain that nags me is that I also replaced my air springs last summer, and the leaking one was on the passenger rear. Could that have contributed to the wear? I've also noted that when I check the ride height with a scanner the passenger side is consistently 10MM lower on the passenger side than the driver side. They both fluctuate when driving, but on average that is what it looks like. OP appears to have a sedan and likely steel springs so that is probably not the case.

I've resolved to keep an eye on the wear with regular measurements to see if it is something that is happening at a more recent and rapid pace. And increasing my tire pressures a couple PSI.

Sunnyslope48

I talked to a very good INDY in Scottsdale, AZ, who told me that it's the driver-side rear that wears more than any of the others. They have seen it hundreds of times. So what's the solution, I asked. They said rotation is the best you can do. They just wear the driver-side rear.

ChrisHimself

Hey uh, I work on these for a living. Thats pretty normal sadly. Even on my personal cars I always get the warranty on the Continental SRS (the America's Tire version) to cover 50% of the tire because they never last the full 50k. You can go with an aftermarket camber alignment bolt but you have to understand there isn't a lot wrong with the way the car drives as-is.

They're heavy cars. You can adjust the camber but you're essentially messing with the factory alignment specs. if you're out of spec thats a different story, but essentially you're band-aiding for worn suspension components which given your car is a 2015, would be unusual.

ygmn

Thanks for replies.

Yes I have normal springs and staggered tires:
Front = 245/40/18 97V XL
Rear = 265/35/18 97V XL

I drive from 2000 to 5000 miles a year as I work at home.
I have just over 48,800 miles over first being driven by original owner starting OCT 2016. I received with 347 miles Dec 2016.
So OEM tires lasted about 28K and this last tire I bought Cont DSW06 only went 21.7k miles. Both inside worn to tread gone, wear bars gone some cord showing.
Shop told me the right rear, which has only 2000 miles on it is already showing signs of inner wear (this tire was replaced after pothole blowout last year.)

Ride is same as day I purchased, shop said bushings all seem fine as no excess movement on front or rear.
But If they were worn and needed replacing with car under 50K, Dayum then these cars are junk when it comes to being a daily car.

Well I am going to do something as camber spec is for crap if my wide A$$ tires MB specified, wear out so quickly, even when supposed to be a high mileage tire.
Hell the outside of these tires look brand new.

Choice I have is Adjustable bushings or link.
Adjustable links for under $300 + install and figure alignment cost same either way
OR
Adjustable Bushings; SPC 2 req's for around $170 amazon or the k-mac kit for under $500.

Similar except SPC Tool to remove and install is WAY extra.

Anyone try the adjustable camber top link?
Anyone try the bushings from SPC or K-Mac?
Did they fix this tire leaning camber issue and increase tire life?

Ps I do not race/track car.
All I do is drive country roads and interstate.

ChrisHimself

I have a shop and most of my business is Mercedes, all my arms and bushings are new and I've gotten it down to 30 minutes a control arm on our cars and I use Delphi so it's very cheap to do it, I check my alignment once a month. It's pretty much a given that I will cut the service life of any 50k warrantied tire down to less than half before they hit the 3/32" danger zone. Continental has been sponsoring my tires for my cars for a while now. Here is my last invoice.

K-Mac

Still the controversy continues but as set out above previous reply. Can discuss all you want.

But it comes down to the basic realization OEM THERE IS NO LONGER FRONT CAMBER (OR Caster) AND NO REAR CAMBER (New car industry's best kept secret).

OK for showroom height conditions but the reality of day to day commuting encountering high cambered roads with excess passenger side edge wear AND NO MEANS TO ADJUST / RESOLVE !

Along with wheel squat through height change - load carrying or lowering. Fitting wide profile tires plus not having basic ongoing adjustment to cater for curb knock damage.

Yes, you can purchase for W212 models (front only) fluted bolts - but they are inaccurate one offset position offering a miniscule 1/8” (3mm) which equates to .3 of one degree.

K-MAC bushes Camber and Caster replace the 4 front (highest wearing) at the same time providing serious adjustment (4 times the range) to fix it right the 1st time. While Camber only at $345 for front kit is less then 1 performance tire cost. Rear like other brands (can also supply) “Camber only” at $345 but really do need the extra Toe adjustment as well.

Unique patented design breakthrough also allows ultimate easily accessible adjustment - direct on alignment rack UNDER LOAD !

For rear at K-MAC yes “we also manufacture” upper replacement Camber arms (Unlike other brands K-MAC price “includes” extra Toe adjustment - necessary to cater for the new rear Camber facility).

The Upper arm bushes also designed for long term maintenance free usage (having the experience of manufacturing performance bushings longer then any other brand - 1964).

But - upper rear Camber arms are more difficult to fit and time consuming adjustment requiring wheel removal each time a adjustment change. (As mentioned lower arm kits ultimate adjustment - direct on align rack under load) plus upper arms reduce “important clearance” top of tire to outer fender when wanting to adjust to resolve excess inner edge wear.


Kevin

ygmn

OK K-MAC I read all your positive statements.

Will you reply with the negative things about your product?

K-Mac

Well maybe instead of condoning the highly profitable OEM industry and they no longer providing basic ongoing Camber and Caster adjustment facility to cater for other then showroom height, perfect road conditions with costly, premature excess edge tire wear. You could send some kudos our way to a small company putting in maximum effort to resolve the situation.



Kevin

ygmn

OK you did not understand my question as I was not bashing but asking you what if anything could be better on these?

K-Mac

Strange request - as aim is to produce nothing but the best !

We do this by being the "longest established / most experienced" alignment kit manufacturer.

Adjustable Strut tops, Wishbone and Bushing kits with proudly "In-House" manufacture - not sourcing imports (as so many other brands do).

It also allows us "Total Control" over quality and "Rapid / Constant" development which (as per our website "See About Us") has resulted in virtually all the major design breakthroughs, patents over last 20/30 years.



AUDI to VOLVO - K-MAC Experience Of Resolving OEM Suspension Shortcomings Since 1964!

rapidoxidation

I put a set of Kmac lower bushings on the rear of my '13 E350 and my days of wrecking the inside edges of tires were over.
just say'n.
As far as negative things to say? I scraped a couple knuckles installing them in my two car garage.

ygmn

THANKS that is what I am looking for
How hard to install your self then take for alignment?
wHat did you get camber set at when done? 0.0 deg or what?

Did you hold car up jack stands in rear and have to use jack to hold/release suspension load to align things?
ANy special tools make it easier?

Instructions on website kinda lacking IMHO.
I have read them 3 times and it seems some things missing I amnot sure as in one step you change out Toe bushings

rapidoxidation

There's a tool in the kit that is meant to press out the old bushings and press in the new ones. It isn't super well made because it is really only intended to be used twice (once per side) but it does the job.
Don't be afraid to use a can of PB Blaster - when in doubt lube it out.
It took a couple hours on the first side, a bit less on the next. Alignment was easy after that; my alignment shop is about 5 miles away. I forget what he set it at, but we went on a 2K mile trip on shiny new tires right after the repair and the tires stayed nice and square.
Yes on a couple things to hold up the car. I put the rear on jack stands then used a floor jack as needed to push the moving parts around.
There's pretty good instructions in the kit, and it really becomes clear when you're under the car doing the work.
If your tires are getting wrecked on the inside edge and the rest of the control arm bushings seem OK, put these in.

ygmn

Yes Thank you... Great feedback I needed.
And yes Tires to cords tread visible gone on inside
Outside has almost full thread I would say no more than 1/8 worn away.
Drive side worse then Passengers.

Heck I was tempted to "Rotate" tires in rear from side to side but Dismount them so inside on driver side becomes outside on Passenger and they roll same direction but would give me more life.

Well off to mumble something to wife about this so she cannot complain when they show up on front porch left by delivery man.

Alignment guy said everything underneath seems tight and not worn or loose at all.

NOw I have to decide to install myself w/son or just let alignment shop do it.
My floor jack is sketchy as it leaks down a bit - But works enough to get car elevated and stands under it before it drifts down.

EuroDriverSD

Hello gents, just popping in to visit and say hello, as my W212 is gone.
I installed the rear K-Mac kit on my W212 after lowering it when I had it and yes, it solved my tire-chewing issues. Shop charged me $1,200 to install. although expensive, it's the price of one set of tires so it should pay for itself many times over the life of ownership.

I just installed the camber bushings on my W204. I had a mobile mechanic do it for a fraction of the cost of my local alignment shop. He pressed out the old bushings with the included tool and and impact gun. It looked pretty easy. The fun part is lining up the spring perch to put the new bolt in - take a double dose of patience! I skipped the caster bushings for now but if I have a caster issue after I get the car aligned tomorrow, I will have those installed as well.

I have read people complain that they eventually squeak, but I had no such problems on my W212. I was almost convinced to go with the camber arms offered by others but they seem to be worse - a lot of complaints over them seizing up.

Hope this helps.

ygmn

Thank you Euro Driver.. very good post and review and description of your experiences.
I have been looking for this kind of post.

The liitle details one should know before buying - Like aligning the stuff up to install new bushings.

Was the $1200 for just the rear or all 4 we heels? At my alignment shop that would be 10 hours bon bill.

EuroDriverSD

I paid $1200 to have only the rear camber and caster bushings installed, including the alignment afterwards.

brentif

I have the K-Mac rear bushing kit on my lowered wagon, and after installation the alignment shop was able to dial it in perfectly. I think installation of the kit was around $1,000 plus parts, and then the alignment cost. If anyone in the SoCal area is looking for an incredible alignment shop, Cheworks cannot be beat.

rapidoxidation

The kit was about $500 IIRC, and it took me about 4 hours to install on the floor of my garage. $250/hour? I'll take it.

ygmn

thanks for feedback and reviews.
What spec did yall end up having Camber set at?

I know the MD specs are crazy and have Large range bu curious what every did so I can tell my guy more then "STRAIGTEN her up so i stops wearing so much on inside."