Hello everyone,



I have a Mercedes-Benz E250 (W212, 2014, Sedan ) and recently installed new tyres (245/45 R17) in the front. I shifted the older 2022 tyres to the rear. After that, I noticed a slight steering off-center issue, so I got an alignment done. Every other values were fine except front left as I got the car aligned few months back. Rear and everything else was fine.

The alignment shop set the front total toe to 4.0 mm (machine spec was: 2.1 mm ± 2.2 mm, meaning max 4.3 mm is within range). Steering now feels mostly centered and okay, but I felt the toe is set too high.

After coming home I did some research and found it’s on higher side, so I revisited the shop and requested a front total toe closer to 2.2-3 mm, as that’s near the factory target (which I believe is ~2.1 mm).

However, the technician said: It’s not possible to get at 2.2-3mm. He said the car won’t hold this value.


This seems questionable to me, since I know Mercedes specs are in that range (0.25°–0.49° total toe, which is about 2.1–4.3 mm depending on wheel size). I’m not asking for anything outside the acceptable range — just closer to ideal.




❓My Questions:

1. Is it mechanically and practically possible to set toe to ~2.2-3.0 mm total on a W212?
2. Is the technician wrong to say “alignment won’t stay” at that value? If yes why did he say so?
3. Will going from 4.0 mm to 2.2 mm really cause any negative effects (e.g., instability)?

 

Wheel alignment shop talking nonsense. You can adjust toe to crazy number if u want to.

Even his machine adjustment units are so messed up.
I never seen a machine using mm and degree minute at the same time....why why ?

Give me ur VIN, I will get your official alignment values as per WIS.

 

WDD2120036L035438
Anything awkward/wrong values in my alignment other then degrees and mm error. If yes please tell me?

 

The toe conversion to actual MB value of degree minute is very tricky, because it is wheel size dependent.
Wheel size can mean RIM only or RIM with tyre ? I don't know man, I do not use cheapo ruler for DIY alignment, I use Hunter Elite alignment machine, so I never learnt millimeters value

Remember toe is total value between LEFT and RIGHT wheel combined, only toe is a TOTAL Value, other values are single side ony.
Tell the dude, set his machine to be all decimal minutes like camber and caster value and the Track Differential Value ( ackerman angle ), what a weirdo.

01. Original tire is with 17" rim/wheel. Size I do not know.
02. Suspension code is 482, springs for higher ground clearance.
03. Chassis code is W212.003

NOTES :
AA. Recently installed new tyres (245/45 R17) in the front
BB. I shifted the older 2022 tyres to the rear.
Assumed both fronts and rears are same size tires.


Unit used in MB WIS for wheel alignment is Degree-Minutes, except for Romess value which is in decimal degree
1 degree = 60 minutes

------------

FRONT :

Front toe, Degree minute 0* 9', decimal degree 0.15*
Allowable tolerance +- 10' minute or decimal degree 0.166*
This means lowest is minus -1 minute to 19' or minus -0.016* to 19' or
0.316* decimal degree.

I dont know how to calculate in millimeters. LOL


Front camber. degree minute minus 0* -12' , decimal degree minus -0.2*
Tolerance +-21' minute or 0.35* decimal degrees.
This means lowest is and highest is, calculate on ur own please.

Allowable camber difference between Left and Right,
maximum is 24'minute or 0.4 degree as maximum.


Front caster degree minute 6* 35', decimal degree is 6.83*
Allowable caster difference between Left and Right,
maximum is 30'minute or 0.5 degree as maximum.


=========

Front Romes angle/height is 4.85 degree.
Rear Romes angle/height is 3.07 degree

========


REAR :

Camber minus 0* -42' minute or minus -0.7 decimal degree
Allowance +- 30' minute or 0.5*

Toe : 0* 18' minute or 0.30* decimal degree
Allowance +- 7' minute or 0.166* decimal degree

---------

Ackerman angle or Toe Out angle at inner wheel when 20 degrees
steering turned, inner wheel is to be less by 1* 54' or
1.0.9* decimal degree, than outer wheel.

.

Getting zero for geometrical driving axis is not difficuit, but patience is needed for the techy. Some alignment machine call this value as : THRUST ANGLE
https://mgfcar.de/tracking/ebezachs.htm




============

MB official data


Romess angle is using Romess inclinometer.
Only MB approved alignment machine uses this expensive tool and the software is also specific to MB cars where Romess data is measured first, before actual alignment taking place.
This tool is actually very important to tell if your suspension is out of whack or not, simply by measuring angle ( height ).
The suspension has fixed static alignment value and it will translate to the designed height measured at the front suspension arm and rear wheel output shaft using that Romess.








.







Here is an example of Romess tool : Start at minute 5:00




----------


MB SPEC


FRONT



.



.





Ony front suspension has CASTER value.

.


.






====================


REAR



.




Find a good converter for the toe value in millimeter to be in degree.

Good luck.


Just so you know, unless a dedicated MB wheel alignment software is used, the basic data set are often NOT CORRECT on those alignment machines.
MB data is so plentiful due to so many suspension variants, only WIS can be trusted and not some alignment shop raw database.

.

 

Thank you so much S- Prihadi for taking the time to write such a detailed and helpful reply! I really appreciate the effort you put into explaining everything so clearly. It definitely helped me understand things much better.