GL Class (X166) 2013-2015 after facelift became GLS (X166)

Alignment causes pulling right

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Old Aug 2, 2020 | 09:43 AM
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GL550; CLS550
Alignment causes pulling right

HI all
i picked up a 2013 GL550 with 23k on it earlier this year. Drove great! Took first long trip over the weekend and return trip the truck pulled left like crazy! Not sure if I hit a pothole (although I try to avoid) or if the valet at the hotel hit something (no visible damage). Got an alignment yesterday at an independent and the tech told me that MB naturally pull right and to fix it I need a mod kit from MB $500! Said it's so minimal I won't notice. Will heck it pulls right really bad! I can't imagine this is factory setting!? I will call him again on Monday but imagine it'll be the factory/need mod story. I have a 2013 CLS550.... doesn't pull right! Any advice ? Appreciate all replies.
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Old Aug 2, 2020 | 12:14 PM
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Rotate your tires. You could have a shifted belt. Short of that, find another alignment shop.
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Old Aug 2, 2020 | 02:49 PM
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Brand new tires. Less than 2k on them...
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Old Aug 2, 2020 | 06:18 PM
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I'm just going on life's experiences. I've had brand new tires you couldn't get the shake out of them no matter how many times and how many ways they were balanced. I've had shifted belts that would make it pull one way or another. I've had tires I didn't rotate on a timely basis that had a wear pattern set in, then when they were rotated the car pulled to the right.. Probably could have made it pull to the left by swapping the front tires. All these instances had nothing to do with the alignment. To sum it all up, it is either your tires or your alignment. If it isn't your tires, it is your alignment. Find another shop that doesn't blame their work on the manufacturer.

That's my two cents, take it for what it's worth.
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Old Aug 2, 2020 | 06:21 PM
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Get the alignment done and have them make it track straight and not the MB specs. Your tires will thank you.
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Old Aug 2, 2020 | 07:54 PM
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Thank so guys. Going to call the shop back tomorrow and tell him to straighten my car out. Literally. The exact words on the statement are ' vehicle has a slight drift to the right due to negative camber angle. Not adjustable from factory. Lower control arm bolts Andy control arm mod required to correct". Attached are the before and after specs- everything in the gray apparently isn't adjustable.
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Old Aug 3, 2020 | 12:20 PM
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Originally Posted by Principemc
Thank so guys. Going to call the shop back tomorrow and tell him to straighten my car out. Literally. The exact words on the statement are ' vehicle has a slight drift to the right due to negative camber angle. Not adjustable from factory. Lower control arm bolts Andy control arm mod required to correct". Attached are the before and after specs- everything in the gray apparently isn't adjustable.

Your vehicle has too much negative camber at all four tires, and the camber is not equal from left to right. This needs fixed.

Mercedes don’t pull or drift.

Take it to a dealer. MBs have excessive negative camber and dealers are best equipped and experienced to align the vehicle properly.

And rotate your tires with every oil change.
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