Dealer Alignment
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,184
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W210 E55 & W204 C63
Dealer Alignment
I recently had my steering rack replaced by an Indy mechanic and today followed that up with a Mercedes dealer alignment. When I got the car back my service adviser told me that the steering rack has been installed incorrectly and it now does 1.5 clicks to the right and 2 to the left. The SA admitted that the tech doing the alignment did not notice this until the very end, and that to make the steering cycles symmetrical I would have to pay them $220 to "reinstall the rack," and pay another full price for the alignment. I immediately took this up with my Indy who told me that there is no incorrect way to install the steering rack, and that when he installed it the wheels were straight. And they really were, I was there and helped him straighten them.
So assuming my Indy is telling the truth, was the dealer alignment guy just too lazy to do a correct alignment? I have a feeling he aligned everything on the car and then towards the end checked the wheel cycles and realized it cycles more to one side than to another, feeling lazy to redo a proper alignment, he decided to blame it on something else and request additional labor to correct his mistake. What do you guys think?
So assuming my Indy is telling the truth, was the dealer alignment guy just too lazy to do a correct alignment? I have a feeling he aligned everything on the car and then towards the end checked the wheel cycles and realized it cycles more to one side than to another, feeling lazy to redo a proper alignment, he decided to blame it on something else and request additional labor to correct his mistake. What do you guys think?
Member
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 192
Likes: 15
From: Cincinnati, Ohio
mb, saab, acura, dodge
I'll try to explain it. Even though the steering wheel is straight, it doesn't mean the new rack is centered. Turn the new rack all the way to right,( out of the car) and mark it. Then turn to the the left and mark it. Find the center of travel and put a paint mark on it. When the rack is installed, it should line up on the steering shaft. If it has a dead spline, and doesn't line up, either the steering wheel is mounted wrong on the shaft or the rack was assembled NOT CLOCKED correctly. I've seen it many times both ways. Usually you can't make your issue fixed by adjusting the tie-rods, not enough adjustable travel.
