SL55 AMG, SL63 AMG, SL65 AMG (R230) 2002 - 2011 (2003 US for SL55 and 2004 for the SL65)

SL55/63/65/R230 AMG: can anybody balance?

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Old Jun 18, 2010 | 07:38 PM
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can anybody balance?

I have an 05 SL55.

Getting some vibration from one of the wheels. Pretty sure I need tires balanced & I know I need a front end alignment.

I have a near by tire store I've used for years with other mercedes i've owned. Should I have them balance my wheels & align - or is there something about the SL55 that would make it better to take it to the stealership?

Last edited by krypto; Jun 18, 2010 at 07:42 PM.
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Old Jun 18, 2010 | 07:44 PM
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From: Lynnwood in summer, Fountain Hills during the rainy season in Wa.
2008 Maserati QP EGT, 2005 SL55AMG , 2002 CLK55AMG 2002 C230K Coupe
The dealer has been the only shop that has been able to balance the tires on my AMG cars. Just had my SL done and it rides like glass again.
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Old Jun 18, 2010 | 09:35 PM
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2015 SL65, 2015 S63, 2019 Trackhawk, 2012 RR SC
Find a shop that does 'road force speed balance'... It's a must with 19+ rims
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Old Jun 18, 2010 | 09:43 PM
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Originally Posted by BeltFedBob
The dealer has been the only shop that has been able to balance the tires on my AMG cars. Just had my SL done and it rides like glass again.
Originally Posted by Litho
Find a shop that does 'road force speed balance'... It's a must with 19+ rims
+1 on the road force equipment, but that said, I have still had a road force balance done on my SL and noticed steering vibration. I take the car to the stealer. They get it right and the vibration is gone.
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Old Jun 18, 2010 | 11:05 PM
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Porsche guy who drives SL63 w/ perf pkg AND perf suspension
Its hard to find a shop that really knows how to balance a sl, w/ the adjustable ride height. Unless they have the best laser alignment machine and have done sl s before, you are better off having the dealer do it.
But first you have to start with good tires.

If your tires are over 8 or 9K miles, Id bet it wont help balancing them. If they have inside camber wear, or not much tread lift no balancing will help for the couple thousand miles they have left.
The road force balancer is a good balancer, but it is intended to balance a wheel and tire that has mis match issues. Like a wheel that is out of round- it will show how to index the tire to it , to make the whole assembly more even or square. Or a tire that is out of round, or lop-sided, it will show how to index it to the wheel to make the whole assembly more square.
Yes its a good balancer, but you always start out balancing the wheel traditionally, then if it shows it is out of spec, it will then go to the road force mode and try to determine if the wheel or tire is the problem, then suggest how to fix it.
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Old Jun 19, 2010 | 08:14 AM
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Great answers...

Just what I needed to know - hopefully someone esle can use this info also..

Thanks guys!
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