What is needed to get proper wheel alignment after lowering a E55?
02-01-2016 | 09:41 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Member
What is needed to get proper wheel alignment after lowering a E55?
I had my '06 E55 lowered by Shardul via STAR, and I love the way it looks. However I have two problems, one minor and one bigger.
First, the minor problem - When I turn the wheel sharply, especially when backing up, I can hear something rubbing by the front wheels. It doesn't sound like tire on metal fender, I think it's the tire perhaps hitting the plastic inner wheelwell? Has anyone experienced this before and if so what did you do to correct it? My car has a E63 front on it, if that matters. I don't know if it's original MB parts or aftermarket, as it was on the car when I bought it.
Second, the bigger problem. Now that the car is lower, the tires are pidgeon toed. All four are that way, although by eye, the fronts appear worse than the rears. I forget the correct term, if it's camber or caster, but I'm sure you all know what I mean. The tops of the tires are tilted toward the center line of the car, and the bottoms are tilted out. It's pronounced enough that it is readily apparent to the eye. The car isn't drastically lowered like some I have seen. The tops of the wheel wells are right about, maybe a touch above, the top of the tire thread.
I have read somewhere that there are some sort of arms and /or bushings that can be installed to get the car back into perfect alignment. I have done a search.....
(That's for the guy who always screams at everyone "do a search"
)
......but the volume of stuff that a search turns up is overwhelming, often contradictory and confusing, and lots of it is years old.
Since I did not slam it all the way to the tops of the wheels themselves, is it possible to get the wheels back to where they need to be, or is there zero adjustment in this axis available, and parts must be purchased to get it back where it needs to be? I would like the alignment back to stock spec as it's clearly bad enough where it is now that the tires will be shot in the blink of an eye.
Your advice and ideas are gratefully requested on the best way to correct this.
Thanks.
First, the minor problem - When I turn the wheel sharply, especially when backing up, I can hear something rubbing by the front wheels. It doesn't sound like tire on metal fender, I think it's the tire perhaps hitting the plastic inner wheelwell? Has anyone experienced this before and if so what did you do to correct it? My car has a E63 front on it, if that matters. I don't know if it's original MB parts or aftermarket, as it was on the car when I bought it.
Second, the bigger problem. Now that the car is lower, the tires are pidgeon toed. All four are that way, although by eye, the fronts appear worse than the rears. I forget the correct term, if it's camber or caster, but I'm sure you all know what I mean. The tops of the tires are tilted toward the center line of the car, and the bottoms are tilted out. It's pronounced enough that it is readily apparent to the eye. The car isn't drastically lowered like some I have seen. The tops of the wheel wells are right about, maybe a touch above, the top of the tire thread.
I have read somewhere that there are some sort of arms and /or bushings that can be installed to get the car back into perfect alignment. I have done a search.....
(That's for the guy who always screams at everyone "do a search"
) ......but the volume of stuff that a search turns up is overwhelming, often contradictory and confusing, and lots of it is years old.
Since I did not slam it all the way to the tops of the wheels themselves, is it possible to get the wheels back to where they need to be, or is there zero adjustment in this axis available, and parts must be purchased to get it back where it needs to be? I would like the alignment back to stock spec as it's clearly bad enough where it is now that the tires will be shot in the blink of an eye.
Your advice and ideas are gratefully requested on the best way to correct this.
Thanks.
02-01-2016 | 09:47 PM
#2
MBWorld Fanatic!
If you are as low as you say you are, aftermarket parts would be needed. Also, the term you are looking for is "cambered in". You most likely also have some toe-in issues at the rear, which is when the front of the tire is turned inwards instead of the top of the tire like when you were looking at camber.
For the front, you will need either Mercedes crash bolts, which will most likely not give you the range of adjustment needed although they are much cheaper to try first, or K-MAC bushings like I run. See the link in my signature for the install.
For the rear, you will need either the K-MAC bushings like I run or adjustable arms like Shardul offers.
For the front, you will need either Mercedes crash bolts, which will most likely not give you the range of adjustment needed although they are much cheaper to try first, or K-MAC bushings like I run. See the link in my signature for the install.
For the rear, you will need either the K-MAC bushings like I run or adjustable arms like Shardul offers.
02-01-2016 | 09:53 PM
#3
Thread Starter
Member
Forgive my ignorance, but I'm learning !
"Crash bolts"? What do they do, and do I get them from a dealer? Do I just ask for crash bolts and they know what I want? How are they installed?
It seems that the bushings for the front are the only sure fire way to get the alignment 100% to where it needs to be. Where do I get them, and can you recommend someone in the Houston area who can install them properly?
I'll ping Shardul on the arms that he sells. I assume the take care of both the toe and camber problem in the rear?
Thanks, Heiss - hoping we bump into each other around town one day. Good looking ride you have there!
"Crash bolts"? What do they do, and do I get them from a dealer? Do I just ask for crash bolts and they know what I want? How are they installed?
It seems that the bushings for the front are the only sure fire way to get the alignment 100% to where it needs to be. Where do I get them, and can you recommend someone in the Houston area who can install them properly?
I'll ping Shardul on the arms that he sells. I assume the take care of both the toe and camber problem in the rear?
Thanks, Heiss - hoping we bump into each other around town one day. Good looking ride you have there!
02-01-2016 | 10:40 PM
#4
MBWorld Fanatic!
https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ash-bolts.html
I purchased my bushings direct from Kevin @ K-MAC. I installed them myself, so I cannot recommend an installer.
I purchased my bushings direct from Kevin @ K-MAC. I installed them myself, so I cannot recommend an installer.
02-01-2016 | 11:04 PM
#5
How many miles do you plan on driving this car? Like heiss said you have those few options. I don't use kmac as I don't feel I need to set my alignment up perfectly to dead center of specs. I only put 2k miles a year on the car. I do alignments as well so I know what I'm doing and I used 2 front camber adjustment (crash) bolts and 1 caster bolt to compensate some for road crown. I set the front and rear toes slightly more positive than spec as well to compensate some for the negative camber. Whichever route you go you really need someone experienced with mercedes alignments to get it done right the first time.
