Front Camber Adjustment via Upper Ball Joint?
#26
Sounds like someone needs to use their Amazon Prime account for hassle free returns if they do not measure up as a usable part...
***Disregard, stupid statement unless someone just wanted to measure dimensions of the factory part then return it...****
They do look awfully similar
Theirs:
Ours:
These look freeeeeekin sweet tho!
https://www.speedlogixstore.com/product-p/sx-fca-01.htm
***Disregard, stupid statement unless someone just wanted to measure dimensions of the factory part then return it...****
They do look awfully similar
Theirs:
Ours:
These look freeeeeekin sweet tho!
https://www.speedlogixstore.com/product-p/sx-fca-01.htm
Last edited by BoostedAero; 04-13-2017 at 03:26 PM.
#27
Super Member
Sounds like someone needs to use their Amazon Prime account for hassle free returns if they do not measure up as a usable part...
***Disregard, stupid statement unless someone just wanted to measure dimensions of the factory part then return it...****
They do look awfully similar
Theirs:
https://www.amazon.com/Control-Bushi...nt+control+arm
Ours:
https://www.amazon.com/Prime-Choice-...nt+control+arm
These look freeeeeekin sweet tho!
https://www.speedlogixstore.com/product-p/sx-fca-01.htm
***Disregard, stupid statement unless someone just wanted to measure dimensions of the factory part then return it...****
They do look awfully similar
Theirs:
https://www.amazon.com/Control-Bushi...nt+control+arm
Ours:
https://www.amazon.com/Prime-Choice-...nt+control+arm
These look freeeeeekin sweet tho!
https://www.speedlogixstore.com/product-p/sx-fca-01.htm
#29
#30
MBWorld Fanatic!
I brought it pretty close to the edge but even on all three holes of course. When your done you think that it will not do much but it makes a big difference. The steering right off the bat does not feel as "heavy" going into a turn. Be careful doing it.
#31
#32
MBWorld Fanatic!
With MB crash bolts and slotting out the upper balljoint you should be able to go from 11 to 9 or so degrees castor. So the combination of the two you can go from the ridiculous 11-12 degrees to 9 or maybe even 8degrees of castor which imo is the area we want.
This is THE mod to do to these cars. Totally transforms steering feel.
This is THE mod to do to these cars. Totally transforms steering feel.
#33
With MB crash bolts and slotting out the upper balljoint you should be able to go from 11 to 9 or so degrees castor. So the combination of the two you can go from the ridiculous 11-12 degrees to 9 or maybe even 8degrees of castor which imo is the area we want.
This is THE mod to do to these cars. Totally transforms steering feel.
This is THE mod to do to these cars. Totally transforms steering feel.
#34
Any advancement on the topic of reducing negative camber at front upper ball joint?
Has anyone compared the specs of upper ball joint to lower ball joint (stud taper, stud length, etc)? If these are same then a steel bracket can be manufactured to to accept a lower ball joint to be used as an upper ball joint?
Has anyone compared the specs of upper ball joint to lower ball joint (stud taper, stud length, etc)? If these are same then a steel bracket can be manufactured to to accept a lower ball joint to be used as an upper ball joint?
#35
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
I could never find the right ball joint. Eventually I ended up slotting the LCA inboard mounting point and spot welding the washer after the camber was set to -0.5 deg. I'm very happy with the results and its the only way I would do this again if I ever get another W211 car.
There are also adjustable upper arms from F1 Fabrication, but I worry about the heim joint wearing out too quickly on a daily driver.
There are also adjustable upper arms from F1 Fabrication, but I worry about the heim joint wearing out too quickly on a daily driver.
#36
You might try F1 Fabrication's Upper Control Arms which allow you to adjust up to an inch or so on thier upper ball joints which screw outwards via a threaded Heim joint! I bought mine back in December, 2017 but alas I have not driven it nor have had it aligned since redoing the whole front suspension because after also replacing the Headbolts and getting the Heads rebuilt as well as replacing the P/S Pump and HP Pressure Line, adding 2 new Coil Packs and rebuilt Intake, I must have messed up my Cam Timing because upon starting her up, it sounded terrible for about 30-40 seconds before I shut her down!! The STAR Diagnostic indicated misfires on all but 2 cylinders. I chalked this up to perhaps meaning either there was a lack of fuel due it's being offline for 8+months, but after trying to start next day, there was no turnover at all!! So after breaking out my torque wrench and manually trying to turn clockwise that crankshaft, it was clear it was not going to turn. I was however able to turn it counterclockwise for several mini turns (note-I had the fan back on with all hoses connected, so only very small turn were possible) but as soon as I turned it clockwise again to the point I was expecting to get hung up, it in fact got hung up, I gave it just a little more force, but rather than pushing it, I decided it best to let it sit until I had time to take her apart again, first looking at the timing and/or scoping each cylinder to see if there are any dings on the pistons or evident bending of valves etc. The fact that it did run, to me indicates that the valves at first were in the safe zone in relation to their respective Cams. This was seemingly verified too via STAR as the positioning of L&R Intake and Exhaust Cams were identicle on each side!! That I suddenly shut it down seemingly right at the spot it would not turn, I'm hopeful that it may have been my torque on the Cam Bolts were less than appropriate (45nm+90 as compared to 115Nm?) and there's a chance that I stopped it just in time to avoid anything catastrophic to the Valves, but that hope may be far fetched????
10/31/21- I thought I’d just let everyone know that after having had my Fuel Injectors tested prior to reinstall, turns out one of them flooded piston bay # 3&4 (driver side closest to firewall) causing a dreaded hydro lock! Fortunately, I must have turned it off just in time because when I removed all the Spark Plugs and tried to manually turn it over, as I did so, I saw that fuel squirted out the Spark plug hole! I wirelessly scoped the bore and saw a 3/4 full for one bay and around 1/2 full for the bore closest to the wall! So I sucked out all the fuel from there! I proceeded to manually turn it over 2 full revolutions and it felt normal, thank goodness! I then boroscoped the newly rebuilt Intake Manifold and bent a clothes hanger, wrapped it with blue shop towel secured with duct tape and along with the boroscope managed to soak up any fuel that was left and then let a fan run over it overnight in an effort to evaporate any fuel that was left. When I installed the new injectors, I could readily identify the culprit injector as it clearly was leaking when I pulled the Fuel Rail! I must shamefully admit that I was somewhat terrified of screwing things up upon rebuild, so I got her towed to the Dealership and even though I showed a picture of my having the timing set for all 4 Cams at the same time (ie-2 timing kits) along with a newspaper dating the day, so as to confirm it being done right at such an hour time, nevertheless they had to take it apart to confirm it themselves! Although they commended me on my work somewhat, The inside “pearl of wisdom” the mechanic told me was, that since the car was sitting offline without fluids for 8-9 months, the best way to get the Oil moving is to manually start then stop 25-30 times (ie-turn over the engine without starting) to prime the Oil through the Heads before firing it up! To do this you must have an assistant, or perhaps a wireless borescope, standing over the Driver Side valve cover with the Oil Cap removed to see when Oil starts to flow over the Valve Tappets before starting it up! So now she runs as good as I had envisioned it would! Incredible though that the hydro lock didn’t do more damage, but it may have if the car was in gear, right? As for the F1 Fabrications Adjustable Arms, they allow you to dial in any pull that may be left after installing a “repair” (ie-Crash) Bolt!
I found it best in the end however, to set up each sides Upper Control Arms to be as close as possible (ie-within 0.2 degrees or each other) with all of the correction for the pull to the left being done with those “eccentric Crash Bolts” as well as using the UPD Rear Toe Arms to dial in the rears. I too used bbirdwells method of using threaded line setup on Jack stands all around measured from the Center Caps to determine each wheels alignment using calipers to measure the distance away from the line from the front and rear of the rims. After 3 failed attempts at various “Wheel Alignment Specialists, it was as refreshing as a smack in the face to realize after all the setup and micro measuring that is required that such alignment can be done DIY!
10/31/21- I thought I’d just let everyone know that after having had my Fuel Injectors tested prior to reinstall, turns out one of them flooded piston bay # 3&4 (driver side closest to firewall) causing a dreaded hydro lock! Fortunately, I must have turned it off just in time because when I removed all the Spark Plugs and tried to manually turn it over, as I did so, I saw that fuel squirted out the Spark plug hole! I wirelessly scoped the bore and saw a 3/4 full for one bay and around 1/2 full for the bore closest to the wall! So I sucked out all the fuel from there! I proceeded to manually turn it over 2 full revolutions and it felt normal, thank goodness! I then boroscoped the newly rebuilt Intake Manifold and bent a clothes hanger, wrapped it with blue shop towel secured with duct tape and along with the boroscope managed to soak up any fuel that was left and then let a fan run over it overnight in an effort to evaporate any fuel that was left. When I installed the new injectors, I could readily identify the culprit injector as it clearly was leaking when I pulled the Fuel Rail! I must shamefully admit that I was somewhat terrified of screwing things up upon rebuild, so I got her towed to the Dealership and even though I showed a picture of my having the timing set for all 4 Cams at the same time (ie-2 timing kits) along with a newspaper dating the day, so as to confirm it being done right at such an hour time, nevertheless they had to take it apart to confirm it themselves! Although they commended me on my work somewhat, The inside “pearl of wisdom” the mechanic told me was, that since the car was sitting offline without fluids for 8-9 months, the best way to get the Oil moving is to manually start then stop 25-30 times (ie-turn over the engine without starting) to prime the Oil through the Heads before firing it up! To do this you must have an assistant, or perhaps a wireless borescope, standing over the Driver Side valve cover with the Oil Cap removed to see when Oil starts to flow over the Valve Tappets before starting it up! So now she runs as good as I had envisioned it would! Incredible though that the hydro lock didn’t do more damage, but it may have if the car was in gear, right? As for the F1 Fabrications Adjustable Arms, they allow you to dial in any pull that may be left after installing a “repair” (ie-Crash) Bolt!
I found it best in the end however, to set up each sides Upper Control Arms to be as close as possible (ie-within 0.2 degrees or each other) with all of the correction for the pull to the left being done with those “eccentric Crash Bolts” as well as using the UPD Rear Toe Arms to dial in the rears. I too used bbirdwells method of using threaded line setup on Jack stands all around measured from the Center Caps to determine each wheels alignment using calipers to measure the distance away from the line from the front and rear of the rims. After 3 failed attempts at various “Wheel Alignment Specialists, it was as refreshing as a smack in the face to realize after all the setup and micro measuring that is required that such alignment can be done DIY!
Last edited by E63007; 08-09-2023 at 04:36 AM.