so...I have UPD arms... they now have failed spherical bearings and are no longer adjustable. honestly am not blaming UPD as also my brothers Subaru with beefy Parts Shop Maxx arms are suffering similar fate... they have become unadjustable over time. the aluminum threads have distorted. I used to think F1 Fabrications was a better option but after some reviews from others here, they seem to suffer the same issues as UPD in design.
does any brand make adjustable steel units?
does anyone have factory arms as I think I may want to return fully to stock if no viable options exist.
I am still very satisfied with my UPD toe arms. I installed them several years and tens of thousands of miles ago; heim joints are still good. The toe arms make adjustments a breeze compared to the stock adjuster which had way too much hysteresis in it.
The UPD upper camber arms, however, I regarded as an unsatisfactory design. Interference issues with the subframe, steel heim joints inserted directly into aluminum without the use of helicoil inserts, the inner heim joint was inserted vertically and subject to a bending moment on the threads which I worried would cause that joint to fail early. I have yet to find any upper camber arm in which I would be willing to invest.
thanks for the feedback. yeah, after spending many hours scouring the web...seems the only difference is the F1 Fabrications arms have a urethane or delrin bushing on one end but the overall design is the same. doesn't really justify the cost. then i discovered megan racing, that of which i'd never buy a part from does make a steel adjustable camber arm...but it doesn't have the bend in it needed to clear the air bag.
in the end i'm ordering 2 new spacers for my upper camber heim joint spacers and a complete new toe arm, both for the drivers side. the annoyance I do have is...i do recall my mechanic and alignment guy having issues with the 1 toe arm being super hard to turn since day one. what i have to say is to all of you, upon ordering, CHECK that all threads can turn easily.
i do share the same sentiments of contact with body, and will one up you with contact with sway bar. in some area's upon install my mechanic had to hammer and bend back metal to clear as it was binding 100% of the time. maybe thats why my upper heim or spacers failed, from the constant contact with the body even after massaging. f1 arms contact the same. UPD was able to modify my sway bar links to add 2 inches to provide clearance for the swaybar to the camber arm which helped, but as being a person that takes turns hard often...i do have reservations against lengthening a sway bar end link.
I actually came up with a modified design that would address those issues. I even had a lengthy discussion with a fellow who does custom aviation work to see if he could produce what I needed. In the end I decided that just wasn't worth my time or effort. So, back to stock I went!
EVOSPORT offered a high quality product. I've had them in place since 2010 with no problems or apparent wear. Unfortunately EVOSPORT no longer exists. It should be noted that this design eliminates the torque induced stress to the subframe bolts which also eliminates the squirrely oscillation under high torque loads especially with an LSD.
EVOSPORT offered a high quality product. I've had them in place since 2010 with no problems or apparent wear. Unfortunately EVOSPORT no longer exists. It should be noted that this design eliminates the torque induced stress to the subframe bolts which also eliminates the squirrely oscillation under high torque loads especially with an LSD.
wow, those look great. if i had more dimensional information it would be super easy to make a set of those.
EVOSPORT offered a high quality product. I've had them in place since 2010 with no problems or apparent wear. Unfortunately EVOSPORT no longer exists. It should be noted that this design eliminates the torque induced stress to the subframe bolts which also eliminates the squirrely oscillation under high torque loads especially with an LSD.
EVOSPORT and other similar companies typically source their products from variuos manufacturers for the products they offer for sale. Figuring out who actually made those is the answer.
well..since those are tig welded chromoly steel is what they look like, i'm assuming they were done locally from a fabricator. If i had a set of them i could have 1 of 2 of my fabricator friends build them. but....did EVOSPORT also make camber adjuster arms? that is the difficult one due to the bend to go around the airmatic bag.
well..since those are tig welded chromoly steel is what they look like, i'm assuming they were done locally from a fabricator. If i had a set of them i could have 1 of 2 of my fabricator friends build them. but....did EVOSPORT also make camber adjuster arms? that is the difficult one due to the bend to go around the airmatic bag.
These units are high quality and allow you to set the proper camber angle for any ride height. My rear camber is set at -.5
I don't have any photos of the actual units. That's a stock photo I just glommed for reference. I just don't recall if this is the exact same item that was installed several years ago. Unlike in the US, Germany has Mercedes-Benz service facilities which are not dealerships and only perform maintenance and service. I remember the techs said the install was a PITA and I received a pretty hefty invoice. The alignment facility was impressed, but said the German TÜV (inspection required every 2 years) would frown on the modification. Fortunately the car remains US registered with a FL plate so it's exempt. My Queen of Stealth has been on jacks and in storage and has not been on the road in Germany for a few years now. I'm old, so I got my COVID vaccination and hope to return to Germany later this year. I'll have a look before before taking the car off the jacks and try to identify the arms.
if anyone has a set of factory airmatic camber arms and toe arms I'll buy them from you. I'm reaching out to my friend who is a race car fabricator that builds tig welded tubular steel everything if he can built some arms from me based off the factory units as all aftermarket ones seem to have the same design.
Based on the success people have had on this thread I must be missing something here...
Recently got a set of rear F1-Fab camber arms for my 06 E55. Took the wheel off today to see what I was in for and questioned how these even provide any adjustment given the additional arm connected at the top of the wheel assembly. There is essentially (3) connections at bottom; toe, 'torque strut', and main control arm. Top is camber arm and 'lateral arm'. Doesn't the fixed lateral arm restrict any camber adjustment as they are connected to the hub at nearly the same location?
Do point out for W211 C219, R230 we mnf. rear upper adjustable arms both for airmatic or coil spring models allowing Camber adjustment for the first time.
But once can adjust for Camber there is insufficient Toe, so the KMAC kit “includes extra Toe adjustment” (doubling the existing adjustment range).
We manufacture a TOTAL SYSTEM for virtually ever model Mercedes Benz example:
Seeing there is only Toe adjustment on front suspension also - we therefore mnf. Camber and Caster adjustment kit (replacing at the same time the ‘4’ front highest wearing bushings).
Precise single wrench - accurately under load - direct on alignment rack.
REAR SUSPENSION - Besides the above mentioned Upper Camber arms to resolve costly, premature, inner edge tire wear and improve traction also manufactured is a LOWER ARM KIT BESIDES EASIER ACCESS TO ADJUST - also retains essential clearence top of tire to outer fender (upper arms reduce this clearence).
The previous owner of my CLS 500 had a pair of adjustable camber arms installed on the rear. The car originally came with airmatic, so the camber arms were for the airmatic version, but the car was converted to coilovers about 3 years ago. I wanted to swap the camber arms for a set of arms from TA Technix this year, since I wasn't happy with how the setup was with the camber arms, sway bar and away bar links. Looks like I'll have to do this rather soon than later.
Last Wednesday I was driving my CLS home from work and while overtaking another car at 120 kph the rear felt loose, when merging back into my lane. I thought it was a strong wind current hitting my car and didn't think much of it. When I came home and wanted to reverse park my car the car had a weird shudder. I thought I hit something and when I checked my heart missed a beat.
The mounting head of the camber arms subframe side is bolted onto the arm. This means the thread sits at an 90° angle to the arm and the wheels side forces pushes on the thread, which is the weakest link in this construction. Give it some time and force and I guess this is what happens.
I've contacted the manufacturer and a reseller of these to voice my concern with the design of the arms. However he didn't seem to fussed, he said I can get a replacement head and I must have hit a pothole. The roads here in Germany are decent and I occasionally drive 250 kph in this car here. If that thing had snapped at that speed I don't think I'd be writing this post. I don't want to be dramatic, but this is a legitimate safety concern in my opinion.
I had such items on my wish list but now think twice before I will buy them...I dont know if thats the same manufacturer, but its the same/similar design
don't recall if i posted on mbworld but my previous arms failed and i almost flipped my car. if i was driving faster than 50mph or taking a turn at speed i might be a goner.
i've replaced all with the full catalog from KMAC and have never been happier. the kmac bushings utilize the factory arms so you will never run into a binding issues or inappropriate angle to cause stress. they are also very solid with no give.
@UncleBenz55
You are one very fortunate individual; glad to hear you escaped unscathed. That could have been very, very ugly.
FWIW, I purchased a similar set of rear camber arms (different manufacturer) in the past. While installing, I noted interference between the inner end of the camber arm and the rear subframe when the suspension went to full extension. I kept looking at the design of the arms (similar to the ones on your car) and, in my head, trying to picture the loads on the camber arm. Everything I looked at came down to a bending moment on the vertical piece at the junction where it was threaded into the horizontal portion. That indicated to me that it was a potential failure point. Threads already provide stress risers; add some corrosion and, sooner or later, a fatigue crack is going to develop and the threaded portion will fracture as yours. Even without the arm/subframe interference, I did not feel comfortable with the design, stopped the install, and returned the camber arms.
Again, good to hear you're okay.
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
. after purchasing 1 replacement arm with heim joints and replacement spacers for the heim joints for the camber arm.
