How I adjusted the toe in / out, camber and caster on my W123 300D - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Stretch · #16 05-09-2011, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkpatt

Thanks for posting this thread . Please post more information about the toe spreader bar you made .

"Sorry for the lack of photographs – in particular I wanted to show the DIY spreader bar but I can't find that photograph at the moment. I'll post some more photographs if there seems to be a requirement for them when I find them. "

Don't worry it is on the list - along with the transmission rebuild, engine rebuild, paint, steering box rebuild etc etc etc - I'll get there in the end!

If I fake a picture now it will probably confuse people as all of the bits you usually see aren't there! But if you're in a hurry then I used this sort of thing => http://www.wolfcraft.de/jcatalog_generated/en/products/product_groups/14804_product.html If you scroll down to the bottom of the page you can see that the ends of this woodworking clamp can be switched round so that it spreads.

I've got a cunning plan as well to check to make sure that the spreader applies the prescribed force in the FSM too - that involves a spring balance and some bungee cords. Really simple - I bet you can work it out for yourself.

funola · #17 05-09-2011, 09:39 AM

Hey Army, nice work with the documentation of your DIY alignment rig! FYI, I have adjusted toe-in on all my cars for ages with a simple caliper that I make, without spreader bars. Set-up is simple, there isn't any! It is done with all 4 wheels on the ground. Some tells me my method will not work because I do no use spreader bars. My guess is the need for spreader bars (for toe-in adjustment) is required only if the tires are on sliding plates?

My proof that my method works is I never have uneven tire wear. That is good enuf for me!

Stretch · #18 05-09-2011, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funola

Hey Army, nice work with the documentation of your DIY alignment rig! FYI, I have adjusted toe-in on all my cars for ages with a simple caliper that I make, without spreader bars. Set-up is simple, there isn't any! It is done with all 4 wheels on the ground. Some tells me my method will not work because I do no use spreader bars. My guess is the need for spreader bars (for toe-in adjustment) is required only if the tires are on sliding plates?

My proof that my method works is I never have uneven tire wear. That is good enuf for me!

Fair enough - I'm no expert - I just follow instructions in the FSM up to the point where it is about to cost me money for special tools. At this point I think of something to replicate the special tool.

Also what I would really really like to do is to adjust my caster, camber and toe with my bits of metal, grease and wood and then take it to the dealer and for them to say "it doesn't need any adjustment".

That would bring a smile to my face.

funola · #19 05-09-2011, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Army

Fair enough - I'm no expert - I just follow instructions in the FSM up to the point where it is about to cost me money for special tools. At this point I think of something to replicate the special tool.

Also what I would really really like to do is to adjust my caster, camber and toe with my bits of metal, grease and wood and then take it to the dealer and for them to say "it doesn't need any adjustment".

That would bring a smile to my face.

When will you be bringing it to the dealer for an alignment? Ask them to give you a printout of the readings before and after so you can compare. Good luck!

rkpatt · #20 05-09-2011, 04:52 PM

Great . I would like to see a picture of the wheel toe - in spreader bar you made when you can get to it .

QUOTE=Army;2714297]Don't worry it is on the list - along with the transmission rebuild, engine rebuild, paint, steering box rebuild etc etc etc - I'll get there in the end!

If I fake a picture now it will probably confuse people as all of the bits you usually see aren't there! But if you're in a hurry then I used this sort of thing => http://www.wolfcraft.de/jcatalog_generated/en/products/product_groups/14804_product.html If you scroll down to the bottom of the page you can see that the ends of this woodworking clamp can be switched round so that it spreads.

I've got a cunning plan as well to check to make sure that the spreader applies the prescribed force in the FSM too - that involves a spring balance and some bungee cords. Really simple - I bet you can work it out for yourself.[/QUOTE]

cirrusman · #21 05-09-2011, 07:46 PM

Bookmarking... just bookmarking...

Stretch · #22 05-10-2011, 03:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funola

When will you be bringing it to the dealer for an alignment? Ask them to give you a printout of the readings before and after so you can compare. Good luck!

The only reason why I'd do it is to get the bit of paper. It would be an expensive bit of paper but it could be a serious ego boost if I've got it right...

...alternatively I'll be looking like a right ninny.

Stay tuned to find out which!

Stretch · #23 05-10-2011, 03:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cirrusman

Bookmarking... just bookmarking...

I do a similar thing with thread subscriptions.

I've been gently pushing for a slight changes to the system to make this kind of bookmarking easier for us end users - as well as other handy statistics - but unfortunately it isn't possible at the moment.

How about a different sort of forum statistics?

whunter · #24 01-20-2015, 10:33 PM

for new members

Stretch · #25 01-21-2015, 03:43 AM

{I'm planning to do similar work on my W201 soon too}

Stretch · #26 02-16-2015, 01:44 PM

Here's a pitcure of the DIY camber gauge described earlier on in this thread

Stretch · #27 02-19-2015, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stretch

Here's a pitcure of the DIY camber gauge described earlier on in this thread

Arrrrgggggh!

Given up!

The W201 needs a lot more attention on the rear end than the W123 - that multi-link suspension needs to be aligned as well as the front. On the W123 there isn't any adjustment so I was able to get away with quite a lot more on my uneven driveway.

I failed at more or less the fist hurdle - setting up a box around the car. I was trying to get the positions of the four corners (of my box of string) aligned parallel to the subframe mounts and the mounts for the lower control arms on the front =>

In principle "dropping" points onto the floor with the help of a plumb bob could be done to measure distances between these positions and the (string) box reference points. Unfortunately my driveway isn't level enough for this...

...oh for a nice big flat and level expanse of concrete!

I've had to suck up my pride and dig 80 euro's out of my wallet for the local tyre shop to have a go at it. Frankly I'm not HP.

vstech · #28 02-19-2015, 10:02 AM

one thing that always concerned me with slip plates is the fact they could let the car slide away...

why not drill a hole in the top plate, and put a bolt in the bottom plate?... that way the plate could spin, but it could not slide away!

Junkman · #29 02-19-2015, 11:27 AM

The 126 FSM says that a change in camber causes a change in caster and vice versa. It also gives an approximate relative amount of the change. I've taken this to mean that one could anticipate the change when making the adjustment. (I have it on dropbox. Send me a pm if you want it.)

I had a McAlignment place give my 85SD back with both camber adjustments maxed out tipping the wheels to the passenger's side. The tech got frustrated making 1 adjustment and having it throw off the one he has just done. He wrote that "car couldn't be adjusted to spec". He apparently meant that HE couldn't adjust it.

Stretch · #30 02-20-2015, 02:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

one thing that always concerned me with slip plates is the fact they could let the car slide away...

why not drill a hole in the top plate, and put a bolt in the bottom plate?... that way the plate could spin, but it could not slide away!

Because the splay of the wheels also needs to be accounted for => so in aircraft terms it isn't just yaw it is lateral and longitudinal too

(Is that clear? If not I'll start some different whacky analogies!)