Today I noticed my front wheel scrape the fender a couple of times when I hit a dip in the road and stopped to take a look. The right side tire is alot closer to the front of the fender wheel well than the left. I had the front end work done 4 months ago (replaced upper control arms, tie rods and ideler arm kit). I also noticed lately when I back out of my driveway and the steering wheel is cranked to one side I have to roll to turn it in the other direction.
What is going on?
Thanks for your input.

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1982 300TD
1973 220D ambulance
1974 240D pick-up

1982 300td

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1982 300TD
1973 220D ambulance
1974 240D pick-up

Take it back to the place you had the alignment done and see what they say. You don't have to let them fix it; just get their opinion on what is wrong.

There has been several Members who have alginments done only to have some other rubber Part that was not replace rot out several months later and ruin their alignment.

Springs break and I guess the Spring Pads can also go bad changing your ride height.

Someone needs to do some inspection.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

so... a 123 with stock wheels is HITTING THE FENDER??? I've never seen a 123 sit that low... got pics?
take some pics of the car sitting, then some close ups of the steering linkage/lca/uca etc... with the wheel off if you can!

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

the car dosnt seem to be lower but the wheel on the right is definatly closer to the front of the wheel well than the left one. I dont know how to post pictures but the lip on the fender is pulled out in a 2" section from the tire

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1982 300TD
1973 220D ambulance
1974 240D pick-up

the easiest way to post pictures is to upload them to a photo sharing site, like photobucket, or picasa by gmail... then paste a link to the pic into the yellow square icon in the message field here in the forum.

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

if the pics are small enough, you can upload them directly to the forum with the advanced reply page, manage attachments.

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

It is supposed to be raining the next two days. Will try again Saturday.

__________________
1982 300TD
1973 220D ambulance
1974 240D pick-up

I suspect without knowing is that the alignment guy may have got confused with the adjustments. Used the camber adjustment to correct toe in perhaps with all the new parts. Or for some reason did not understand all the relationships beteen the adjustments.

This would have suprised me at one time but not now. About the only adjustment in many modern cars is limited to setting the toe in unless kits are used or struts replaced.

Hard to say but the clue to me is the motion or clunk or whatever when backing up. You should visually compare the side to side location of things with the wheels pointed straight ahead. Such descriptions can also be the result of the car having been in an accident once and things comprimised. You would have thought though that some issues may have been present before all the parts where changed.

If you can take a picture of the car that would be great.

Alignment could be the problem - the alternative however could be body damage...

Oh yeah the camber should be about zero degrees; as should the toe - the castor does move the wheel about within the front wheel arch - though I can't see it being adjusted so far that you'd get the camber in specification and have the wheel touch body work. I've been told that America is full of long straight roads - but you must have to go round some corners right? How does it feel then?

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

I wouldn't think that any of the alignment adjustments have enough authority to enable the problem you have. Look for a disconnected guide rod and failed LCA bushings.

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'83 300D, 126K miles.

Measure the Exposed Threads where the Guid Rod and the Guide Rod Mount are connected; see arrow. Do that to both sides.

I bet what you are going to find is the Side that is rubbing has more or a longer area of exposed threads than the good side.

They would have done that to try to bring the Suspension with in specs.
My own Car had that on one side but it did not hit the Fender.

In my case I beleive it was like that because they did the adjustment with the old LCA Bushings and Upper Control Arms. When I replaced both the adjustmen was more resonable.

While the Guide Rod adjustmen is mainly for the Caster it has a lesser effect on the Chamber (this is in the Manual).

The same way with the Chamber Adjustment; it has an effect on the Caster Adjustment.

I did My own alignment and I ended up with a compromise concerning the Caster and Chamber.

Attached Thumbnails

 

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel