Front and Center

[Carpenterman]

I'm getting wear on the insides of the front tires and a slight pull to the right on my '81 300TD, so I thought I'd check the toe-in using the string method. I will also replace the tie-rods, as one of them is frozen solid from rust.

My question is: if I center the steering box with the set screw and adjust toe-in equally on both sides, will this be the only procedure for centering? I read somewhere that a guy set the toe-in and THEN centered the steering with another adjustment.

Also, I wrote down a 1/8" toe-in setting some time ago and don't remember where I got that measurement. That's the difference between measuring off the front and the back of the wheel to a string parallel to the back wheel, right?

That 1/8" seems like a lot. Is that correct and does anybody have a better method? I'm tempted to start with zero toe-in and test drive and adjust until the car steers okay with the minimum setting possible. Seems doable, especially given the inexactitude of the string method.

[leathermang]

If you check the archives there are some really good threads ... not the case with all subjects...

[charmalu]

W123 alignment specifications

Chassis: wheel alignment spec

Wheel Alignment

1993 W124.128 300D tie rod assembly broken

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[Carpenterman]

O.K., guys. Thanks for the help.

[Diesel911]

See pics in post #4.
Steering wheel not straight


If you get under the Car and look at the Crossmembers you will see that some are directly down the centerline of the vehicle.

When I did toe in I used some of those centerline holes holes and a Plub Bob to draw some dots on the drive way then used a straight edge to draw a line out past the front of the car and measured the toe in based on that line.

[Carpenterman]

Thanks for answering my question. Most appreciated, Diesel 911.

[Junkman]

I've used strings with drill bits held by the string. The drill bits were 1/2 the amount of toe that I wanted. Set the strings parallel and straight and touching the high spot on the tire and going through the center. Insert the drills and adjust toe until they barely are held in by the strings. I've seen other methods using a jig that attaches to the wheel and perform the measurements with a laser.

There are issues with all methods. One never knows that a shop has calibrated the machine correctly even when they say that it was calibrated recently and many techs are incompetent. Strings are a pita and depend on your ability and technique.

[Diesel911]

I can't say the aligment that I did on my own was a good one. But, the Car drves OK and I don't have excessive tire wear.

I also had no flat area to do the aligment on.

In the Mercedes service Manual Book there is pics showing the use of the centerling holes on the underside crossmembers and Jigs that go into the Holes. That is where I got the idea about what to use as a center.
The US Mercedes CD Set service manual dose not have that info.