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  #1  
Old 04-24-2013, 12:12 PM
Ler Ler is offline
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R129 front camber adjustment?

Just a quick question to anyone that might know, is the front camber adjustable on the R129 (MY1998 if that makes a difference)?

For that matter, is rear camber adjustable as well?

I've got a decent amount of outside edge tire wear on both front tires; this is on the stock suspension/wheels setup.

Just making sure before I pay an alignment shop to tell me 'no'.

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  #2  
Old 04-24-2013, 02:11 PM
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the camber is adjusted from the bushngs on the control arm like a W124, however the outside wear on tires is usually a case of bad toe, I doubt any R129 came with positive camber to wear out tires like that.

Your car uses cast in place ball joints on the arms, its wise to check their plastic boots and replace them if they are unusually hard. Saves the joint.
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  #3  
Old 04-24-2013, 02:13 PM
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I believe the 129 has a similar rear suspension setup as the 124 and 201.

Rear camber is not hugely adjustable unless you swap in adjustable rear camber arms.

I have some custom ones that I put together for my 190E..they were under $100 for both.
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  #4  
Old 08-17-2013, 10:27 AM
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Post

I have a question for anyone that has larger rims or wheels mounted.

My SL has 18s. 245/40 front and 275/35 rear with 8.5 / 9.5 width offset

After an alignment I told them I'm getting tramlining or anytime I drive over an uneven surface the car pulls in that direction.
Feel likes it has too much toe either + or - (or camber?).

They told me it's probably the tires since they are not new and I should buy a new set.
It's possible, but I'm not dropping over $500 on a pair just because they say so. Since it could be just up selling.
The tires have even wear and no signs of obvious defect that would make it track the ruts in the road in such a way.

Any input, suggestions, or even some numbers from an alignment printout.

These are the numbers I have.

Front:
L toe 0.17 / R toe 0.21
L caster 10.5 / R caster 10.1
L Camber -0.9 / R caster -1.2

Rear:
L camber -1.8 / R camber -1.8
L toe 0.25 / R toe 0.25

On the print out:
the left front caster shows in the red at 10.5
and right front camber (red) -1.2

This is AFTER the alignment.
I assume the two out of spec are the cause.
Or
Is it due to the front tire wear?
Typical for low profile wide tires? (if so, would less air pressure help?)

I know this is a long shot, but hopefully someone has run into the same issue or has some alignment experience.

Thank you
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Last edited by EuroRash; 08-17-2013 at 10:46 AM.
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  #5  
Old 08-17-2013, 05:18 PM
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This might not be the answer you are looking for but maybe try a different shop?

When I would take my 124/201 up to the one local shop, the printout would be all good and show good numbers/etc but the car would not feel right at all.

I took both of the cars to my dealer and, well, that was 8 months ago and it still tracks and feel right.
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  #6  
Old 08-17-2013, 06:11 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JamesDean View Post
This might not be the answer you are looking for but maybe try a different shop?

When I would take my 124/201 up to the one local shop, the printout would be all good and show good numbers/etc but the car would not feel right at all.

I took both of the cars to my dealer and, well, that was 8 months ago and it still tracks and feel right.

Well I double checked the air pressure and one was 27 PSI and the other 33.
I brought the other one down and it seemed to help alittle. Though like you said it may be the shops limitation on tools to do it properly.

I know their alignment tech and a few other employees, since I've brought many cars there in the past.
I talked to the manager recently because I knew someone that wanted an alignment after I change his struts.
He told me that they generally turn away some German cars because it requires weights to do the alignment properly. Which they don't have.

I might just take it back to them to tweak it some more, on a slow day at the shop when they're not in a rush.
He told me if I had at around 80 lbs of weights from gym equipment they would work if it required a weighted alignment.
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  #7  
Old 08-17-2013, 08:22 PM
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My 97 SL320 Sport has the same size tires but on 8 / 9 factory AMG wheels.

Wide tires do pickup variations in the road so they is part of the deal. If your wheels have more positive offset than normal you will feel more in the steering. My offsets are 31 front 35 rear.

The first step is to see if the ball joints are seizing up, this will make the car darty as the steering won't self center. Seizing ball joints wont always be loose when checking with a bar.

On your toe settings are they toed out or in? Does anyone have a conversion from degrees to inches? ( the conversion is tire outside diameter dependent )

Within limits, front toe in gives straight-line stability, front out crisper turn in. My car was a bit numb on turn in until readjusting just under 1/8" toe out.

The rear must be toed in otherwise the tail will step out under power. The higher the power the more toe in needed.
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  #8  
Old 08-17-2013, 10:20 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 97 SL320 View Post
My 97 SL320 Sport has the same size tires but on 8 / 9 factory AMG wheels.

Wide tires do pickup variations in the road so they is part of the deal. If your wheels have more positive offset than normal you will feel more in the steering. My offsets are 31 front 35 rear.

The first step is to see if the ball joints are seizing up, this will make the car darty as the steering won't self center. Seizing ball joints wont always be loose when checking with a bar.

On your toe settings are they toed out or in? Does anyone have a conversion from degrees to inches? ( the conversion is tire outside diameter dependent )

Within limits, front toe in gives straight-line stability, front out crisper turn in. My car was a bit numb on turn in until readjusting just under 1/8" toe out.

The rear must be toed in otherwise the tail will step out under power. The higher the power the more toe in needed.

Thank you for the info.
I'll have to pull my wheels to check the offsets.

Is there a way to check if the ball joints are seizing, like on the ground and turning the wheel and check for binding?
Or this can only be done by using a bar while elevated?

I believe it's slightly toed in since:
front L toe = 0.17° (1/4" ??) front R toe = 0.21° (inches?)
rear L toe= .25° rear R toe = .25°

There are other measurements on the chart

Front Total toe=.38°
Steering head=-.02°
Rear Total toe=.50°
Thrust angle=.00°

I assume a slight toe in adjustment may cure the "tramlining" when driving through ruts in the road?

I was doing some random searching on tramlining, and the Goodyear Eagle F1s (which I have the front) were noted on one forum to cause bad tramlining
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Last edited by EuroRash; 08-17-2013 at 10:55 PM.
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  #9  
Old 08-18-2013, 12:00 PM
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Has anyone tried the low budget Nankang NS-2 tires?
I wonder how they do with tramlining.
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  #10  
Old 10-04-2013, 07:23 PM
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Did you get any farther on this car? I've been paying attention to mine and have found.

The car picks up variations in the road and "nibbles" but does not pull wildly. Wide tires naturally do this, even worse with low profile ones.

I don't have the steering stabilizer shock installed and toe is set just under 1/8" out for crisper turn in.
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  #11  
Old 10-04-2013, 07:29 PM
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I just got some new tires for my fronts, 235/40 from 245/40 not a big difference.
Though I have my tranny out to SunValley Mercedes for a rebuild before I can test the new tires. Should have it in sometime next week.

I suspect it was my tires since they were about ten years old. But I won't know until a good test drive.

Oh and my front offset is ET 25.. forgot what the rears are. But I know they are deeper since 9.5" width vs 8.5" fronts.


Awaiting the newly rebuilt transmission
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  #12  
Old 10-04-2013, 09:15 PM
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My 8 / 9 offset is 31 and 35.

Looks like you are working on the car in your living room
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  #13  
Old 10-04-2013, 09:27 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 97 SL320 View Post
My 8 / 9 offset is 31 and 35.

Looks like you are working on the car in your living room

Practically.
It's a 2 1/2 car garage and there's so much crap in there I can only fit one.

Good news, my transmission will be shipped back on Monday.

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