Front camber adjustment on a 91 2.6.. Bad alignment done...
 

Well here is another fine post problem..

I just picked up my 190 a few mins ago after getting a 4 wheel alignment done and now my steering feels as if it is seriously light and has no control. The tech spec'd the car out twice on the rack and he set it to factory specs.. Long story short, I just test drove the car myself and it feels unsafe.. I did install new 195/50/16's and 205/50/16's previous to the aligment.

My question is:

What Ecc bolts adjust the camber and what adjusts the caster?? A few people did state the car can max out 2.2 deg. negative camber with the stock ecc bolts and sportline bushings.. I refuse to drive it this way and it's going to rain tommorow..

any suggestions?

Chris

Who did the alignment? Was it a MB dealer or some place that does loads of other manufacturers?

It was a local specialty shop that did it.. Springs and alignments. They put it on the rack twice and then for a 3rd time, did the Old school string.. The toe was spot on set to my specs of 0* total toe but the camber is what troubles me. The fronts wheels are cambered positive a bit and the tops are rubbing my fenders which never did before. I need to set the camber negative.. Hence the complete front end was done from bushing to ball joint...

Chris

Have you got non standard wheels or a modified suspension?

If everything is standard then it sounds like whoever did the rebuild needs to get adjusting again. I'm pretty sure the W201 needs a spreader bar on the front of the front wheels to set the toe in / out just like the W123 / W124 / W126 models...

...But I must admit that I don't know much about your car. However, there is loads of information in the FSM which has been released for the public by MB =>

Untitled Document

I've had a quick look through but I can't find the sections that cover alignment and suspension adjustment (there's a chapter in the W123 FSM for that you see). If you find them post back a link I'm interested to learn and if it is similar to what I know then perhaps flicking the eccentric bolts through 180 degrees will be giving some good advice... but I'm a bit wary suggesting such things when I'm not 100% sure how your car works... can you see which way the eccentric bolts have been fitted?

Thanks for the response. The running gear is modified.. For suspension, I am running Revalve Koni's to custom race springs lowered to 2" front and 1.5" rear. 16x7" winter BBS's and summers will be 17x8". Bushings are all sportline pieces... I am hoping that the camber adjustment will put everything back to spec and maybe better..

Chris

it's pretty hard to get positive camber on a benz, usually something is bent or installed wrong

did you get the alignment printout ??

Am I right in assuming you've fitted the suspension modifications yourself and then you've taken the car to someone else to get it aligned?

If so I think you're better off trying to align it yourself first and then if necessary getting someone else to check your work.

My car is 100% stock - well no modified suspension anyway - but may be the processes I'm yapping on about in this thread will help?

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/284337-how-i-adjusted-toe-out-camber-caster-my-w123-300d.html

You will be amazed how far you can go with string, rulers and straight edges...

...if you have the patience you can make better adjustments than those kippers with lasers...

It's not hard because even less than 1* can give you tops of your tires some bad markings.. Nothing is bent since everything is new.. from control arms, mounts, jpoints, bushings... etc.. I just need to do the camber and reset toe and all will be well. I wasd told by a forum member that I can crank out 2.2* negative camber which I may go for and yes I do have a digital camber gauge.. My who point to the post was to find out which Ecc bolts.. fromt or rear on the control arms were used to adjust camber..

Chris

It looks to me like you'll get a lot of camber change by adjusting the eccentric pins shown in this picture

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1330973248

You can see more of the parts by following the route through the Russian EPC on EverythingBenz - Mercedes-Benz Forum and Web Search Using Google

As said before - where are the eccentric pins positioned at the moment? (Take a picture perhaps?)

since it shows as having eccentric bolts, i'm assuming he has them maxed trying to get neg camber ~~~ i think with different camber bolts you won't be able to get .5*, if that

you say the control arms were replaced, and seeing those come without ball joints, they are new or transferred ~~~ if the ball joints are slotted and installed wrong, this would give more positive camber