Would appreciate any insight regarding this alignment fix scenario.

Wheel Works shop in SF, CA recommends installing (longer?) MB adjustment bolts to allow my vehicle to be set in specs. I've not heard of this before and am wondering if this is kosher and reasonable? My car drifts a little to the right currently (stock size 195/65/15 Pirelli P6000 Summer tires and stock wheels, non-Sportline suspension with no mods.

Price for bolts is $16.95 each they said needs 4 of them (two each side) and two hours labor @ $80/hr to install. Does this seem reasonable?

My computer print out reads:

FRONT:
Camber: Left(-0.9) Right(-.01) *Outside range -0.8 to -0.3
Caster: Left(9.5) Right(10.1) *Outside range 9.7 to 10.7
Toe: Left(0.19) Right(0.17) *in range 0.08 to 0.25
SAI: Left(14.6) Right (14.2) *no range parameters
Included Angle: Left(13.8) Right(14.0) *no range parameters
Turning Angle Diff Left(....) Right(....) *range-1.58 to -0.58

FRONT:
Cross Camber: (-0.7) *Outside range -0.3 to 0.3
Cross Caster: (-0.5) *Outside range -0.5 to 0.5
Total Toe: (0.36) *in range 0.17 to 0.50

REAR:
Camber: Left(-2.2) Right(-0.8) *no range parameters
Toe: left(0.16) Right(0.20) *in range -0.07 to 0.49

REAR:
Total Toe: (0.37) *in range 0.25 to 0.59
Thrust Angle: (-0.02) *in range -0.30 to 0.30

Do these readings indicate any significant suspension wear issues and is the proposed fix kosher, reasonable and priced reasonably? Also wondering if any wear issues and/or this fix may be covered under the Starmark warranty?

Thanks in advance for your insight.
-fad

Sounds a little odd.

Since it’s a Starmark car, why not take it to a dealer, show them the print out and get their opin?

When I had my Starmark car they encouraged me to have anything I felt was at issue looked at.

Food for thought

…Tracy

Steve B? Alignment Question. Your thoughts>?
 

Thanks for the thought Tracy.

I will take the print out to fact authorized service for their opinion as well.

Wonder if anyone can offer more info based upon the computer readings? Steve B.?

Thanks
-fad

The left front Camber is the problem. The cross caster is acceptable and would make the car go to the left if at all. The cross camber is wrong and it is making the car go to the right. The proper arrangment would be to achieve higher camber on the left than the right with .5 degrees being the acceptable maximum. This will require getting the left side up and maybe reducing the right side.

I don't know what they are talking about with the bolt kits. I have never seen a 124 body without cams on the front control arms. The 210 chassis does need bolt kits as there is no built in alignment (no cams). The hole the bolt goes through is oval (just like cars with cams). The bolt kits have washers with plugs built into the back that moves the bolt to one side of the oval or the other (pos or neg).

BTW the camber in the rear is also wrong but probably isn't the cause of the pulling. There should only be .5 deg difference side to side even though their isn't specs in aftermarket books. The reason for no specs is because the camber is gotten from a chart that bases camber on ride height. In the current thread about lowering cars there are some places to buy adjustable camber links. I think that I would fix the right side even though I don't know the height. Two degrees is too much.

Thanks Steve for your generosity, time, and wisdom.

Based upon this information, I'll take it back to Wheel Works (since I already paid for a one year alignment) and ask them to set accordingly.

If I put all the information together correctly, the vehicle should be able to be adjusted within "correct MB" specs without the addition of a bolt kit.

A sincere thank you again for your goodwill and time, and have a great day!

-fad

I just reread what I wrote and realized that I said to adjust the right rear. I meant to say the left rear (the side that was -2.2 degrees.

BTW check to see if you do have cams where the control arm bolts to the frame. It is likely that all four cams will have to be adjusted as the movements necessary on the front cams to get camber right will decrease the cross caster. The cross caster needs to stay about the same or at least .5 degree. The problem is that as you make the right side lower in camber with the front cam the caster will decrease a small amount. The left side will gain in caster as the camber is increased. I have done it so many times I very seldom need to do a cam twice. Those unfamiliar with the operation may have to experiment.

BTW its possible that ideal conditions won't be able to be had which may require a compromise. I would be less concerned with the actual camber than the difference. Just remember to have a .5 deg cross camber with the high side on the left and have a .5 cross caster with the low side on the left.