16v lowered with alignment issues - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

crhenkel · #1 11-02-2007, 03:41 PM

Ok, So I got my 1986 16v lowered finally and now I have alignment issues at the rear axle wheels. I realize that there are going to be adjustment issues now that it is lowered but I did not expect it to be 3 degrees out on the top to bottom axis ( camber?) The alignment tech told me that the top of the tire is leaning3 degrees in farther than the bottom of the tire. he added a bit to the toe in to compensate but it is still out and there is no adjsustment for it. I just installed new rear strut bars...camber and control arms in the rear on both sided also. I lowered it with H and R lowering springs all around and 3 bump pads in the front and 1 bump pads in the rear. If it is just going to be out then I will live with it and rotate the tires more often, I drive the car infrequently so the tires will not wear too fast. I would like there to be an option to get closer to the proper alignment on the rear axle. He said the front adjusted to specs just fine. WIll a larger bump pad help the situation? I cant go any shorter on pads and I used the 1 bump pad to level the car with the new springs. I guess if it would help the alignment I could put larger bump pads in the rear and adjust the valve link to lower the rear suspension until it is level again. Lowering the car turned out really well, it handles well and looks good too, but I dont care for the alignment issue. Any ideas? I thought at one time adjustable suspension control arms were being produced by someone, but who? MPR?

BAVBMW · #2 11-02-2007, 03:57 PM

You could try putting it back where it belongs, but then, that's the simple way, I'm sure you're looking for something harder...

MV

mbdoc · #3 11-02-2007, 04:54 PM

Chris.
Take a look at this post... kmac makes a cam-kit to correct excessive negative rear camber

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=77429&highlight=lowering+kmac

waybomb · #4 11-02-2007, 09:38 PM

Here's what you need:

crhenkel · #5 11-02-2007, 11:17 PM

Ok, yes, I love the fully adjustable rear subframe that the super stud has in the photos, but NO, I dont think my wife will deal with the loan it would take to buy it. No, I really didnt intend to lower the car to where I wanted it just to put it back where it was originally, but thank you

MBDOC, I think you have the link for exactly what I expected to be out there somewhere, i will work on buying the rear camber adjustment kit. it looks like what I wanted to fix the issue. thanks

t walgamuth · #6 11-03-2007, 05:03 AM

A thicker pad will help some by raising the car up.

Lowering it will naturally result in more negative camber. It has a bit to start with and the lower it goes the more negative camber it will have.

I wish I could get my autocrosser so low it has three negative!

Tom W

crhenkel · #7 11-03-2007, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

A thicker pad will help some by raising the car up.

Lowering it will naturally result in more negative camber. It has a bit to start with and the lower it goes the more negative camber it will have.

I wish I could get my autocrosser so low it has three negative!

Tom W

Sounds like a plan. I thought that a thicker pad might help but was not sure if my logic was working the right direction. I have the 1 bump pads in the rear so I can go up on the pad thickness easily and then work with the valve lever on the SLS system to get the rear of the car back to the level I wanted, or at least close again. Less negitive camber would be better than the car being exactly the level I have it at now.
The tech a the alignment shop told me negitive 3 degrees, that seems like a lot to me also, but, You can easily see the lean in at the top of the wheels just by looking down the side of the car! Oh, it is easy to break the rear wheels free of the road now too...the inside of the wheels are on the road good, but the outside of the tires must be lifted a little. Not good for inner tire wear.
I will also be looking in to the K-MAC rear camber adjustment kit from Austrailia. It is made to realign cars that are out due to modification or lowering springs. Just not sure if I am to expect it to provide 3 degrees of adjustment. Might work out to get it in specs if I do the camber bushing kit and a thicker spring pad though.
Anyone know of a good suppier for the K-MAC camber kit? I found it at www.shox.com so far. Ebay also has it for about $250.

crhenkel · #8 11-06-2007, 10:14 AM

Ok,
SO yesterday I ordered the KMAC rear camber and toe in adjustment kit from a company called Import Auto performance in Iowa. Mail order the total came to $244.95 and this kit works for all W124 and W201 and W202 and more. It replaces the rear inner bushing on the lower spring carrier arm and it also has two bushings for the tie rods to further adjsut the toe in if you want. I only need the camber adjustment so I will probably not use the toe adjustment pieces. Should bring my 16v back in to specs after lowering it with H and R springs. I will be replacing the 1 bump pads back there with 2 or 3 bump pads and i should be good. I wont be wearing the inside of my tires bald due to bad alignment. I will post when they arrive.

crhenkel · #9 11-15-2007, 09:32 PM

I installed the KMAC kit today on the car. WOW! It was an easy install. The bushing removal tool they give you aint gunna pop the bushings out that are original for sure, but after I ruined the bushing tool they give you, a piece of pipe with a threaded shaft welded to it, I simply pulled the lower arms off the car and took them to my shop with a press and they came out no problems. I think the inner bushings were ok, but the kit replaces them. The outer busings in the hub assemblies were shot. The collar was just laying in the bushing wallowing around, no seals or grease left in them. They are not something you can see without pulling the lower arm off all the way so I never noticed. They are not cheap either, $42 for OEM, $21 for Myle aftermarket each. I left the hubs in place and knocked out the bushings with a large hammer and a big punch. A lot of heat and burning out of the rubber and the bushings knocked out nicely without pulling the hubs or anything, just have to bend out the heat shields a bit to clear the area you are working in. Knock them out from the rear to the front of the car. The new ones pressed in nice using a hammer and a 34mm socket as a tap to knock them in and not mar them up.
So, I got the bushings replaced and the new inner adjustable bushings installed and the new 2 bump spring pads in and everything put back together this afternoon and went for a drive. The top of the tires is no longer tilted in so badly and the bottom of the tires are pulled in to straighten up the alignment. The next thicker pad helped too. It drives very nice and very smooth, seems more controllable now and no sway in the rear, likely due to the new outer bearings that were bad and I didnt know it. All other rear control arms are new also, making the suspension very nice and predictable. The lowering springs dont seem to affect the ride or control whatso ever. They just messed up the rear camber. Just from eyeballing it the camber looks to be all but fixed, maybe not completely, but very very close. I will check early next week when I go back and have a new alignment done to see the result in the numbers. If it still needs more adjustment in the camber department, I can still easily go to the three bump pads and call it a day. My findings...KMAC rear camber kit is very nice. Easy to install, the tool is not so great, but the kit does exactly what it says it will do and it is easy to DIY. I did not even bother to install the included rear tierod bushings that add more tie rod adjustment room. My toe in adjustment was within specs with out the bushings so as long as it is still good after the inner camber bushings, I will likey not bother with them. they are a nice firm red poly bushing but I dont know that I need the rear to be any more stiff and firm ....

crhenkel · #10 11-16-2007, 11:40 AM

Does anyone remember how to adjust the connecting rod for the SLS on the proportioning valve to the sway bay attachment to adjust the height of the rear of the car. I dont remember if the rod gets shortened or lengthened to raise the height of the car.

waybomb · #11 11-16-2007, 09:27 PM

Pretty sure longer is lower. Simple enough to find out.

crhenkel · #12 11-16-2007, 09:34 PM

Longer is lower, sounds right, Ive done it before. I know, just crawl under there and try it. it is just so little space and I will be doing it by myself which means, struggle to get under, fight to get to the linkage and get it lose and turn it one way of the other and crawl out and hope it is the right way and then crawl back under after realizing I went down instead of up then repeat until I am more insane than I already am....I like to do my research before I start to try to help my sanity, my wife and children eat away at what is left of it as it is...

crhenkel · #13 11-19-2007, 10:05 AM

Ok, so when I put in the new driver's side outer bushing, the one that is grease filled and sealed and has two seals on the outside ( one on each side), I tore one of the seals. This wont do since the bushings were dry, ruined and floppong around due to the bad seals when I went in to change them. A torn seal will let in water and out the lubricant and in time the bushing will be bad again like before. Nor a cheap bushing either, $44 at dealer. So the new bushing is on the way and I learned a lesson...it is ok to use a socket to knock the bushings back in, but, use one that is a size that wont contact the seal. Problem is this...you need a 34mm socket. Just about everywhere you go...32mm is the largest you can get, if that. 1 1/4" and 32mm is where they stop. Lowes, Menards, AutoZOne, local parts shops, Napa, Ruaral King, Etc all stop at 32mm in the 1/2" drive. I am working on coming up with a 34mm now, but it is not easy. 36mm is available but it is too big, how nice. If the wheel carrier was off the car, I would just use the press to put it in, but that was the whole point of this exercise, no removing the hub carriers if possible and it is, just dont ruin the grease seal on the bushing a second time. I can tell already that the alignment is nearly correct if not good. The new camber kit did its job, now I just need the good bushing is so I can get it aligned to specs.