C220 CDI Front End Vibration - At the End of my Tether !

[colonel]

I have a 2001 C220 CDI which I have owned for approx. 10 months. Since purchased, it has developed a front end vibration which is felt at the 50-80mph range.

My local indy (who is a friend) has had a few issues in diagnosing the issue. At first, I replaced both tyres and had the balancing (dynamically) and tracking done. Then, I replaced the discs and pads with Mintex ones.

Then two weeks ago, the offside caliper locked onto the disc and ceased which caused a huge amount of smoke and heat etc. The disc was red hot as I was on the motorway at the time !!!

I replaced the offending caliper and now I still have the vibration (which seems to be getting worse).

When I bought the car, I know that the nearside control arm had been replaced as it had been involved in an accident.

My indy says it could be bushes but given the age of the car and the mileage (106k), I could be putting good money after bad just to go through the trial and error process of diagnosing the problem.

My indy also says that the O/S disc could be warped again after the heating and cooling effect of the ceased caliper.

Any advice as to where to look ? I have spent lots of time trying to find where the problem lies but it is no use ;(

 

[hmang]

I have a 2001 C220 CDI which I have owned for approx. 10 months. Since purchased, it has developed a front end vibration which is felt at the 50-80mph range.

My local indy (who is a friend) has had a few issues in diagnosing the issue. At first, I replaced both tyres and had the balancing (dynamically) and tracking done. Then, I replaced the discs and pads with Mintex ones.

Then two weeks ago, the offside caliper locked onto the disc and ceased which caused a huge amount of smoke and heat etc. The disc was red hot as I was on the motorway at the time !!!

I replaced the offending caliper and now I still have the vibration (which seems to be getting worse).

When I bought the car, I know that the nearside control arm had been replaced as it had been involved in an accident.

My indy says it could be bushes but given the age of the car and the mileage (106k), I could be putting good money after bad just to go through the trial and error process of diagnosing the problem.

My indy also says that the O/S disc could be warped again after the heating and cooling effect of the ceased caliper.

Any advice as to where to look ? I have spent lots of time trying to find where the problem lies but it is no use ;(

first thoughts are wheel balance
talkto your balance guy explain the prob and ask him to take a look.

when i get mine done i get them to balance , remove the wheel from the balancer then put it back on and re-check...obviously it should show perfect but rarely does first time. ... they hate me by now !!

the disc will need a careful examination and if it has truly got that hot it's prob best replaced...pads too.....sorry.

while you're in there have a good old look at wheel bearings ball joints and track rods, as play in any of them could give you some wobble.

replace what you think you need to and get the tracking done by someone familiar with mercs.

hope you get sorted

 

[television]

The only thing that can shake a car at the front at a certain speed is wheel balance, thats if you are not touching the brake pedal.

Bushes and drag links etc cannot cause this, though if worn they can make the problem worse.

We have many threads where a tyre outfit cannot balance wheels correctly

The braking problem was probably a pad that was too tight when fitted to the caliper, and it stuck on due to expansion and heat

If the disc was out of true you would feel it when you press the brake pedal as a bump bump, and feel it through the steering wheel.

I have my doubts on your indie to be truthful.

Welcome to the forum

 

[colonel]

Thanks for your reply. I have already had the wheels balanced but will again and the tracking done and then will see if it persists.

Malcolm, you might be right about the indie I use ! Will get a second opinion.

 

[The Rock]

Does the vibration manifest itself as a steering wheel wobble? If so, I'd suspect the balance of a wheel. They may seem to balance ok on the machine but if one is egg-shaped it could wobble once fitted to the car no matter what.
Vibration can be a misfire, engine mount or both. Is it more revs related than speed?
Hard to diagnose these things from a warm chair I'm afraid. ;o)
I think your idea of a second opinion is the only way to go, before you spend too much time and money.
Good luck
Rock

 

[jc41]

Is the clue in the replacement of the steering arm? Could the associated wheel have been distorted at the same time, but not replaced?

Assuming only one wheel is bent, swapping front and back wheels should prove this one way or the other.

 

[roofless]

had this in the past. i was sure it was the front but in the end it was the rear tyre ?

 

[Xtractorfan]

Yes sometimes with these things you have to borrow a set of known good driving wheels and tyres

 

[SQ_W211]

I had similar case on one of my previous cars and after tracking and balancing I couldn't find out what it was only then I went to my local mechanic who checked the tracking with the old mechanical arm system and found that one side suspension arm was slightly bent (out of alighnment) which was causing the vibration.

If you had the tracking done mechanically it should eliminate above situation but sometimes computerized method can miss out of these minor details. You mentioned that car has been involved in an accident and front suspension was changed some time ago. Get your front suspension checked out and also worth checking if your car pulls to either side on a straight road as that could also mean suspension is not sitting as it should.

let us know how you get on

 

[colonel]

I am going to swap the front and back tomorrow. Will update the thread tomorrow.

 

[kp 115]

vibration

try checking the alternator pulley as many modern cars are fitted with a special freewheeling pulley (bosch) which isolates the vibrations from the engine being trasmitted through to the car, if yours has one it should rotate
freely in one direction & drive in the other, they have a black plastic cap fitted to the end & if you remove this there will be a splinned socket to aid removal,
This may or may not be helpful to you but may be worth looking .

regars

kp 115

 

[Xtractorfan]

Front shocks can also cause your problems its possible the shock could have been damaged in the accident..