CLK meanders to the left ???

[neilcharlton]

I’ve recently bought a 2001 CLK and everything was fine until I noticed the front drivers side tyre a little flat (slow puncture) so from 10 psi I pumped it up to 30 psi.
Now I find the car drifts to the left , especially on cambered roads or over uneven road etc.
I thought this might have been uneven tyre wear due to the tyre with slow puncture so I swapped the wheels back to front but still the problem persists.
Looks like I’m going to have to take it into the local MB dealer for them to check it out.
Baring in mind I don’t really trust the local MB dealers as far as I can throw them has anyone got any ideas what the problem could be.
I live in Paddington , is there a good London MB dealer around my area ?
Cheers
Neil

 

[neilcharlton]

just done a quick search, going to book it into a specialist . looks like its the tracking ! http://www.wheels-inmotion.co.uk./trusted.htm

 

[Balal]

please update on how you got along after getting the tracking done.

My CLK kinda drifts to left as well, I did get the tracking done, new wheels and tyres, balanced and everything. But it still steers to left.

There was a previous thread about it that mentioned other causes of this problem, but cant seem to find it now. I am hoping to change to lowering springs and dampers so waiting for all that to be done, will try and sort the steering left problem after that.

 

[reflexboy]

What Merc doesn't drift to the left?

 

[television]

I am sure that my 129 did not drift to the left, and I do not think the R230 does. As the sun is shining I will try and test and post back later.

In this case where it was only found after blowing up the tyres, could they be over inflated due to a wrong reading gauge.

Malcolm

 

[Blobcat]

My W210 with parameter steering doesn't drift to the left.

 

[type49]

Mercs can drive straight if the person who carries out the geometry has the time, patience and know-how to do a good job.
My C-class drives arrow-straight and the steering wheel is 100% central but it was set up by someone who knows what they're doing - ME!! Good luck with finding a trustworthy local dealer/specialist and let us know the outcome.
Better go now as my head's starting to grow.

 

[neilcharlton]

type49 where do you live !!?? I'm coming round !!

Took it to a garage in hemal hemstead- they had a full 4 wheel hunter alignment machine thingy . Anyway now the stearing wheel isnt straight and it still drfits to the left ! And the charged me £80 for the privilage. I was going to take it back but i dont want to spend more money with someone who doesnt know what they are doing !

I think it is something of a specialist art !

The did a print out before and after . Before the toe and the camber were out , they ajusted the toe but said the camber wasnt too bad.

My tyres were worn as well so i replaced them. Now i have 2 new tyres , ajusted toe angle but the car is no better !

Argggggg

Really not impressed with Mercs at all , i've driven bangers most of my life so was never really that bothered but when you spend good money on a car you expect a good car in return .

Anyway theres a guy at my local airfield who owns an indipendant merc garage so going to give him a bell.

 

[stats007]

Micheldever are probably the best - both for tyres and wheel alignment. If the steering wheel isn't straight you need to go back and complain!

 

[type49]

What was the rear toe? There is quite a tollerance allowed and can still be "in spec" but if the rear is not set straight then you will be fighting to keep the car straight as it will be wanting to twist or crab like a mini. The rear is easily adjustable and providing nothing is bent, there is no reason why both sides can't be made to be exactly the same. Also, it is possible to put a "bias" in the geometry in problem cars. This is usually done by changing the caster to give a slightly higher reading on the nsf than that of the osf but all still keeping in spec. Check your's hasn't got a higher reading osf to nsf, else this could incourage a pull to the left. All that said, just remember that mercs, bmws & jags are all rear wheel drive and will follow the camber of the road, which always goes left towards the kerb to stop water laying in the road. Unless there is a bias put in, it is very likely the car will edge towards the kerb but this should only be slight. Bit long winded but I've finished now! Let us know how you got on.

 

[neilcharlton]

thanks for the info type49 - took it to Collin Ferns independent garage in Richmond . he used to set up race cars so i imagine he knows what he's doing. He said the front toe was slightly out but apart from that it was fine . he re aligned the steering wheel as well .
Car is still exactly the same even after all the alterations from both garages !
Maybe its just me being over sensitive, but on a long motorway drive i have to input right steer to stop the drift !

Collin Ferns basically said that because i have the large 17" AMG wheels on this will make the car more jumpy and could possibly cause the drift. Most people live with it because the car looks good etc.
I think the rear toe was fine , i don’t really trust the reading i got done on the hunter machine as they didn’t seem to know what they were doing !
I'll look into the caster maybe .

I'm running out of options now, spent £89 on the hunter machine setup - no improvement and £100 at collin ferns. Oh and new tyres all round !

I don’t know whether to investigate further, Collin said to give him a call if i was still getting problems but as far as he was concerned the alignment was perfect.

Judging by the comments on the board its obviously a common problem on mercs ! Not a major problem just VERY annoying .

Thanks for everyone’s input .

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

Hi Neil, for what its worth I'd give up if I were you. Like you say its a very common problem and I'm not sure if anyone has ever solved it. My C240 is fine and the only difference I am aware of is that I have the optional sports suspension pack (additionally to the Avantgarde suspension setup).

 

[Rory]

My C Class does this - I really only use it on the motorway so it's annoying to have to hold it over to the right all the time.
A couple of times towards the end of last year I used motorway contraflows so I was driving the wrong way in Lane 3 and guess what - the car drifted right.

This confirms to me that the issue is simply that the cars are very camber sensitive. My tyres are wearing evenly and I've decided that if I try to get it fixed then I'm only going to end up out of pocket and annoyed. Thanks for your posts - they confirm I've done the right thing (for once)!

Apparently the drift can be adjusted away (I guess by crudely adjusting the wheels to point right a bit!) but it can cause all sorts of other handling problems and strange tyre wear.


What's really annoying is that my daughter's £7.5K Seat Ibiza will hold whatever position (around dead-centre) that you set the steering wheel in - we have a 1 mile dead straight, but quite cambered, road into town and in her car I can set the car straight and then drive the length of it without touching the wheel. Maybe this is a function of its electric power steering?

 

[neilcharlton]

I think with the SEAT its front wheel drive so the car is pulled rather than pushed in rear wheel drive.
I dont think mine would be that bad , but the 17" alloy make it worse. It also seems incredibly sensitive to tyre pressure changes as well.
Ah well live and learn , think i'll get a 330 next time !

 

[c955]

Collin said to give him a call if i was still getting problems but as far as he was concerned the alignment was perfect.

Funnily enough, I was thinking about taking my coupe to Colin Ferns for exactly the same 'trait' (though I've got the std 15" 8 hole alloys).

Thanks for your comments; I might have to see which other garages get a nod :|

 

[poseidon]

There are lot of threads on C class pulling to the left on tis site.

My C220D (1996) has always pulled to the left since I bought it (two years ago). MB service did full steering geometry check (185 Pounds) but made no difference.

My tires are perfectly OK, no wearing.

It was annoying in the begining but I got used and nowadays I do not even notice.

Pose

 

[ambiente]

alignment readings

Can anyone translate these for me ,and also what effect would it have on the handling.

left front right front

camber camber
0.18 green 0.18 green

caster caster
0.47 green 0.31 red
toe toe
0.06 green 0.05 green
total toe 0.12 green
steer ahead 0.01






left rear right rear

camber camber
1.24 red 1.07 green
toe toe
0.00 green 0.01 green
total toe 0.00 green

thrust angle 0.00 green
The reason i ask is yes it does pull left but even on duel carriageway where the road is sometimes sloping towards the center reservation.

 

[neilcharlton]

anything in the red is not good .
after my 4 wheel steering set up it was worse than when i took it in . they did a rubbish job .
took it to a merc specialist in the end , a little better but it still goes to the left.
if you alter the tyre pressures that some times helps

 

[saleemarshad]

Hi,
I have a 06 C180 Sport Edition, the car still goes where ever there is a slope, blindly follows road camber. Got brand new tyres on all 4. Had mercedes do a wheel balance and wheel alingment and then had the wheel alignment checked once again. Same thing. Guess its just abt the c class being sensitive to road camber. why cant they be like my old banger honda that goes dead straight..lol.
im just going to live with it.ive satisfied myself saying that a million other c class owners are also frustrated over this. haha. the sadist in me speaking.
Cheers
S

 

[D3Less]

Had my 51 reg C estate done at a very good place, the full computer set up.
The rear toe was slightly out and was put right.
The car still pulls to the left (not just due to camber)
I too did not take it back, regret that now, I do just live with it but it does annoy me sometimes.