Removing radio / steering alignment

[mattwrigg]

Hello

A couple of questions:

1. How do I remove the radio on my W124? There doesn't seem to be a way to get round the back of it. (The radio has stopped working btw)

2. The steering is veering to the left on normal driving. I have been told by a local Charlie Brown's that steering realignment has to be done by Mercedes themselves as it is quite tricky. Is this true, and how much can I expect to be charged?

Thanks in advance
Matt

 

[pascal]

Regards the Radio, What make is it?

The alingnment car be done at any reputable tyre specialist (preferably with a laser system). Yes it is very tricky to do and takes about an hour to get it fully accurate.

 

[SUE.]

Hello

A couple of questions:

1. How do I remove the radio on my W124? There doesn't seem to be a way to get round the back of it. (The radio has stopped working btw)

2. The steering is veering to the left on normal driving. I have been told by a local Charlie Brown's that steering realignment has to be done by Mercedes themselves as it is quite tricky. Is this true, and how much can I expect to be charged?

Thanks in advance
Matt

To remove the radio you will require the removal pins that slot in the side.
Check your tyre pressures and that might cure the veering to the left

 

[TimN]

Take four innards from BIC biros and shove one into each whole. Then stick your fingers in somewhere where you can get purchase.

Don't be conned with tracking. Most places will charge you handsomely for checking and adjusting the toe in. However most tracking problems are caused by an error in the camber of a wheel as a result of a liaison with a kerbstone causing severe wear on the outside of one of the front wheels. Over inflation will normally result in a bald area in the centre of the wheel and under inflation on both edges. Haynes manualy now have a page dedicated to it.

 

[sunking101]

Only dealerships can get the tracking 100% spot-on but if you're not prepared to pay big money then most tyre fitting places can do a reasonable enough job and certainly get it near enough so that you can live with it. I think Kwik Fit charge £25 for tracking. As for the radio, there will be some kind of plastic strip hiding the fitment on the front. Pull this off and it will expose either holes or screws. Blaupunkt units have the holes and you can either get the special tool or shove metal kebab sticks, the biros mentioned earlier or thick straightened paper clips into these holes (all four need 'filling' at the same time) and then pull the unit out. All car audio fitting places will carry the correct tools to remove any unit if you can't do it.

 

[pascal]

Only dealerships can get the tracking 100% spot-on but if you're not prepared to pay big money then most tyre fitting places can do a reasonable enough job and certainly get it near enough so that you can live with it.

That is not exactly true. The equipment that the top tyre fitters use here, is the same if not better than that in MB garages.

I do not know what Kwik fit use, but if you say it only costs £25, it could not possibly be done correctly. As the time involved would warrant more like £100.

I had the privilage of watching the guys doing my old W124, and the equipment was amazing. Toe, camber, lock to lock, wheel base, etc. Took over an hour to do. All on a big colour screen. Even the slightest adjustment can be seen from anywhere under the car.

But I suppose that this equipment is only as good as the person that is using it.

Regards the radio. No report back on type but most have the guys have answered it. The Blaupunkt radio is best removed with the set of keys from your local motor factors. If you know him, he'll give you a loan of them (they only cost a few bob, anyway) A lot of models have a plastic strip covering these holes on each side.

 

[mattwrigg]

The radio model is a Blaupunkt. I'll have a go with the biro/sticks etc, sounds lik it shouldn't be a problem. Thanks all.

About the tracking, I had it done about 5 months ago at a local independent who used laser tracking. It cost £25 but actually didn't feel that much different afterwards, so I assume they didn't bother to take it for a 5 minute test drive. I should've gone back and complained but didn't, stupid me. I'll check the tyre pressures and wear to see if they are the same, if not then I'll ring a few garages.

By the way, how can I find out my paint code? I need an aerosol's worth for some wheelarch repairs.

Matt

 

[sunking101]

Just ring your local Benz dealer and they'll ask for your registration number or chassis number (on your MOT certificate) - they then find the paint code off their computer and order it for you. The touch-up pens and aerosols take around 2-3 days to arrive if they haven't got them in stock. Painless procedure! :grin:
Re the tracking; I've taken countless BMW's, Hondas and Mercs to ALL the tyre fitting places and nobody has ever got it spot-on like a dealer does. I've taken them back numerous times saying that it's not done right - they'll have another go and it still isn't. They're only good for correcting tracking that is woefully bad. If you want it 100% as new then I maintain that you have to take it to your dealer and pay big money.

 

[pascal]

Better still, Put your VIN no. into box on: http://www.mbclub.ru/mb/vin/index.html?lng=eng&ing=eng
and you will get all the codes for your car

 

[GDTm©]

1

Hello
1. How do I remove the radio on my W124? There doesn't seem to be a way to get round the back of it. (The radio has stopped working btw)
Matt

http://www.gdtm.net/MercoBecker.htm

 

[pascal]

No they're the wrong ones. They're for the equipment made by Becker.

Here the ones for Blaupunkt: http://www.bluespot.co.uk/stock/rel_keys.asp

 

[mattwrigg]

Brilliant, thanks guys for all the replies.

Matt