SLK on full lock feels like a puncture - help

[BelBel5]

SLK 230 04 reg

Ok I had the ball joints done on both sides by Mercedes a month apart and have noticed when I reverse on full lock it feels like I have a puncture.
Mercedes claim it is fine - twice.
I had four wheel geometric alignment done and it still does it.
Tyre pressures have been checked and rechecked.
It seems worse first thing in the morning (could just be the shock of it - waking me up!!)
Also it just feels lumpy on the ride coming from the right wheel (well that's what it feels like) Driving 30-60 mph you feel every divet in the road and it wasn't like this before.
Also I think it pulls more to the left but was told its the camber of the roads?? Posibile but never noticed it before they did the ball joints.
I think I am getting fobed off because I am a woman.
Anyone got any ideas what it is. I am going to take it to another Merc dealer but wanted to see if anyone had any ideas first.
Due to sell it in a couple of weeks so want it in top condition.
I do have a Merc full warranty on it.

 

[stumpy]

Hi BelBel. Are your tyres wearing evenly? Have you had the car from new? It will feel worse in the morning due to the tyres having no heat in them and being slighly stiffer. Increased precision i.e. feeling more bumps and increased sensitivity to camber are to be expected to a certain degree after changing ball joints, this is after why you change them. It could be that you just got used to the car being slightly loose before. If you have had all of the items checked and re-checked then there is not much else you can do. Take it somewhere else and get a second opinion on the wheel alignment in camber and castor as well as toe. Good job you are selling it - what are you getting?

 

[panason1c]

I think i would want to re-check the front wheel tracking alignment.

 

[BelBel5]

Thanks guys I am only worried because I don't want to sell the car and someone thinks I've sold them a duffer.
Have only had a year and one lady owner before me. Milage only 32,000
Apparently the left tyre is worn slightly more than the right but the tyres have been on for 12 months, so before and after the ball joints were fitted, so can't be sure whether that was happening before and is still happeneing
You could be right that I am just feeling things more now the joints have been changed
I liked the ride better before though.
Anyway I am getting a 320i SE covertible hard top BMW, brand new. Montego Blue, leather heated seats, upgrade alloys. Get it in two weeks so really excited.

 

[bigasotonuk]

I think i would want to re-check the front wheel tracking alignment.

I agree have had similar symptons on my W202's always cured with front wheel tracking/alignment.
Did MB do the alignment/tracking themselves or send it out to some one?

 

[BelBel5]

MB told me it would take two hours and they didn't have time to do it when I took it in for the problem as described. So I took it to a local garage with a good reputation and paid £70 for the privelage. The alignment was out but it hasn't solved the flat tyre feel on full lock.
Incidently they said there was one adjustment on the left they couldn't do.
I think they called it a caliper. On the simulated print out it was the top left item. Could this be anything to worry about?
It still showed this item as red and all the others had been adjusted and displayed green.
They didn't tell me I needed to go and get it adjusted, perhaps in hindsight I should have asked?

 

[television]

A caliper would not cause this noise

 

[stumpy]

MB told me it would take two hours and they didn't have time to do it when I took it in for the problem as described. So I took it to a local garage with a good reputation and paid £70 for the privelage. The alignment was out but it hasn't solved the flat tyre feel on full lock.
Incidently they said there was one adjustment on the left they couldn't do.
I think they called it a caliper. On the simulated print out it was the top left item. Could this be anything to worry about?
It still showed this item as red and all the others had been adjusted and displayed green.
They didn't tell me I needed to go and get it adjusted, perhaps in hindsight I should have asked?

Certain cars can be very tricky to track. On my BMW there is a link in the rear suspension which is notorious for seizing up, and ham fistedness just breaks it. A lot of 3rd party tyre places will not try too hard to release seized links for fear of breaking them and having your car block their ramp. Best to get it done at MB where they have the correct spec, tools and spares if they break something. In my opinion the other place should not have charged you for the tracking check if they still sent you away with 'out of true' steering alignment. The caliper is on the brakes. Probably camber that could not be moved and this could cause the funny feeling on full lock you describe.

 

[BelBel5]

Yes I checked paperwork it is the front left camber which has a reading of minus 1 degree 35.
Is this bad? Should I get it sorted?
Is it right that will cause the right wheel to feel like it has a flat tyre when reversing?

 

[stumpy]

Yes I checked paperwork it is the front left camber which has a reading of minus 1 degree 35.
Is this bad? Should I get it sorted?
Is it right that will cause the right wheel to feel like it has a flat tyre when reversing?

Hard to say if it IS causing this problem, but it won't be helping matters. If the left side is out, effects can be felt elsewhere in the car for example. Best bet is to bite the bullet and get a full front and rear alignment done at MB. Won't be cheap though. On my BMW KDS (as they call it) is about 250 quid. You can then add the paperwork to the file when you sell the car. People like official receipts in the car history.

 

[BelBel5]

Thanks for your help everyone

 

[panason1c]

Has the car previously been accident damaged?

 

[panason1c]

Best bet is to bite the bullet and get a full front and rear alignment done at MB. Won't be cheap though. You can then add the paperwork to the file when you sell the car. People like official receipts in the car history.

I really wouldnt add this kind of paperwork to your cars history.......prospective buyers would be very suspicious as to why it needed a full wheel alignment.......accident damage would come to their mind.

 

[stumpy]

I really wouldnt add this kind of paperwork to your cars history.......prospective buyers would be very suspicious as to why it needed a full wheel alignment.......accident damage would come to their mind.

Not necessarily. It can also show that you have taken great care of the car and rather than let the local oily rag touch it, you have paid more to get a proper job. You don't need to tell the buyer the reason for it I agree, but if the car wheels and tyres are in good nick along with the rest of the car, then she needn't worry. I was selling my BMW a few weeks ago and it had some bodywork done under warranty due to rust. I showed the prospective buyer the receipts and supporting evidence, rather than let him suss that it had been painted etc and then wonder why. There is no harm in telling someone you've had the car tracking done before selling it. You can claim to have done it so that the new owner has one less thing to worry about.

P.S. On most second hand cars I ever bought, the steering wheel has been off centre leaving me to get it done. I really hate wonky wheels

PPS Kept the BM in the end cos its awesome

 

[panason1c]

Yes, a routine front wheel alignment check is one thing but a full all wheel alignment check (which is what you originally mentioned) is far from the ordinary and, certainly within the trade, would give cause for concern as to the reasons it was carried out as quite often it is more often called for after accident damage.

 

[star]

Quite a few mercs suffer from this, esp 202's, jumping/knocking on full lock, unfortunately its the way the geometry is set from factory, diff tyres may help but not always. we have lots of cars that suffer from it, quite worrying when you 1st hear it but theres nothing to worry about. If its a harsh ride, the check your shocks and jarring when you hit a bump.

 

[panason1c]

...."P.S. On most second hand cars I ever bought, the steering wheel has been off centre leaving me to get it done. I really hate wonky wheels"....


One of the reasons for 'wonky wheels' is that some badly trained 'technicians' when adjusting the tracking make any adjustment all on one side rather than adjusting both sides of the car equally.

 

[stumpy]

Yes, a routine front wheel alignment check is one thing but a full all wheel alignment check (which is what you originally mentioned) is far from the ordinary and, certainly within the trade, would give cause for concern as to the reasons it was carried out as quite often it is more often called for after accident damage.

On many cars I've owned the rears have gone out of spec as well as the fronts due to our lovely roads thus wearing out the tyres. None of these cars had been pranged as I had them from new. Giving a new buyer a slip showing all the wheels point in the right direction gives piece of mind. As I said to my BMW buyer - 'if it was accident damage, would I tell you??'