w124 Drifting Feeling Above 50mph

[and11]

After our lucky escape on motorway where rear wheel almost left us, i found my 300d feeling like it was wandering offline when cambers on the road changed. It was very windy but i just felt there was somthing amiss. Ive been to kwik-fit for wheel alignment, they found the front wheels only a fraction out, no lazer beams for rear wheels was set up though?? but the mechanic checked for worn bushes behind but all seeemed well. I have heard of probs with steering on this model. On having a look underneath it appears the steering box has been replaced at some point already. Any ideas will be appreciated.

 

[and11]

After our lucky escape on motorway where rear wheel almost left us, i found my 300d feeling like it was wandering offline when cambers on the road changed. It was very windy but i just felt there was somthing amiss. Ive been to kwik-fit for wheel alignment, they found the front wheels only a fraction out, no lazer beams for rear wheels was set up though?? but the mechanic checked for worn bushes behind but all seeemed well. I have heard of probs with steering on this model. On having a look underneath it appears the steering box has been replaced at some point already. Any ideas will be appreciated.

PS. the wheel prob was sorted, (posted earlier) only damage was to the caliper.

 

[television]

Dont forget the the rear bushes can give steering problem, my 300TE was dead stable at any speed, hopefully some more answer in the morning

 

[Bolide]

Rear camber control arms. About £15 each

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[Juddian]

Till very recently we had 3 124's, now down to just the ce, and as Television says they run absolutely stable at almost any speed.

If the bushes and joints are all stable, and the steering box is tight, i'd be getting front alignment checked first off as this sounds like towing out to me.

Easiest and cheapest before you start delving into cambers etc.

 

[Juddian]

Sorry meant to add get maybe an indy to check the alignment as against the people who have done it already..if you get my meaning.

 

[wireman]

It could be your steering damper, or any one of the rubber bits that hold your rear end on.

 

[and11]

All feels tight under rear, but im heading toward bolide's suggestion, camber control arms, or possably the steering damper that wireman mentioned, or the way its being going with this car, BOTH! I do notice that the steering wheel seems to have a bit of 'play' when engine switched off, the wheels do move but not as much as the steering does. Would thes be diy jobs? thanks Andy.

 

[Bolide]

AI do notice that the steering wheel seems to have a bit of 'play' when engine switched off, the wheels do move but not as much as the steering does.

As the IT guys say, "That would be expected behaviour". What a car does with no pressure in the power steering system is irrelevant

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[Martin Wildsmith]

The steering is designed to have play in it with the engine switched off. from memory my German manual indicated about 1cm. Should go away once you start the engine up.

I too had this vague wandering feeling problem (at 135,000 miles) with a W124 and unfortunately never solved it before someone kindly shortened it to C Class length but one thing I did notice was that one of the front wheels had play in the wheel bearing. This could be a factor.

 

[and11]

The steering is designed to have play in it with the engine switched off. from memory my German manual indicated about 1cm. Should go away once you start the engine up.

I too had this vague wandering feeling problem (at 135,000 miles) with a W124 and unfortunately never solved it before someone kindly shortened it to C Class length but one thing I did notice was that one of the front wheels had play in the wheel bearing. This could be a factor.

i'm feeling this 1cm play when driving in a straight line.

 

[Parrot of Doom]

After our lucky escape on motorway where rear wheel almost left us, i found my 300d feeling like it was wandering offline when cambers on the road changed. It was very windy but i just felt there was somthing amiss. Ive been to kwik-fit for wheel alignment, they found the front wheels only a fraction out, no lazer beams for rear wheels was set up though?? but the mechanic checked for worn bushes behind but all seeemed well. I have heard of probs with steering on this model. On having a look underneath it appears the steering box has been replaced at some point already. Any ideas will be appreciated.

Surprised they didn't check the rear wheels. Look at what was happening on mine:

Thrust angle out, car was steering from the rear. Now it tracks perfectly at any speed.

 

[and11]

Surprised they didn't check the rear wheels. Look at what was happening on mine:

Thrust angle out, car was steering from the rear. Now it tracks perfectly at any speed.

Do these rear end measurements apply to the earlier 124 models?