New mercedes: sevice centre adjusted the camber and castor angle !

In the "old days" when one could buy a nice, helpful paper manual with all specifications there was no difference between sides, both wheels' caster and camber were intended to be as identical as possible - the specification stated the allowable caster angle difference between the sides. I've never seen a manufacturer's alignment specification that favored one side over the other in any respect.

I believe the mechanic was "just talking" to make you feel good about his adjustments which were probably to set the car to its correct specifications. A tire shop told me that they compensated for our local roads - which are like most roads in California!

Drive it and enjoy it but monitor the tires' wear and take it back if the wear appears to be uneven.

Ah. But to be fair to the mechanic(not that i think he is right), the manual we buy does not know where the car is used--- so it must state straight alignmens.

The practical question is: would Mercedes (or their local agents) adjust the angles according to the country of use before delivery to the customer??

My salesman just told me that they do! I d>In the "old days" when one could buy a nice, helpful paper manual with

ABC

Please do not reply by email.Reply to NG

It makes no difference. For every shock absorber and alloy rim combination there is a new setting.

Certainly not favouring one side?

ABC

Please do not reply by email.Reply to NG

combination

Adjustments are a normal function of vehicle upkeep. I had all four wheels done.

I think the mechanic's explanation is junk, even if his adjustment was the correct action. Camber is not identical on all roads, even in one country. Obvious contract: country roads and motorways.

DAS

On Sun, 25 Apr 2004 16:26:08 +0100, "Dori A Schmetterling" wrotd:

Anyone know how I can contact Mercedes Headquarters?? Their Webpage has no information.

ABC Do not reply by email.

There is a reason why they dont give out the obvious information. It stops crack-pots from asking silly questions to people in neck-ties who dont work on cars.

Even if the mechanic has taken in too much exhaust fume, there is only one valid test. DOES IT DO THE JOB. So rather than get in a tizz about the technical truth, evaluate the end result.

It is quite common for a new MB to pull in the same direction as the camber.

ABC did not state his country of residence (unless I overlooked it).

From anywhere in Europe

1) Enquiries Mercedes-Benz Maastricht NETHERLANDS

Tel 00800 1-777 7777 (freephone)

Fax 0044 20-7975 7074 (customer serv) E-mail snipped-for-privacy@mbcac.mercedes-benz.com European breakdown & general enquiry service. 00800 works from most European countries. British dept answers if calling from UK.

2) Corporate HQ

DaimlerChrysler Stuttgart GERMANY Tel: +49 711-170

8/01 Mercedes-Benz. Corporate HQ etc.

Your country HQ should be listed in the manuals supplied with the car.

DAS

On Mon, 26 Apr 2004 10:08:21 +0100, "Dori A Schmetterling" wrotd:

I am in Hong Kong. It is the HK dealer that decided to fiddle with the castor and camber. I want to ask the Headquarters(in Germany?) if that is the recommended procedure.

More importantly, I want to know if they have already adjusted the front wheels according to the country of export when they deliver new vehicle to customers. You see, unless my new car is just a defect, otherwise there should be a lot of customers with the same problem.

ABC Do not reply by email.

You do realise that in theory there is no way for anyone to determine these parameters.

On Mon, 26 Apr 2004 23:26:11 +1000, " Miro" wrotd:

I do know the angles can vary quite a bit according to the personal preference of the driver. But I just want to know if Mercedes delivers "evenly set" cars to everybody, or they do set the angles according to the country of use.

ABC Do not reply by email.

It varies by each model, each rim size. Avantgarde is set low on springs, AMG is different. 15", 16" 17" 18" are all different.

Then comes tyre profile.

What the dickens are you on about. Each car is custom set.

On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 11:05:44 +1000, " Miro" wrotd:

See the original posting( paste below). I was on the adjustment to suit crowned roads. Got it??

This is a brand new C-class with sport package. 1.8L compressor.

I took it to the service centre as I found that it is pulling to the left quite strongly. I know that our road surfaces are slightly slanted to the left ( we drive on the left side). Some tendency to pull left is expected but I just want to make sure the car is OK.

It came out with it left wheel about 1 cm closer to the front than the right. The technician explained that he adjusted the camber and castor angle so that the car is less sensitive to the slanting of the road surface.

Yes. the car is now more "straight". But I want to know if this is the correct way to deal with it. Or should he have asked me first? Are all Mercedes cars adjusted off straighness to suit the road of the country of export?

ABC Do not reply by email.

It was probably never done right in the first place after the sport package was installed. In any event it never left the factory wit ha sport package. That was done locally and by the sound of it ...... on a Friday afternoon.