EXTREME positive rear camber - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

ashedd · #1 12-24-2012, 03:38 PM

GAWD WHAT A MESS... LEMME TRY TO GET THESE THREADS SORTED OUT

I hate to keep making separate threads... but the other ones I've started about this entire situation are not getting replies.

Synopsis: W124 mowed over curb at 35mph + with both right wheels. I've fixed the front wheel with new parts, but the rear is still messed up.

The right rear wheel needed a new tierod AND thrust link, as mine were both bent. The tierod had an S curve in it. But I STILL have this huge positive camber issue. Were talking the top of the tire sticks out like 3-4 inches from the bottom.

Everything looks fine. Nothing appears bent, aside from what I replaced. The Lower control arm(spring link according to MB FSM) inner mounting bolt was pushed in to it's limit, I can see where it use to be because of the disturbed dirt. But it moved at most 1/2". So I'm starting to wonder if the control arm is bent upward, thus bringing the bottom of the wheel in.

Look at the pics and tell me what you think.

This view is looking forward, and it's the left rear wheel.

Blue line shows approximate angle of positive camber. Small green dot shows position of control arm inner bolt.. I'm having problems getting it back to where it was, doesn't seem to "want" to naturally rest where it was. 4 and 5 are the parts replaced.

This is what my idea of an upwardly bent control arm would look like. NOTICE: the wheel spins true without any wobble, indicating that nothing in the wheel/hub is bent.

moon161 · #2 12-24-2012, 03:44 PM

I expect you'll wait more than five minutes before the right person looks at it and replies. I'd put it up on jacks, take a good look. Flaking paint is a good indicator of something that is bent. I'd a collision shop and ask them to identify the damage & reccommend repairs.

ashedd · #3 12-24-2012, 03:51 PM

Whew... hopefully a mod can delete the other threads. I couldn't find the delete option in the edit

ashedd · #4 12-24-2012, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moon161

I expect you'll wait more than five minutes before the right person looks at it and replies. I'd put it up on jacks, take a good look. Flaking paint is a good indicator of something that is bent. I'd a collision shop and ask them to identify the damage & reccommend repairs.

I know it will take the "right" person to give some good insight. I'll get some actual pics of my car and post them, hopefully just once

ashedd · #5 12-24-2012, 06:10 PM

Pics of the now removed lower control arm.

Smoking gun??

I had to pry the shock out with a pry bar... I think this section is "pinched" together. Same for the sway bar link.

One side

Other side

Close up's of the separated halves... I think that's a good indication of "upward" flexing/bending of the control arm.

I think I might take a heavy hammer to it and try to flatten it out a little, see if that helps. Need a new one for sure.

jimbonaz · #6 12-24-2012, 06:14 PM

It is hard to know without looking at the car but it would seem likely that it would be a problem with the lower control arm, spindle/knuckle and or frame. I have even seen ball joints and bolts be bent, the bolt hole in the frame be egged out, etc. Take a tape measure and measure the distance of the bolt center-lines from the bolts at #7 and at the bottom of #1, compare both sides of the car. Also look to see if frame #1 is rolled in towards the center of the car at the bottom. Use a tape measure to compare things on the damaged and undamaged sides of the car.

ashedd · #7 12-24-2012, 06:24 PM

I think it would benefit from a replacement subframe with all new links/bushings. And I also don't think I'm gonna do that lol. I may have myself a new parts car... problem is it's my only car now.

mach4 · #8 12-24-2012, 06:30 PM

That sure looks like a lot of damage. And if so, I'd be concerned that the frame is messed up as well. I can't imagine a control arm being that damaged and not similar damage on the chassis. I don't know if there are reference measurements that could be used for a DIY assessment of frame damage.

You could source new suspension components from a junk yard, but if the chassis is bent, you'd only be fixing part of the problem.

Just some relatively uninformed thoughts. Hopefully a chassis guru will chime in with some suggestions of what to do at this point.

Woody Worker · #9 12-24-2012, 06:30 PM

As hard as you hit and the direction of forces at play there is every possibility the the subframe itself has been tweaked hard. Might be more cost effective to hit the boneyard and grab a complete rear suspension, you can probably leave the differential and the axles if that would bring the price lower. The set of independent links for one side will end up costing almost a couple hundred and might not fix the problem. Even a minor tweek in that suspension geometry will cause crazy problems at speed that will be difficult to diagnose exactly by anyone but a dealer ultimately.

ashedd · #10 12-24-2012, 06:37 PM

I just described the issues with only the front to an old friend that works in a body shop. He say's it would have to go on a frame machine just to get the front control arm mounts back where they belong

Problem is I need a car to drive NOW! I can let this one sit and work on it, but I've been without a car for 9 days now and it's killing me! Can't work, go to the store... ANYTHING!

All my own fault tho

ashedd · #11 12-24-2012, 06:41 PM

Look at these pics from my other thread..

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/332181-w124-lca-questions.html

ashedd · #12 12-24-2012, 06:45 PM

Just to give an idea of the impact.

Front LCA old vs. new
The ball joint was actually bent, never seen that before.

Woody Worker · #13 12-24-2012, 06:46 PM

I'd of had to rent a car rather than not work, rentals are about $25-30 a day and it doesn't make much sense to me to lose a full day's pay for that amount.

Woody Worker · #14 12-24-2012, 06:53 PM

Probably tweaked the LCA mounts significantly maybe even the frane rail that they are mounted to, very well may have tweaked the Idler Arm Mount if the tierod was very bent, also. A lot of weight moving fast coming to an abrupt stop with all that force focused on a few points something has to give.

mach4 · #15 12-24-2012, 06:59 PM

I'd say that frame is definitely going to need some time on the straightening machine.

I think I'd be looking for another vehicle at this point. Either another 124 or just get a beater to drive for a few weeks/months while the current one gets fixed... if it's even economically fixable.