[W126 Coupe] Wheel Shimmy Driving Me Crazy!

[Alexander Hochhausl]

Ding, ding, ding. You are the winner – or am I?
 
I had checked the control arm bushings before, with the car jacked up –
felt fine.
 
Today I checked the wheel bearings, the steering play, with the car
jacked up again 
 bla-bla-bla – nothing. 
 
Then I dropped it down and felt the wheel play again. Out of frustration
I grabbed the upper control arm, and out-to-out, nothing, but forward
and backward – 3/8” of play, if not more! Oh my god! That was the
drivers side, the passenger side, about ¼”! So I took out the rubber
bushings, and saw the shiny silver tell-tale sign of movement. So while
I’m waiting for the new bushings I put a pair of 5/8” washers in on each
side to increase the bushing compression. All the play is gone. I took
it for a ride, and I tell you all, it is like a new car. The vibrations
do not exist – you are waiting for them, but they don’t show up. I know
it’s normal NOT to have them, but after 5 years of dealing with it – it
is simply AMAZING – smooth as silk – I am in heaven!
 
So I probably spent $300 over the past 5 years on a problem that $0.30
of washers fixed.
 
Jonathan and the rest of you all that gave me advice – I am truly in
your debt. I can’t tell you how many “experts” I have been to that
either told be a bunch of crap or had no idea (and told mea bunch of
crap). 
 
So now that the SEC is virtually perfect, I feel I need to repay you
all. So I have decided that I will share my Supercharger plans for free
for the asking. I was hoping to make a few bucks to break even on my
investment, but you have saved me who knows how many $ with this (now
simple) solution. Give me a few days to organize the info and I will
post pics, plans and parts lists. It takes a bunch of work (none of
which is irreversible by the way), but the payoff of having an extra
100-150 HP under the hood is just a pure rush. Especially when you blow
one of those punks with the 3” exhaust pipe (you’ve seen them) off the
road, and the next light they look at you like you are a magician! But I
will warn you ahead of time – if you blow the engine or tranny – don’t
come knocking on my door. I have had the setup for almost a year now,
and the car runs perfect (and I have over 150K miles  on the original
set-up). But like anything it takes common sense and moderation to make
sure you don’t destroy your car.
 
I wish you all smooth cruising – I know I will (finally)!
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com
[mailto:mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com] On Behalf Of Jonathan
Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2007 12:57 PM
To: Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists
Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] Wheel Shimmy Driving Me Crazy!
 
You should come out this way as my tyre guy does on the car balancing,
ie, each one is spun up to about 80-90- mph while on a lift...makes for
a Smooth ride!

Have you looked closely @ the lower and upper control arm bushings?

Jonathan
plustech at optonline.net wrote: 
I'm not sure about the damper. I believe I replaced it on the 380, but
not the 560. I have replaced the drive shaft carrier bearing & mount and
flex discs - I know what that feels like - but that's gone. I know it
sounds goofy how many parts I have replaced. But I got a good deal on
the car. I bought it in 2003 with 85K miles for $4800. The body, engine
and tranny were in excellent shape, but I don't know how the previous
owner managed to destroy most of the suspension/drive shaft related
component. Either very bad steets or got it airborne a few times? So I
did not mind spending the money. I plan on getting my 200K mark: at 155K
now and still runs perfect - daily driver that has never let me down,
and I take care of it well, but it's this last thing that I can't seem
to figure out. 
 
The next crazy thing I'm contemplating is lifting the car one wheel at a
time - find a way to rotate the wheel up to the 60 mph RPM to hopefully
find something. That's why I was asking about the on-car tire balancing
... but I'll check the paperwork for the damper first.
 
Thanks for the tip!

----- Original Message -----
From: Mister McGoo 
Date: Wednesday, November 7, 2007 11:49 pm
Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] Wheel Shimmy Driving Me Crazy!
To: Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists 


> 

> So you have replaced everything at least once! Yikes. You 

> neglected to mention the steering damper, which I'm sure you 

> likely have replaced three or four times, yes? Your problem 

> sounds frustrating.

> 

> A couple of [perhaps] unrelated things: I had a 300D (W124 - 6 

> cyl, not 5) on which renewing the motor mounts solved a very 

> slight "steering shimmy" through a speed range around 30 - 

> 35mph. It seems that the motor tended to do a little jig 

> through that rpm range, as the mounts had obviously gone south 

> months before. However, I have never heard of this with a V8.

> 

> Or, is it possible that your "shimmy" is not in the steering at 

> all, but (for instance) is a driveshaft problem causing the 

> entire body to vibrate so very slightly that you feel it through 

> the steering wheel? The steering box is hard-bolted to the 

> "chassis". I'm thinking of your statement that the vibration 

> appears to coincide with a specific rotational speed.

> 

> (If we keep this up, you'll have a brand new SEC built totally 

> from some happy person's parts department!)

> 

> -Bellamy

> 

> 

> Date: Wed, 7 Nov 2007 22:53:15 -0500From: 

> plustech at optonline.netTo: mbcoupes at mbcoupes.comSubject: Re: 

> [W126 Coupe] Wheel Shimmy Driving Me Crazy!

> 

> 

> 

> 

> Yes, I have replaced the bearings. The play (swivel) is very 

> little, approx 1/8” at the wheel edge, and it takes a fair 

> amount of force. I see the steering idler arm moving slightly up 

> & down at the ball joint end – that is what I think the problem 

> is, but no matter how much I tighten the assembly, it always has 

> some play. I’ll check the bearings again though. Thanks.

> 

> _________________________________________________________________

> Send a smile, make someone laugh, have some fun! Start now!

> http://www.freemessengeremoticons.ca/?icid=EMENCA122

 





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