Wheel rotation, balance & alignment

[260ebenz]

My local Jax Tyres carried the a rotation, balance & alignment on the 300SE total cost $120.

Is that good value?

Too my surprise all 4 tyres had a 30PSI air pressure rating!

Now all 4 tyres are 40PSI I can feel the difference and Jax used nitrogen air to top up the air pressure.

I should have paid closer attention to the air pressure in the tyres lesson learnt now for the future.

 

[SEL_69L]

Tyre pressure placard for my 6.9 calls for 32psi all around.
My experience proves that to be wrong. All four tyreas sustained wear on the OUTside edges, indicating low tyre pressure.

I took some advice from Roland Grellinger: he said 32psi was much too low, 38 psi all around should give the best wear results. THAT proved slightly too high for my experience, because I found slightly MORE tyre wear in the middle of the tread. Took it down to 36psi, all around.
Had perfectly even tyre wear after that, across the width of ALL four tyres.

That brings me to a question: Does the hydraulic suspension negate the need for much higher pressures at the front, due to that large chunk of cast iron over the front wheels? (e.g.38psi front, 32psi rear)

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260Benz: Most of the value for rotation balance and wheel alignment would be in the wheel alignment.
I get the wheels for my drive cars rotated for free, by the guy who services it. For a normal service, the wheels have to come of fanyway.

 

[BenzBoy]

36 all round is about right for me - 40 is probably a bit high and will make the ride a bit harsh over cat's eyes and small ripples in the road.
I know nitrogen is a popular product for filling tyres but I don't bother with it and am unconvinced of any benefit. Similarly, the RACQ remains unconvinced - http://www.racq.com.au/motoring/cars/car_advice/car_fact_sheets/nitrogen_for_tyres

It will do no harm but I would not bother paying for it simply on the basis that if I add air to my tyres when I'm at home I don't have access to it.

Tim, buy yourself a good quality tyre gauge and check your tyres each week. That is part of being a good home mechanic.
Regards,
Brian

 

[260ebenz]

Good advice as always Brian thank you.

I will purchase a tyre gauge.

 

[BenzBoy]

I'm thinking I should upgrade to one of these - http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...8&group_ID=675695&store=australia&dir=catalog
Regards,
Brian

 

[sean sherry]

Can't rotate tires on the current C class... Rears are bigger than the Fronts and will foul the Suspension Struts. Ask me how I know !

 

[BenzBoy]

Can't rotate tires on the current C class... Rears are bigger than the Fronts and will foul the Suspension Struts. Ask me how I know !

The same on the CLK350.
OK - did you try Sean?
All this goes to show that we need to turn back the clock on some aspects of car design. For example, I know very low profile tyres give better sideways control etc. but weigh that up against sidewall damage and I am quite happy with the 65 aspect of the ML ones or the 70 aspect of the Spirit. Of course in the PII you don't have that problem - you just roll over everything with such big balloon tyres! (Same in the PV but then I haven't yet mentioned that one )
Regards,
Brian

 

[260ebenz]

$75 for the Snap On tyre gauge does seem top dollar?

Purchased the tyre gauge $40 from Auto Pro made in China hopefully the gauge will do the job?

Their was a guy at Jax's yesterday had the same issue with his C200 Kompressor the wheels can not be balanced.

Guy use to have a black 560SEL which he sold I was speaking to Graham he said he wish he never sold the 560SEL.

Two guys talking about tyres and Mercedes whilst waiting at the tyre shop small World!

Graham really did like the 300SE he did ask 'do you want to sell the 300SE'?

It would be to hard to part with the 300SE and I only purchased the car less than two years ago.

Anyhow the 300SE puts a smile on my face and the feedback from onlookers about the car is always appreciated.

The most common feedback I receive from people is they really like the colour of the 300SE.

 

[BenzBoy]

Tim - your gauge will be fine.
It would be most unusual to not be able to balance wheels unless there is an issue with either the wheel or the tyre.
There is always a cause for any problem.
You don't want to see the 300SE do you? You are working to get it ready for a Concours win so why start all over again with a different car?
Regards,
Brian

 

[260ebenz]

Good have the tyre gauge keep it in the garage or the boot of the car.

NO Brian the 300SE will NOT be sold 2014 Concours is on the wish list wait and see.

Graham's C200 had the exact same tyres as my car has.

Jax's are still offering the special offer for the Continental tyres buy 3 and get the fourth tyre free.

The special offer has been running for a while.

Checked out the new tyres on display very impressive!

Cheers.

 

[sean sherry]

Wheel balance was not always so easy. Long ago, in a far away land ,Ford Zephers had 13 inch wheels which were near impossible to balance to cure wheel wobble . Only way was to spin them up with an on car balancer and carefully split the weights inside and out and also divide the weights. ie instead of single 2 ounce weight , two one ounce spaced apart. Took for ever to get it right. ........You young fellows have got it so easy today !
Sean

 

[abl567]

The PV BenzBoy, has Santa been good to you?

 

[BenzBoy]

The PV BenzBoy, has Santa been good to you?

I am merely its long term custodian...
Regards,
Brian

 

[abl567]

As we all are with important automobiles, congratulations!
I'm sure someone will ask for pictures

 

[BenzBoy]

Pictures? Try parking the bloody thing without killing half a suburb.... 6.3m.
Regards,
The Dangerous Driver

 

[abl567]

Nearly as long as a 600 LWB, and I didn't ask

 

[260ebenz]

As we all are with important automobiles, congratulations!
I'm sure someone will ask for pictures

And who might you be referring to Ant?

 

[carl888]

My local Jax Tyres carried the a rotation, balance & alignment on the 300SE total cost $120.

Is that good value?

Too my surprise all 4 tyres had a 30PSI air pressure rating!

Now all 4 tyres are 40PSI I can feel the difference and Jax used nitrogen air to top up the air pressure.

I should have paid closer attention to the air pressure in the tyres lesson learnt now for the future.

In a word, amazing!

The quickest I have ever been able to align a W126 (Toe, camber and caster) along with centering the steering box, checking the ball joints is about two hours. I'm curious to know what they did for $120. Happy to post the procedure if they did it it in 20 mins. Because if they did it it in 20 mins it was either spot on or not done properly.

Not wishing to criticise their work, just hoping I can learn something if they really did it properly for that!

 

[carl888]

I just dug out the post I made on the W116 forum about wheel alignments, not sure of the protocol but I hope this doesn't tread on anyone's toes. I am the original poster in the following link and the procedure is the same (Although the specifications are different) for the W126. HTH:

http://forum.w116.org/mechanicals/how-to-align-a-w116/msg29907/#msg29907

 

[260ebenz]

Hello Carl,

I will check the Invoice in the glove box tomorrow and reply to your post if that is okay?

Jax even gave me a printout of the tyre wheel alignment, balance & rotation as well post that info as well if you like?

Dropped the car off at 8:30am and the car was ready at 10am.

Mind you I went for a 1hr walk whilst the car was in the workshop.