Wheel Alignment

Perform four-wheel alignment on the 2007-2013 Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG, adjusting camber, caster, toe, and thrust angle to factory specifications using the Airmatic suspension system's adjustable components.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Tie rod end boot (if damaged) × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Cam bolt kit (if corroded) × 1 — Use OEM specification

Preparation

1. Verify all tires are inflated to specification (front: 36 PSI, rear: 42 PSI for standard setup, adjust per door placard).
2. Inspect all suspension components for wear: ball joints, control arm bushings, tie rod ends, and Airmatic struts. Replace worn components before alignment.
3. Check wheel bearings for play. Alignment cannot compensate for bearing issues.
4. Remove any cargo from trunk and ensure fuel tank is at least half full for proper weight distribution.
5. Connect Mercedes-Benz STAR Diagnostic System and clear any suspension-related fault codes.
6. Set Airmatic suspension to normal ride height mode using SDS. Do not perform alignment in comfort or sport mode.
7. Drive vehicle forward and backward approximately 10 feet to settle suspension before mounting on alignment rack.
8. Center steering wheel and install steering wheel holder to lock in place.

Procedure

1. 1

   Mount vehicle and perform initial measurements
   Position vehicle on alignment rack with front wheels on turntables and rear wheels on slip plates. Ensure vehicle is centered on rack. Bounce each corner of vehicle three times to settle suspension. Attach alignment heads to all four wheels per manufacturer instructions. Perform compensation/runout procedure for alignment heads. Take initial readings of camber, caster, toe, and thrust angle on all four wheels. Print baseline alignment report.
2. 2

   Inspect rear thrust angle and suspension
   Check rear thrust angle reading. Specification is 0° ±0.10°. If thrust angle exceeds specification, inspect rear subframe mounting points for damage or misalignment. Check rear control arms and Airmatic strut mounts for shifting or damage. Rear thrust angle issues typically indicate prior collision damage or worn subframe bushings that must be addressed before proceeding.
3. 3

   Adjust rear toe
   Loosen tie rod jam nuts on rear toe links using 18mm and 19mm wrenches. Rotate inner tie rod to adjust toe. Turn clockwise to increase toe-in, counterclockwise to decrease. Rear toe specification: 0.18° ±0.08° per wheel (total toe: 0.36° ±0.16°). Make small adjustments and check readings after each change. Once specification is achieved, hold tie rod and torque jam nuts while ensuring tie rod does not rotate.
   Torque spec

   Tie Rod Jam Nuts55 Nm (41 lb-ft)
4. 4

   Adjust rear camber (if required)
   If rear camber is out of specification (-1.50° ±0.50°), access upper control arm cam bolt at body mount. This requires removing rear wheel arch liner cover screws. Use cam bolt adjustment tool to rotate eccentric cam bolt while monitoring alignment machine. Turn cam bolt to achieve specification. Some model years have limited or no rear camber adjustment capability—verify adjustment range before loosening bolts. Once adjusted, torque cam bolts to specification.
   Torque spec

   Cover Screws15 Nm (11 lb-ft)

   Cam Bolts168 Nm (124 lb-ft)
5. 5

   Verify rear alignment completion
   Confirm all rear alignment values are within specification: camber -1.50° ±0.50° per wheel, toe 0.18° ±0.08° per wheel, and thrust angle 0° ±0.10°. Print interim alignment report. Rear alignment must be completed before adjusting front to ensure proper thrust angle reference.
6. 6

   Adjust front toe
   Loosen front tie rod end lock nuts using 22mm wrench while holding tie rod end with second wrench. Rotate tie rod to adjust toe. Turn clockwise to increase toe-in (when viewed from outside of vehicle). Front toe specification: 0.06° ±0.08° per wheel (total toe: 0.12° ±0.16°). Make equal adjustments on both sides to maintain steering wheel center position. Verify steering wheel remains centered throughout adjustment. Torque lock nuts once specification is achieved.
   Torque spec

   Tie Rod Lock Nut88 Nm (65 lb-ft)
7. 7

   Adjust front camber
   Access upper strut-to-knuckle mounting bolts (camber adjustment points). Support knuckle assembly. Loosen camber adjustment bolts but do not remove. Shift strut position in slotted holes to adjust camber. Moving strut outboard increases negative camber; moving inboard decreases negative camber. Front camber specification: -0.83° ±0.50° per wheel. Ensure equal camber side-to-side within 0.30°. Torque camber bolts once adjusted.
   Torque spec

   Camber Bolts75 Nm (55 lb-ft)
8. 8

   Adjust front caster
   Caster is adjusted using eccentric cam bolts at lower control arm front bushing mount. Access bolts from underneath vehicle. Loosen cam bolt and rotate eccentric washer using cam bolt adjustment tool. Rotating cam forward increases caster; rotating rearward decreases caster. Front caster specification: 6.83° ±0.75° per wheel. Cross-caster (side-to-side difference) must not exceed 0.50°. This adjustment affects camber readings, so recheck camber after caster adjustment. Torque cam bolts when complete.
   Torque spec

   Cam Bolts168 Nm (124 lb-ft)
9. 9

   Recheck and fine-tune front alignment
   After caster adjustment, verify front camber has remained within specification. Adjust camber again if necessary. Recheck front toe as camber and caster changes can affect toe readings. Make final toe adjustments as needed. Verify steering wheel is still centered. If steering wheel is off-center but toe is correct, loosen both tie rod lock nuts and turn both tie rods equally in same direction to center wheel without changing toe angle.
   Torque spec

   Tie Rod Lock Nut88 Nm (65 lb-ft)
10. 10

    Perform final verification and road test
    Review all four wheels on alignment machine to confirm all values are within specification ranges. Print final alignment report. Remove steering wheel holder and alignment heads. Remove vehicle from rack. Perform road test at speeds up to 50 mph on straight, level road. Verify steering wheel remains centered, vehicle tracks straight with no pull, and there are no unusual tire scrub noises. If pull is present despite correct alignment, cross-rotate front tires to verify pull is not tire-related.

Reassembly

1. Reinstall any wheel arch liner covers or panels removed during adjustment process, torquing cover screws to specification.
2. Verify all tie rod boots are intact and properly seated. Replace any damaged boots to prevent premature joint wear.
3. Double-check all jam nuts and lock nuts are properly torqued using torque wrench—these are critical safety fasteners.
4. Reset tire pressure monitoring system using STAR Diagnostic System if sensors were disturbed.
5. Clear any suspension fault codes that may have been triggered during alignment process.

Verification

• Final alignment printout shows all values (camber, caster, toe, thrust angle) within manufacturer specifications for all four wheels.
• Steering wheel is centered when driving straight on level road.
• Vehicle tracks straight with no pull to either side during road test.
• No tire scrubbing noise or abnormal tire wear patterns after 100 miles of driving.
• All adjustment fasteners (cam bolts, tie rod nuts) are torqued to specification and show no loosening.
• Active Body Control system shows no fault codes related to ride height or suspension positioning.

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