Alignment after front struts replacement, is it necessary?

[PandaBear]

Car is 95 Corolla with 131k on original front struts (rear was replaced awhile back). Replace worn front struts with new ones, not modifying anything else (spring, etc). It is not suppose to change ride height right?

I use a white-out to mark the original angle of the 2 lower strut bolts on each side and put it back in the same location, but now the toe on the right side seems to be off. It is very visible too. Now the car pulls to the right side.

Another interesting finding was an eccentric plastic sleeve on a camber screw on the left side, it has a cut looks like a bushing but it is eccentric, goes around the eccentric part of the top strut screw. Is that suppose to be normal?

Is "using a string to measure" home alignment method good enough?

 

[labman]

If it was worth new struts, it is worth an alignment. I would have it done. If somebody posts success doing it themselves, you could try it.

 

[PandaBear]

That make sense, should I also replace the ball joints and tie rod end at the same time before the alignment? Since they are wear item and I would rather get everything done before I realign it again if it goes bad.

How hard are they to replace compare to replacing struts at home?

 

[Warstud]

If you can tell it's out of alignment just by looking at it then most definately get an alignment. Actually you should get it done whenever you have any front end parts replaced. Replacing parts like ball joints and tie rods just because your getting an alingment is crazy.

 

[Shannow]

IMHO, anytime that you change any single component in the front end (with the exception of brakes, wheel bearings, and separate shock absorbers, an alignment should be done.

 

[Highroller]

Yes, alignment needs to be done. I know this one for sure.

 

[Kestas]

I wouldn't willy-nilly replace the ball joints and tie rod ends. They don't wear gradually as shocks do. Once they start wearing, the wear accelerates quickly and the parts go downhill fast. They are only replaced as needed.

I made that mistake a long time ago when I completely redid the front end of my classic muscle car. I changed all four good ball joints only to have two of them go bad in short order.

 

[jamesn]

once you replace the ball joints and other suspension bushings your car will ride like it did when it was new.

 

[PandaBear]

Finally got it aligned, the shop owner ask if I replaced something because the toe-in are way off, -1.0 on both wheel when the mfg spec is -0.2

His tech spend 40 mins on my car, so obviously he wasn't very happy about it.