Alignment needed after new shocks/struts?

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HawkeyeScott

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Researching for a money-strapped buddy here...

He has an 02 Focus. Work car. Needs shocks/struts. Went to a shop and they quoted him shocks, struts and an alignment for $589.

That seemed pretty high to me. He has the know-how to do the shocks and struts himself. But not the alignment. Is it essential to do an alignment after a shock/strut replacement?

Any feedback would be appreciated. My friend is down to working 32 hour weeks and has a new baby. I'm trying to save him some money.
 
No, alignment is not necessary at least it is not needed right away. He needs to monitor tire wear, if uneven tire wear few months after new shocks/struts were installed then he need alignment.

I had 4 new shocks installed o '94 LS400 some years ago, I didn't have alignment done and all tire wear were even.
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
No, alignment is not necessary at least it is not needed right away. He needs to monitor tire wear, if uneven tire wear few months after new shocks/struts were installed then he need alignment.

I had 4 new shocks installed o '94 LS400 some years ago, I didn't have alignment done and all tire wear were even.

Shocks are a different story. They generally don't require the removal of several suspension parts that affect the alignment. Struts on the other hand, require the removal of various suspension parts.
 
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I don't think stock '02 Ford Focus camber is adjustable, someone correct me if I'm wrong. Many alignment shops will gladly charge you for adjusting it though.
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Camber can be adjusted by the addition of a camber kit. He doesn't need that unless there is accident damage or something unusual.

All he might need would be toe adjustment. If he can change shocks and read, he can adjust the toe. There are various ways to do it yourself described on the inter tubes. First thing to do would be to check it himself, it might not need anything.

Worst case, go to a shop and get a toe only adjustment.
 
Drive it a few hundred miles, and then get the alignment.
Like mentioned, only the toe in is easily adjustable.
The strut mount tops may be rotated for a 1/2 degree[max] change in camber/ caster in some models, though.
 
It depends.

Some aftermarket struts have elongated mounting holes that allow for camber adjustment. This is the case with my Saturn. Since the factory struts did not have this feature, installing aftermarket struts would require you to get an alignment to ensure that the camber is in-spec.

Shocks, struts and alignment for $589 sounds about right.

Also, Monroe is running a promotion beginning April 1st, so if he waits a few days, he can save some money. But if your buddy is truly "broke," he should not be replacing his shocks and struts. They are not critical repair items unless they are leaking badly.
 
but if the car has positive or negative castor, then any amount of camber change will also change the toe. I changed my camber by adding -.25 camber to the fronts of my car, it changed my toe setting from 0 total toe, to -.54 total toe. enough to eat 200 tread wear rating tires in less than a couple thousand miles.

A $60 alignment is cheaper than $200+ per tire
 
Two pages of this already.... Just get an alognment check and be sure and get it overwith....This is not rocket science...Tires a lot cheaper then an alignment...A real no brainer....
 
The inexpensive solution is to replace the struts and then drive to a good slignment shop and have an alignment done. Another reason many shadetree/driveway mechanics don't replace strutsis they require a spring compresser to get the old strut off and the new strut on. The ones you can rent are dangerous. Again you can remove both struts and take them and the two new struts to a shop with a professional spring compresser and have them put on the new struts.
 
Originally Posted By: HawkeyeScott
Researching for a money-strapped buddy here...

He has an 02 Focus. Work car. Needs shocks/struts. Went to a shop and they quoted him shocks, struts and an alignment for $589.

That seemed pretty high to me. He has the know-how to do the shocks and struts himself. But not the alignment. Is it essential to do an alignment after a shock/strut replacement?

Any feedback would be appreciated. My friend is down to working 32 hour weeks and has a new baby. I'm trying to save him some money.


I am going to say less than $70 of that total figure is for the alignment. Do it!
 
You can for sure change the toe with a strut change.
The seats may be slightly different, and the holes may be slightly different.
If you change the camber, you also change the toe . Absolutely.
 
i got an alignment after simply replacing a tie rod end. as for replacing shocks, i'd definitely do an alignment for that, too. any time you replace suspension compenents there is a chance your alignment will be set off so there is no reason not to do it, or atleast get it checked. it will save you from having uneven tire wear. most places warranty alignments for 6 months, and some even offer lifetime alignments.
 
Any decent tire shop will put your car on the alignment rack and print out a page with the specs verses your current readings.

As long as they don't adjust anything you won't get charged a penny.
 
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