Yes. Simple as that: yes, you should get an alignment after you replace any suspension components with aftermarket items. This is especially important when lowering or lifting a vehicle as some very vital suspension geometries are going to be thrown off that has more impact on your vehicle than most would initially expect.
The obvious: tire wear.
When people lower their vehicle, they can often visually see a difference in how the wheels sit in the wheel well that is much more than just how low it is. Your wheels are often leaning and pointing in directions they were not before. You have introduced a shorter shock in most cases and the rest of your suspension will need to be adjusted to match that shorter shock. This is why you see the wheels in slightly different positions than they were before. This misalignment causes the tires to not rest on the ground evenly and will cause uneven tire wear.
But wait…there is so much more than tire wear!
Some believe that uneven tire wear is the worse that happens by not getting an alignment. This simply isn’t true; there’s much more to the story. Some don’t understand that not having an alignment could potentially damage your new suspension or other suspension components. Some may even be surprised to know that having a bad alignment can also cause ride quality to be adversely affected. Some vehicles may be affected by this more than others, but we have certainly experienced poor ride quality after a suspension install only to have it aligned and then the vehicle rides night and day different for the good. If you are experiencing poor ride quality, it may not be the suspension but a poor alignment so have it checked.
As you can tell from this post, we’re strong advocates of getting alignments after your suspension install. To ensure proper tire wear, ride quality, and longevity of your new suspension kit, do your vehicle (and yourself) a favor and get that alignment. Have other questions? Feel free to give us a call and we’d be happy to help, 801-365-1440.
When setting camber for the front of the vehicle do I use the camber plate on the top of the coilovers or the camber bolt that comes on the factory shock/strut assembly?
You can use both to get the camber where you want it set to.
I have a Honda civic lx 97 I’m getting 4 coilovers installed and the rear control arms too.
Do I need to get my car a alignment after the job or leave it?
Yeah. You’ll for sure want to have it aligned after you install the coilovers and control arms.
I have 2004 Yukon and had a new front end put in hubs etc. The bumper is hitting the driver side tire. does it have to be aligned? or is it something else?
It could very well be something else but we strongly suggest getting an alignment.
I upgraded to coilovers and lifted my car 2.5” However the car is vibrating/shaking like crazy at all kinds of speeds after the install. Could that be an alignment issue? Everything is torqued down to spec and nothing is rubbing.
We do highly recommend having the car aligned. With vibrations like what you’ve described, it is usually a bad wheel bearing, axle issue or wheel balancing issue.
Can I drive my 1971 chevelle to a mechanic to get an alignment after installing qa1 upper and lower control arms and coilover shocks or does it need to be trailered?
If you have the ability to trailer it, that would be ideal. With that said, most people are able to drive them to the alignment shop without any issues. It all depends on how off the alignment is. For some models, it throws the toe off so much, that it is difficult to drive the car.
Just replaced my standard suspension with a XYZ racing super sports complete coilover kit. I know I’ll need an alignment on the front but what about the rear end? What needs to be done there?
Because you’re changing the overall suspension geometry, you will need an alignment on all four corners.
Do I need an alignment after replacing a front strut on a Subaru Impreza 2013?
You may need to, because of the camber bolts on the lower mount.