GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

should i do an alignment after i install my new springs?

ok i went to edit it and couldnt change the topic name...

i am by no means a mechanic but i would assume yes i mean you unhooked all sorts of linkages and such dealing with the suspension. but this is just a guess

Some time ago, a post discussed the factory's alignment; in their case it was off quite a bit and the car felt much better after correcting it, so it would be a good precaution to have it done. Ideally, someone would/will have it checked both before and after a spring install and then we'll know for sure!I didn't do a re-alignment after my drop, and everything looked and felt fine. 8,000 Km later I see no abnormal tire wear.

I also did not get an alignment either. You don't mess with the caster/camber adjustments at all, so I don't really see a reason to... plus, with nearly 6000 miles on mine since, she's running straight and true.

The only alignment you would need to get would be the front end because the back end is a straight axle which means there is no change in the camber. The front end is different because when the car is lowered, the camber is changed due to the new stance. I dropped mine about an inch and a half and the camber was still within specs. I'm not sure how far you are dropping yours, but if its around mine, you should be alright. Taking the struts out shouldn't affect the alignment at all, its just the fact of the new stance.

ok thanks

I had my car aligned at Les Schwab they told me that the camber wasn't bad but it was tow out quite a bit. Always have it done after you remove the struts. It is cheap insurance!

This link has the results of my allignment (spelling?) after my coil overs were installed. As said previously, lots of tow in. http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=3220