Replacing OEM shocks affect on alignment
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I've said it before, but my OEM springs have sagged well before 100k miles on my original set of OEM shocks.
I placed them side by side newer springs and they were perhaps an inch or two [noticeably] shorter -- same part numbers.
I tried in earnest to find a picture as proof, but I could not.
I placed them side by side newer springs and they were perhaps an inch or two [noticeably] shorter -- same part numbers.
I tried in earnest to find a picture as proof, but I could not.
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Dampers do not really act as springs. They will compress all the way till they bottom out even with a person pressing hard on them ... it is just how LONG it takes them to compress that defines how they damp motion. So they should not affect your ride height and you should not need an alignment just replacing them. If this were a mcstrut car then yes, you would need an alignment because the strut mounting and the play in that mounting does affect alignment settings.
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There is not enough play in those control arm mounts to significantly affect the alignment. In the case of a mcstrut car like I mentioned in my previous post, there is a lot of slop in the bolts and you can adjust camber simply by that slop. However, our control arms mounting bolts are pretty tight in the holes and should not move enough to really change anything enough to care. I have had my shocks in and out more than once without doing an alignment and have never noticed a big difference the next time I did check and change alignment settings. You should be fine.
Joined: Nov 2007
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From: Illnoise. WAY downtown, jerky.
Monotube dampers have an air spring. So a new vs blown air spring would see a small change in ride height.
New springs and tophat bushings will cause a rise in ride height too.
And you're going to either ride the struggle bus to fight the bushing while installing....OR loosen all the clockable bolts to put the suspension into full droop so you can easily install with no struggle.
The latter requires an alignment.
I choose not to struggle. An alignment is cheap. And the car should be aligned after doing all this anyway.
The front UCA isn't slotted...but the mounting holes do allow for some slop for manufacturing.
My recommendation:
I understand this is more involved and there some extra steps here. You can certainly try to uninstall/reinstall stock length shocks without releasing the bushings...but...you're gonna be tired and there's inevitably going to be a "god dammit, how tf does anyone do this?" post.
New springs and tophat bushings will cause a rise in ride height too.
And you're going to either ride the struggle bus to fight the bushing while installing....OR loosen all the clockable bolts to put the suspension into full droop so you can easily install with no struggle.
The latter requires an alignment.
I choose not to struggle. An alignment is cheap. And the car should be aligned after doing all this anyway.
The front UCA isn't slotted...but the mounting holes do allow for some slop for manufacturing.
My recommendation:
- Don't struggle. Why you wanna fight them big bushings, cousin?
- Mark the alignment cams to get some reference before u loosen them. That way it goes back mostly how it was.
- Re-clock everything properly.
- Get an alignment when you're done.
I understand this is more involved and there some extra steps here. You can certainly try to uninstall/reinstall stock length shocks without releasing the bushings...but...you're gonna be tired and there's inevitably going to be a "god dammit, how tf does anyone do this?" post.
Last edited by B serious; Jun 1, 2020 at 10:27 AM.
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 328
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Monotube dampers have an air spring. So a new vs blown air spring would see a small change in ride height.
New springs and tophat bushings will cause a rise in ride height too.
And you're going to either ride the struggle bus to fight the bushing while installing....OR loosen all the clockable bolts to put the suspension into full droop so you can easily install with no struggle.
The latter requires an alignment.
I choose not to struggle. An alignment is cheap. And the car should be aligned after doing all this anyway.
The front UCA isn't slotted...but the mounting holes do allow for some slop for manufacturing.
My recommendation:
I understand this is more involved and there some extra steps here. You can certainly try to uninstall/reinstall stock length shocks without releasing the bushings...but...you're gonna be tired and there's inevitably going to be a "god dammit, how tf does anyone do this?" post.
New springs and tophat bushings will cause a rise in ride height too.
And you're going to either ride the struggle bus to fight the bushing while installing....OR loosen all the clockable bolts to put the suspension into full droop so you can easily install with no struggle.
The latter requires an alignment.
I choose not to struggle. An alignment is cheap. And the car should be aligned after doing all this anyway.
The front UCA isn't slotted...but the mounting holes do allow for some slop for manufacturing.
My recommendation:
- Don't struggle. Why you wanna fight them big bushings, cousin?
- Mark the alignment cams to get some reference before u loosen them. That way it goes back mostly how it was.
- Re-clock everything properly.
- Get an alignment when you're done.
I understand this is more involved and there some extra steps here. You can certainly try to uninstall/reinstall stock length shocks without releasing the bushings...but...you're gonna be tired and there's inevitably going to be a "god dammit, how tf does anyone do this?" post.
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,731
Likes: 632
Monotube dampers have an air spring. So a new vs blown air spring would see a small change in ride height.
New springs and tophat bushings will cause a rise in ride height too.
And you're going to either ride the struggle bus to fight the bushing while installing....OR loosen all the clockable bolts to put the suspension into full droop so you can easily install with no struggle.
The latter requires an alignment.
I choose not to struggle. An alignment is cheap. And the car should be aligned after doing all this anyway.
The front UCA isn't slotted...but the mounting holes do allow for some slop for manufacturing.
My recommendation:
I understand this is more involved and there some extra steps here. You can certainly try to uninstall/reinstall stock length shocks without releasing the bushings...but...you're gonna be tired and there's inevitably going to be a "god dammit, how tf does anyone do this?" post.
New springs and tophat bushings will cause a rise in ride height too.
And you're going to either ride the struggle bus to fight the bushing while installing....OR loosen all the clockable bolts to put the suspension into full droop so you can easily install with no struggle.
The latter requires an alignment.
I choose not to struggle. An alignment is cheap. And the car should be aligned after doing all this anyway.
The front UCA isn't slotted...but the mounting holes do allow for some slop for manufacturing.
My recommendation:
- Don't struggle. Why you wanna fight them big bushings, cousin?
- Mark the alignment cams to get some reference before u loosen them. That way it goes back mostly how it was.
- Re-clock everything properly.
- Get an alignment when you're done.
I understand this is more involved and there some extra steps here. You can certainly try to uninstall/reinstall stock length shocks without releasing the bushings...but...you're gonna be tired and there's inevitably going to be a "god dammit, how tf does anyone do this?" post.
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 8,841
Likes: 1,705
From: Illnoise. WAY downtown, jerky.
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 8,841
Likes: 1,705
From: Illnoise. WAY downtown, jerky.
Yep. Putting the car on the ground and tightening is most foolproof. So ramps are the best way (without a lift or hub mounted jackstands).
Last edited by B serious; Jun 2, 2020 at 01:19 PM.
