Quick Question for the Alignment Guru's

[n00bkiller944]

I need to drop my angle gear again (leaking, so I am going to replace all of the seals and reseal the whole unit.) I hate fighting the control arms back onto the ball joint, so I have just removed the hub in the past to make my life easier. Now, if I do it this time, but keep the tie rods still connected to the hub am I going to need an alignment? The only reason I ask is because I got an alignment when I did control arms like 4 months ago and really, really do not want to get another one.

Thanks!

[JRL]

Not if you do it right and mark it
When it goes back together and the steering wheel is not in the EXACT same place as it was before [sly] ...then yes, you will need to realign the front toe

[n00bkiller944]

Mark what exactly? Sorry to sound dumb but the only adjustment is the tie rod and if that doesn't move what is there to go wrong? So in theory I can pull my strut and check out the spring seat without doing an alignment? :)

[JRL]

Not really
The spring seat is part of the alignment of the car, when moved, the alignment goes off.

(Why do you think the alignment goes away when a spring seat is broken)?

You did not say you were removing/unbolting the spring seat/strut
If you pull that you will need to at least have it checked

[billr99]

Mark what exactly? Sorry to sound dumb but the only adjustment is the tie rod and if that doesn't move what is there to go wrong? So in theory I can pull my strut and check out the spring seat without doing an alignment? :)

If you pull the strut or mess with the lower mounting bolts at all it will upset your camber. There is not really enough slop in the A-arm mounting bolts, ball joint bolts or outer tie rod attachment bolt to affect alignment all that much. So don't mess with the lower strut bolts or the tie rod adjustment and you should be pretty close to correct alignment assuming it was correct to begin with. Otherwise, you'll have to mark stuff and even then an alignment check would be best practice.

Have fun,

Bill

[n00bkiller944]

Yeah balls. I figured. Thanks for the answers guys, and sorry for the two part question there. When I initially asked the question I was talking about just unbolting the hub to drop my AWD system. Then my second post I was thinking ahead to my suspension noise... FML, lol!

[n00bkiller944]

Time for a firestone lifetime alignment!

[miket]

Check the receipt of your last alignment. The place I take it does it again for free if within one year.

[howardc64]

I think you don't need an alignment.

If you disconnect the outer tie rod, as long as you don't change the length by rotating the threaded connection with the inner tie rod, your toe in is not going to change when you reassemble. I've done this many times, no issues.

Camber angle is not going to change much since there isn't much play. If you want to preserve the exact angle, the trick is to mark the outline of where the strut goes over knuckle so you can reassemble in exact same geometry.