Suspension rebuild equals terrible alignment

The Horak

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2010
Location
Quakertown, PA
TDI
2004 Jetta TDI GL
Hey guys, I'm sure this is a no-brainer, but is it possible that steering alignment can be unbelievably terrible after a front-end rebuild? I'm talking bad. Positive camber that's noticeable on the driver wheel negative camber and toe out that's very noticeable on the passenger wheel. Granted, I did replace a lot. Struts, bushings, control arms, and ball joints. I've done this job before, I just don't remember the alignment being so bad after. I'm a little worried that maybe I did something wrong. I did also drop it a little bit.
 
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Powder Hound

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Under a Bridge, Crestview, FL, USA
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I'd bet the drop by itself was enough to change things. But seriously, all those little changes will add up to a lot of difference in the end. I'd recommend you just take a good look at things and make sure it is all fitting together well, and when you drive it to the alignment shop, make sure you go over some road that will flex the suspension before the car its the alignment rack. There will be some change when the bushings settle in, but you'll be OK after the alignment. Bushings settling in won't be much of a problem if you've used urethane bushings though.

Cheers,

PH
 

jokila

Vendor
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Dec 3, 2004
Location
Houston, Texas
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2003 Jetta GLS, Manual
Hey guys, I'm sure this is a no-brainer, but is it possible that steering alignment can be unbelievably terrible after a front-end rebuild? I'm talking bad. Positive camber that's noticeable on the driver wheel negative camber and toe out that's very noticeable on the passenger wheel. Granted, I did replace a lot. Struts, bushings, control arms, and ball joints. I've done this job before, I just don't remember the alignment being so bad after. I'm a little worried that maybe I did something wrong. I did also drop it a little bit.
I've done all that with the exception of lowering the suspension and didn't experience any of that. I reused the control arms after replacing the bushings, and made sure to put the new ball joints back in the same spot as the former.

As of 390K miles, never have aligned it and she runs true.

You didn't happen to loosen the subframe bolts completely? That will affect your alignment.
 

Vince Waldon

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Apr 25, 2009
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Edmonton AB Canada
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2001 ALH Jetta, 2003 ALH Wagon, 2005 BEW Wagon
New ball joints = mandatory alignment, at least as far as I know, especially if
the control arms are changed as well, 'cause you can't even cheat by marking the position of the ball joints in the slotted holes. :)
 

Curious Chris

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Jun 11, 2001
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Pineview GA
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Jetta Wagon 2003 RIP Rockford IL
I did my whole suspension including subframe and the alignment came out good. Of course then here in Mpls I changed my LCA and took it to Hoover Wheel Alingment and it is the best alignment I have every had. I am just past 300,000 miles and I can take my hand off the steering wheel at 70 and it goes straight as can be.
 

The Horak

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2010
Location
Quakertown, PA
TDI
2004 Jetta TDI GL
Cool, thanks for the responses guys. I mean, in the end I have to get it aligned no matter what. The fact is, it's not a very difficult job. Everything is bolted on and torque to spec. So what else is there? Unless something isn't settled right... I can check the upper and lower strut mounts at the perch and knuckle. But I was able to get the struts to drop right in... It just has me nervous.
 
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Vince Waldon

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Apr 25, 2009
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Edmonton AB Canada
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2001 ALH Jetta, 2003 ALH Wagon, 2005 BEW Wagon
An alignment shop will be able to tell you very quickly if it all went together properly.

And, if not, where the issue(s) are. :)
 

eddieleephd

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May 27, 2012
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Battle Ground, Wa
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2002 jetta Wagon
Struts, bushings, control arms, and ball joints.
Over the years these things wear out and you get multiple alignments, each accounting for a little wear.
Struts sag and cause camber adjustments.

You did not say what type of struts you put in either.
Jimbote said the only thing I could think you could possibly have gotten wrong, but, even that seems difficult.
 

UhOh

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Dec 24, 2014
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PNW
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2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
Be sure to put on a good 50 miles or so before getting the alignment.

I never give things a second thought after doing a bunch of front end replacement work, Rack up a few miles and then have an alignment done. If there's something wrong the shop will let you know.
 

Rembrant

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Joined
Oct 31, 2014
Location
Canada's Ocean Playground
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2013 Golf TDI DSG
...is it possible that steering alignment can be unbelievably terrible after a front-end rebuild?
It wouldn't surprise me personally. I know on my 2000 Beetle, I replaced the steering rack and tie-rods, subframe, control arms, balljoints, and the alignment was awful until I had properly aligned by a shop. The wheels didn't look like they were out much, but the steering was really awful when going over bumps, etc. I really thought there was something wrong (as in I had done something wrong), but after an alignment the car was golden.

I also noticed recently with my Golf...after I changed a front wheel bearing, the steering wheel was off by quite a bit until I moved the balljoint out a little bit.
 

The Horak

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Joined
Feb 4, 2010
Location
Quakertown, PA
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2004 Jetta TDI GL
Struts, bushings, control arms, and ball joints.
You did not say what type of struts you put in either.
Jimbote said the only thing I could think you could possibly have gotten wrong, but, even that seems difficult.
I put on Koni STR.T with Eibach Pro springs. I have gotten an alignment or two with what would likely be worn components. I didn't think about that.

Be sure to put on a good 50 miles or so before getting the alignment.

I never give things a second thought after doing a bunch of front end replacement work, Rack up a few miles and then have an alignment done. If there's something wrong the shop will let you know.
Thanks for the suggestion. I'll try to drive it as it settles. The VW dealer isn't all that close. That will help settle everything in.

I feel better now. It's just the fear from forums. You read one post about how someone's experience seems better than yours so you start to worry. Plus, I'm no mechanic by any means, just good at turning wrenches. So I don't know what's normal. Thanks for all the replies guys. That's why I'm part of this community.
 

Mike_04GolfTDI

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When I replaced all my suspension, lower control arms, and ball joints, I found that the alignment was way out. I also found that I could make tiny adjustments to the position of the ball joints that ended up making a huge difference in the steering. I had to make about ten adjustments just to get it good enough to drive to the alignment shop.

I would say it's perfectly normal for it to be completely messed up no matter how careful you are to try to put thinks back the way they were.
 

jasonTDI

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Apr 26, 2001
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Oregon, WI
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20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
What mike above said. Also, Make sure the struts are seated all the way down. Look where they come out of the knuckle, should be protruding about 5 mm. It not that will change the camber a lot.
 

The Horak

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Feb 4, 2010
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Quakertown, PA
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2004 Jetta TDI GL
What mike above said. Also, Make sure the struts are seated all the way down. Look where they come out of the knuckle, should be protruding about 5 mm. It not that will change the camber a lot.
Yep. I'm in NH, not home at PA. I'll be looking it over once I'm home.
 

The Horak

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Quakertown, PA
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2004 Jetta TDI GL
So, for the sake of anyone who reads this and wants to know for themselves, if you do suspension work and then think your tires look like they got into a bar fight, no worries. I tried to get to VW, but it was too far away. As I started driving there, my right tire was squealing and wearing out the inner tread super super fast. So I had no choice but to go to Pep Boys that's 2 min from my house. They aligned it, and it's golden. So happy that I'm good to go with a great, new setup.
 

hevster1

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Nov 14, 2005
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Columbia NJ
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98 NB
Keep an eye on it for a while. The pep boys aren't known for quality alignments. BTW, when you moved your ball joints, you changed the camber. These measurements are done in degrees which is a very small unit.
 

JB05

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Oct 20, 2005
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Il.USA
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Golf,2005,anthracite blue
A small shop that changed my tie rod ends messed up the alignment big time. The left front was noticeably way off and when I took it back they just swapped the front tires left to right. I rigged up my own toe-in measuring device which improved the steering. I did eventually have a tire shop redo the alignment after new tires and front springs were installed. This shop had state of the art equipment where I could watch the adjustments from the waiting room via flat screens mounted on the wall.
 
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