Front spring change and alignment?

[65cpe69mach1]

If you change out the front coil springs to 1" lower springs do you then need to get the front end aligned?

 

[skywalker]

I would say yes myself. Anytime you make an alteration to your front suspension, something is going to change. This is also why I like to do all of my suspension mods simultaneously.

YMMV, however and you may notice no change in driveability, and it may have altered it only negligibly. However for the $30 an alignment costs, if you don't plan any other suspension mods for awhile, I'd go ahead and do it.

BTW, usually it is camber that is affected from my experience.

 

[71vert-pga]

And when you lower the ride height you change the static relationship between the centerlink and the spindles so toe should change some also.

That's why many lowered Mustangs use bumpsteer correctors. To lower the outer tierods about the same amount as the rest of the car and recreate the original geometry as closely as possible. You won’t need these for 1” but there is a change in toe none the less.

Like skywalker said, if you don't plan any other suspension mods for awhile, I'd go ahead and have it aligned.

 

[splinterddt]

Also, if you put on new springs you will need to have the car's alignment rechecked in a couple months to accomidate any spring sag that may occur.

 

[302 coupe]

changing springs will screw up the camber and toe settings. So, yes you need to get it aligned. Some shops in my area don't know how to do alignments on older cars, I found out the hard way. I ended up doing it myself and couldn't be happier. All I used was a laser level, a piece of yarn, a tape measure, and a straight edge. It worked great and I had it right by the second test drive.

 

[cardude]

All I used was a laser level, a piece of yarn, a tape measure, and a straight edge. It worked great and I had it right by the second test drive.

okay I get the tape measure, and the stright edge.... but yarn and laser level? help me out because I dont have a good shop around here either.

thanks

 

[xoxbxfx]

I would just leave it the way it is and see how it rides. TONS of people get new springs (especially in new stangs) and never get their alignment done. Personally I have an 03 GT dropped 1.75" up front and 2" in the back and never got another alignment and the car rides just fine. 20,000 miles on the tires and they wear evenly.

Take it by a shop and have it checked (should be free) and if its bad, then get it fixed. My 69 stang was just fine with DrGas springs and didnt need an alignment, but did after I redid the whole front suspension (control arms, bushings, shocks and whatever else.


Alignments around my parts of TX are $50 or so.

 

[skywalker]

changing springs will screw up the camber and toe settings. So, yes you need to get it aligned. Some shops in my area don't know how to do alignments on older cars, I found out the hard way. I ended up doing it myself and couldn't be happier. All I used was a laser level, a piece of yarn, a tape measure, and a straight edge. It worked great and I had it right by the second test drive.

You mgiht be surprised. Most of the shops in my area use the computerrized alignment machines. These not only read the current allignment, but actually gives estimates of how far to turn each item and shows what to turn (as in, ha pictures.) If you can't figure it out from there you shouldn't be undeneath a car anyways! Luckily for me, the alignment tech at the shop I go to is an old ford buff and has a Fairlane that he restored, so I'm pretty well safe.