# Can you replace struts without needing an alignment?



## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

My wife's Volvo XC90 is in the shop (again!) for front end work. The front left strut went out and so did the sway bar bushings. 

One year ago, the both tie rods went bad (recall item) and we took it in for work. The dealer replaced the tie rods, but did not align the vehicle. The front tires quickly went bad, and I fought them (successfully) to buy me two new front tires.

Now, the car is in for the front left strut. I have replaced shocks/struts on cars, and I know you need an alignment as you can never line everything up perfectly again. When I talked to the Service Advisor this morning, he said, "We only align it if Volvo pays for it under warranty. Most likely, it won't need it." What? 

Am I nuts (thinking I need the alignment), or are modern car techs so good they can eyeball the specs?


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## Salvator (Oct 14, 2003)

I'd demand an alignment... If that fails, get it aligned yourself, and assuming it's off, take a copy of the printout and a request for payment to your Volvo dealer... if they ignore you or fail to run with it, run it up the ladder to Volvo HQ...


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

Salvator said:


> I'd demand an alignment... If that fails, get it aligned yourself, and assuming it's off, take a copy of the printout and a request for payment to your Volvo dealer... if they ignore you or fail to run with it, run it up the ladder to Volvo HQ...


When the tires were bad (last year), I took it to an alignment shop and paid $80 for a four-wheel alignment. I was able to show the fronts were way off (toe out) and the rears (untouched since the car left the factory) were dead-on - proving the dealer screwed it up. In addition to the free front tires, the dealer sent me a check for $80.

Your suggestion about calling Volvo Customer Service is excellent.


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## AndrewZ (Feb 1, 2006)

Yes, any time you replace the struts, you must get an alignment. Most likely the camber needs adjusting..


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

LuvThatSam said:


> Yes, any time you replace the struts, you must get an alignment. Most likely the camber needs adjusting..


Exactly. And, as suspected, the toe was out when they eye-balled the tie rod repair.


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## AndrewZ (Feb 1, 2006)

Emission said:


> Exactly. And, as suspected, the toe was out when they eye-balled the tie rod repair.


Good ol' Eye-Ball method:tsk:

Even if they won't pay for the alignment, I would go ahead and front the money myself for a computer alignment. You will be paying more in the long run with replacing the tires sooner then you should...


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

LuvThatSam said:


> Good ol' Eye-Ball method:tsk:
> 
> Even if they won't pay for the alignment, I would go ahead and front the money myself for a computer alignment. You will be paying more in the long run with replacing the tires sooner then you should...


Agreed. I only need them to last a bit longer. The lease is up on this piece-of-shi* in just nine months...

(It has been in the shop overnight nearly 15 times since it was leased in 2005. Do not ever buy a Volvo.)


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## Guest84 (Dec 21, 2001)

Without even reading the replies, yes. You should. Anytime you mess with the front end, even going over a curb hard, you should get it realigned.


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## Deepak (Jan 23, 2007)

Emission said:


> (It has been in the shop overnight nearly 15 times since it was leased in 2005. Do not ever buy a Volvo.)


:yikes:

So that's why they're so safe - you're never behind the wheel.


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## Salvator (Oct 14, 2003)

Emission said:


> I was able to show the fronts were way off (toe out) and the rears (untouched since the car left the factory) were dead-on - proving the dealer screwed it up. In addition to the free front tires, the dealer sent me a check for $80.


My tire shop actually gives me a print-out that shows how much out of alignment it was, what spec is, and where they are now, post-alignment... Even has red, yellow and green indicators to make it easy to show if something is hosed... :thumbup:


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## MG67 (Aug 19, 2003)

Emission said:


> Agreed. I only need them to last a bit longer. The lease is up on this piece-of-shi* in just nine months...
> 
> (It has been in the shop overnight nearly 15 times since it was leased in 2005. Do not ever buy a Volvo.)


 LEMON....:thumbup: I would not stand for that kind of Sh*t...


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

MG67 said:


> LEMON....:thumbup: I would not stand for that kind of Sh*t...


It didn't qualify (trust me, I tried). The repairs have been consistent over the past 28 months... a couple days in the shop every other month. Not poor enough for a lemon.

The local dealer is incompetent. Absolute idiots - I kid you not. They are an embarassment to the brand. On this most recent repair, I crawled under the car with a digital camera and took a pic of the broken sway bar bushing. I handed them a typed note saying the part was broken. Still, it took them two days to diagnose the sway bar as causing the issue! Doh!


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## TeamM3 (Dec 24, 2002)

sadly, there are precious few dealerships which aren't dominated by idiots

the biggest problem is they're owned by idiots, the idiocy just flows downhill from there

and yes, it needs an alignment


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

The Service Advisor just called. My car is done. It needed new sway bar bushings and a new left front strut. According to him, "_*It didn't need an alignment*_." 

I'm going to pick it up anyway (if I insist on an alignment, they will simply lie and hold the car until the AM and tell me it was done). I will call the owner of the dealership tomorrow (they have a "1-5 satisfaction points" program like BMW does with their service department, so I have them where I want them).

I'll take the car to my alignment shop (who I trust) and I will force the dealer to pay them directly (I am sure they can trade-out the work).

I am so angry at this dealership. I hate Volvo.


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## drivinfaster (Nov 24, 2007)

yes, get an alignment, no it is not a warranty item. dealers will only cover an alignment during the first few thousand miles only (just like batteries, bulbs, belts, brake pads, and tires) and then only for a few specific reasons. i have seen vehicles hit a curb, pothole, and even go off the road and tear up the suspension before the 1st oil change was due. the tell tale signs are usually evident, though. you might be able to kick and scream to get one because of the strut being replaced under warranty, but if the service department couldn't figure out the sway bar end link, would you really trust them with the alignment??? with the few months left on the lease, just bite the bullet and find another dealership and get another vehicle. and get the alignment done at an indie. with before and after specs would be nice. 
just my few cents. 
drivinfaster


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## TeamM3 (Dec 24, 2002)

I would just take it to a good shop and pay it out of my own pocket, the mental cost isn't worth it


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

drivinfaster said:


> yes, get an alignment, no it is not a warranty item. dealers will only cover an alignment during the first few thousand miles only (just like batteries, bulbs, belts, brake pads, and tires) and then only for a few specific reasons. i have seen vehicles hit a curb, pothole, and even go off the road and tear up the suspension before the 1st oil change was due. the tell tale signs are usually evident, though. you might be able to kick and scream to get one because of the strut being replaced under warranty, but if the service department couldn't figure out the sway bar end link, would you really trust them with the alignment??? with the few months left on the lease, just bite the bullet and find another dealership and get another vehicle. and get the alignment done at an indie. with before and after specs would be nice.
> just my few cents.
> drivinfaster


The alignment _should_ be covered in this case. To date, Volvo has replaced the left strut, the right strut, the left tie rod, the right tie rod, the sway bar, the sway bar bushings, and the left CV joint. The car just broke 30,000 miles. :yikes: Basically, the front end of this car has fallen apart - I should not be required to get an alignment each time it goes in to have its front end ripped apart due to their endless incompetence (aka how Volvo designs a car).


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

TeamM3 said:


> I would just take it to a good shop and pay it out of my own pocket, the mental cost isn't worth it


It's not the money. It's the principle. But, you may be right this time - suck it up and never go back...


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## jvr826 (Apr 22, 2002)

It kinda depends actually. On a stock E46, the front camber is not adjustable. There's a guide pin that positions the strut in the tower and you just tighten the nuts and you're done. If you don't touch anything that would mess with toe, there is no need for an alignment.

I don't know on the Volvo, so it's a valid question, but the answer for a stockk e46 is no, you don't always need one.

I'd also say you'd want to replace struts in pairs, not just one, unless they're fairly new. 

Sounds like fun though!


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## hockeynut (Apr 14, 2002)

This is in off-topic. If its just automotive, it should be in general automotive.

To qualify for off-topic you need something like this:

"Should frogs be allowed to drive on public roads. Discuss."


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