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Old 11-16-2015, 09:44 PM
RolHammer RolHammer is offline
 
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Default Replace sway bar links - alignment necessary?

Going to be replacing the sway bar links and sway bar bushings on my van & am just curious if I should book in for a wheel alignment afterward. This will be on an '03 Honda Odyssey.
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Old 11-16-2015, 09:46 PM
Heyupduck Heyupduck is offline
 
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Nope. (unless you want to)
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Old 11-16-2015, 09:46 PM
hopper146 hopper146 is offline
 
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Shouldn't affect the alignment at all. Will just correct the handling and remove the clunking
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Old 11-16-2015, 09:49 PM
RolHammer RolHammer is offline
 
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Thanks guys. Didn't think so, but just wanted to be certain.
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  #5  
Old 11-17-2015, 09:09 AM
bobtodrick bobtodrick is offline
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Had mine done earlier this year (2007 Trailblazer).
I was out of province and one of the few times I didn't use my usual haunt (Ital Motors in Edmonton).
A Canadian Tire in Saskatoon...told me I didn't need an alignment.
Three weeks later (maybe 1500km) I noticed I definitely had worn the edges of my NEW Firestones AT nearly away on the front.
Took it Ital and they said that most of the time replacing sway bar bushings shouldn't affect alignment...but that any decent shop still checks.
By not taking it to my regular guy I figure I'll need two new tires in the spring.
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Old 11-17-2015, 09:15 AM
Sooner Sooner is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bobtodrick View Post
Had mine done earlier this year (2007 Trailblazer).
I was out of province and one of the few times I didn't use my usual haunt (Ital Motors in Edmonton).
A Canadian Tire in Saskatoon...told me I didn't need an alignment.
Three weeks later (maybe 1500km) I noticed I definitely had worn the edges of my NEW Firestones AT nearly away on the front.
Took it Ital and they said that most of the time replacing sway bar bushings shouldn't affect alignment...but that any decent shop still checks.
By not taking it to my regular guy I figure I'll need two new tires in the spring.
Imo, if your tires are showing noticeable wear in that short amount of travel, you have some other issues in the front end. Sway bar links should not effect alignment. I drove with broken ones on my explorer for a few months before I changed them out. You only lose handling in the corners if their not hooked up. No tire wear seen and i put a lot of km's on for work.
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  #7  
Old 11-18-2015, 09:01 AM
bobtodrick bobtodrick is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sooner View Post
Imo, if your tires are showing noticeable wear in that short amount of travel, you have some other issues in the front end. Sway bar links should not effect alignment. I drove with broken ones on my explorer for a few months before I changed them out. You only lose handling in the corners if their not hooked up. No tire wear seen and i put a lot of km's on for work.
All I know is they moved the fronts to the rear, did an alignment and 20000 kms later there is virtually no noticeable wear.
Due to a back injury I have never made my living as a mechanic...but I completed my apprenticeship back in 1976. At that time any front end work ended with 15 minutes on the alignment rack...at least where I apprenticed.
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