Alignment needed after new shocks?

[ma bell]

I have eibachs with stock non s-line shocks (I know, I know) and the bounce bounce shuffle has become too cumbersome to bear after driving around in my wife's new Jetta TDI sportwagen...I am getting a set of bilstein sports in the next week or so and will have them put on the car- will an alignment be necessary after this? The car is aligned with the eibachs on it now. Thanks!

[Audicoupej]

Anytime the suspension is dissassembled it should have an alignment done. Since you are only replacing shocks/struts, the alignment should be close, but if it was my car I would have an alignment done.

[SykoraA4]

yes get it done.

[tankdeer]

Anytime the suspension is dissassembled it should have an alignment done. Since you are only replacing shocks/struts, the alignment should be close, but if it was my car I would have an alignment done.

This

[Quattro]

x2, if you dont want to that is fine see how it drives if you notice anything different than get it aligned. I am sure that are people who do not align after new suspension.

[Stewy]

+1...small price to pay to make sure everything is "a'ok".

[Inked]

I think the first question is why do you have non sline shocks with eibach springs?

[QuattroTi]

Im gonna go ahead and disagree with everyone. The only adjustment in the front is the tie rod and there is no need to undo this to drop the shock assembly. In the rear the only adjustment is the camber bolt w/ offset washer on the upper control arm
; you do not need to remove this bolt to remove the shock. As long as the adjustable components remain untouched there is no reason to re-align. Springs are a different story.

[ma bell]

Im gonna go ahead and disagree with everyone. The only adjustment in the front is the tie rod and there is no need to undo this to drop the shock assembly. In the rear the only adjustment is the camber bolt w/ offset washer on the upper control arm
; you do not need to remove this bolt to remove the shock. As long as the adjustable components remain untouched there is no reason to re-align. Springs are a different story.

I wanted to see what the forum thought, but the Audi/VW shop owner agreed with you...

As for inkeds question, I have run springs only on a few cars and I bought the springs and put them on shortly after I bought the car knowing I would eventually need shocks, but it looked ridiculous with it's ford bronco wheel gap and I couldn't take it... It has been bothering me as of late that it getting bouncy, but it was fine for almost 20,000 miles with the stockers ( and the same audi/VW shop owner mentioned above told me it would be, too)

[TFSI]

I think the op's question is answered here.
Now i have one question.
Do i still have to realign after changing front lower arms only? Due to wrong part, i was only able to change the rear arm.
I had to get it aligned because of long range driving.
Now i just dont want to pay for another alignment..
I know the shock bolt is attached to the front arm.
Would i be okay without alignment.?

[QuattroTi]

I think the op's question is answered here.
Now i have one question.
Do i still have to realign after changing front lower arms only? Due to wrong part, i was only able to change the rear arm.
I had to get it aligned because of long range driving.
Now i just dont want to pay for another alignment..
I know the shock bolt is attached to the front arm.
Would i be okay without alignment.?

You should be good, Unless the control arms you are replacing are significantly bent. Just make sure you tighten the bolts with the suspension under load.

[CorneliusRox]

If you dont move anything that would change anything you should be good. Replacing a non-adjustable part with another non-adjustable part, without having to loosen any adjustable parts should put you back to exactly where you were. Putting in springs counts as an adjustment since the suspension would be adjusted.