Wheel alignment after replacing suspension parts: when is it needed?

Any part that determines the position of the wheel can change the alignment once it has been replaced. These are steering parts, such as tie rods and ball joints, and suspension parts, such as control arms, lower ball joints, struts and springs. Wheel alignment means that we measure the position of the wheels and set it back to the manufacturer’s data. For what the three angles toe, camber and caster mean, see toe, camber and caster explained.

Sources: Bosch, ANWB, Michelin, KYB and Bridgestone, consulted November 2026.

Note the difference between ‘can change’ and ‘must’. Only with the tie rod end is the link direct: the tie rod is what sets the toe. With the other parts it depends on the car and on how the part is mounted. That is why we follow the data of your car’s manufacturer.

A strut is a load-bearing part of the wheel suspension, a separate shock absorber is not. That difference decides whether the alignment can change. KYB explains it like this: a shock absorber is a separate part, while a strut is an assembly of a shock absorber and a coil spring that also acts as a pivot point of the suspension.

Because the strut is part of the wheel suspension, KYB writes that removing and refitting a strut can affect the alignment. According to KYB, every strut affects the alignment in one way or another, and some struts even have adjustment holes to set the alignment. KYB’s advice is to check the manufacturer’s data for the specific model.

We do the same. Before we replace shock absorbers or struts, we look up the manufacturer’s data for your car. If the manufacturer asks for an alignment after this work, it is included in the quote straight away. More about the replacement itself is on shock absorber replacement in Rotterdam.

Aligning a car on worn parts makes little sense. If a ball joint has play or a bush is worn, the wheel moves more than it should while you drive. That is why we first replace what is worn and align afterwards. That way the alignment equipment measures the position of the wheel on sound parts.

The way the part is fitted counts too. Bosch prescribes tightening a new control arm while the car is in its normal driving position. That keeps the bushes from being twisted. Measuring and adjusting only make sense once everything is properly tightened.

It often starts at the APK (MOT), the compulsory Dutch vehicle inspection comparable to the British MOT. The inspector checks whether the ball joints in the suspension and steering have too much play. According to the APK manual of the RDW, the Dutch vehicle authority, the limit is 1.0 mm of wear play, in both directions (radial and axial). A steering rack boot must also not be so damaged that it no longer seals. More about that is on steering rack boot replacement. If you have us repair failed items on the steering or suspension and the manufacturer asks for an alignment after this work, it is included in the quote straight away. See also failed APK: having the items repaired.

After a hard knock we measure first and replace only what is damaged. According to the ANWB, hitting a kerb hard or driving through a deep pothole can upset the wheel alignment. The alignment can also be out after a collision.

If a part was damaged in the knock as well, such as a tie rod or a control arm, we replace it first. Only then does adjusting make sense. Have the alignment measured if the car pulls to one side after a knock or if the steering wheel is off-centre when you drive straight ahead. If a part needs replacing, we tell you in advance what the replacement and the alignment cost together.

At the APK, the toe and camber are not measured. The inspector does check that the wheels are not out of line with the body of the car. According to the APK manual, the distances from the wheels to fixed points on the body, measured on the left and the right, must not differ by more than 15 mm. That is about a bent axle, for example after damage, and not about setting the toe.

Does your car have a camera behind the windscreen or a radar in the bumper or grille? Then that system may need to be set up again after an alignment or after work on the suspension. That depends on the make and model. We do not calibrate cameras or radar ourselves. That is done by the dealer or a specialist company. Ask about it when you book and we will check it for your car.

Bosch names suspension work and wheel alignment as situations in which calibrating these systems can be needed. Honda, on the other hand, writes that it is not needed after an alignment, unless the workshop manual for the model asks for it. So it depends on your car. According to Bosch, you can recognise such a system by a camera near the rear-view mirror, small radars or sensors in the grille, bumpers or door mirrors, and by the explanation in the owner’s manual.

With us, an alignment after a repair is in the quote in advance if the manufacturer asks for it. So we tell you one amount for the part, the labour and the alignment together, before we start. We only repair with your approval.

As an indication: according to the ANWB, a standard alignment usually costs € 70 to € 120 including labour, and the alignment itself takes 30 to 60 minutes on average (consulted November 2026). That is a market indication, not a price of Autobedrijf Willemsbrug. We tell you your price in advance based on your registration number (kenteken).

We measure all four wheels first. If an alignment is not needed, we tell you that too. This is how a repair with an alignment works with us:

1. Call +31 10 479 00 00 with your registration number and tell us which part needs replacing or what you notice.
2. We look up the manufacturer’s data. If the manufacturer asks for an alignment after this work, it is included in the quote straight away. We tell you one amount in advance.
3. After your approval we replace the part. If anything else comes up, we tell you first.
4. Then we measure all four wheels with our alignment equipment and adjust them to the manufacturer’s data.
5. You drop off the car and we call you when it is ready. A loan bike is free while one is available.

We are open Monday to Friday from 8.00 to 17.30 and on Saturday from 9.00 to 15.00. Wheel alignment is also possible on Saturday, by appointment. More about how we measure and adjust is on wheel alignment in Rotterdam. If you have recently had new tyres fitted, read wheel alignment after new tyres.

That depends on the car. New front struts can change the position of the wheels. If the manufacturer asks for an alignment after this work, it is included in the quote straight away.

Yes. The tie rod is what sets the toe, so after a new tie rod end the toe is no longer correct by itself. According to Bosch, a correct adjustment after replacement prevents tyre wear. That is why we set the toe again, and it is in the quote in advance.

That depends on the car and on what the manufacturer prescribes. According to the ANWB, the alignment can change after control arms have been replaced. If the manufacturer asks for an alignment, it is in the quote and we do it straight after the repair. If you then notice that the car pulls to one side or that the steering wheel is off-centre, have it measured.

No. At the APK, the toe and camber are not measured. The inspector does check that the wheels are not out of line with the body. The inspector also checks the ball joints and steering parts for play. A fail on those means replacement, and after that an alignment may be needed.

Call us and we will take a look. Pulling to one side is not only caused by the alignment. According to Michelin, it can also come from a difference in tyre pressure, a seized brake caliper or the tyre itself. We check those causes too before we adjust again.

According to the ANWB, the alignment itself takes 30 to 60 minutes on average. The repair comes on top of that. We tell you how long it takes for your car when we give you the quote. You drop off the car and we call you when it is ready.

Yes. Wheel alignment is possible on Saturday between 9.00 and 15.00, by appointment. Call +31 10 479 00 00 to arrange a time. Shock absorber replacement on Saturday is possible by arrangement.

• ANWB: Auto uitlijnen: after replacing ball joints or control arms the alignment can change, cost € 70 to € 120, 30 to 60 minutes (in Dutch)
• KYB: Do I need to align my wheels after replacing my struts? (It depends on the vehicle design)
• Bosch: Chassis-Komponenten brochure: adjusting tie rods after replacement, fitting control arms in driving position (in German)
• Michelin: When should I check my wheel alignment? (after replacing suspension or steering parts)
• Bridgestone: Wheel Alignment Service: new alignment after a change in ride height
• Bosch Car Service: ADAS Calibration: when calibration can be needed and how to recognise ADAS