# CV Joints and front end alignment

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cv-joints-and-front-end-alignment/330427>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 10, 2005, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cv-joints-and-front-end-alignment/330427 "2005-11-10T17:07:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![chaparralv8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@chaparralv8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaparralv8)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cv-joints-and-front-end-alignment/330427/21 "2005-11-11T04:25:37Z")

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> [@Rick](#):
>
> Again sometime you can get the lower control arm down far enough without disconnecting the sway bar other times not. In neither case is this a reason to realign the car. Even if the sway bar breaks, it is not a reason to re-align the car.

Yeah, but the pounding on the swaybar link at the attachment may knock the lower control arm around a bit… besides, if the suspension’s so rusty and creaky that the swaybar or swaybar link breaks, an alignment may be one of the items on the bill…

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**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cv-joints-and-front-end-alignment/330427/22 "2005-11-11T13:14:10Z")

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> [@Schuyler](#):
>
> Thanks for asking - since you insist ( 🙂 ), the front-drivers were a Honda Civic and a Toyota Celica. I did a lot more work on the Honda, which had a torsion-bar/strut front-end. Breaking apart the ball joints was always a pain, and always tore the rubber grease cover, which I would replace. But the work that I would do never effected the steering geometry, unless is was a consequence of the general banging around down there. The exception was lowering slightly the front ride height, but I didn’t mind the small increase in toe-out beyond that of the original autocross alignment (about 1/8" toe-out). But don’t get me started - I still miss that car. ☹ / 🙂

Both cars are not well suited for racing, except the latest [Civic Type-R](http://www.carfolio.com/specifications/models/id/?id=91322) (not imported in the US AFAIK). Some really good front wheel cars (if you can find them in the US) are the [Fiat Coupe](http://www.carfolio.com/specifications/models/car/?car=40612&Fiat), the [Peugeot 306 GTI](http://www.carfolio.com/specifications/models/car/?car=29216&Peugeot) and of course (my favorite) the [Ford Focus RS](http://www.carfolio.com/specifications/models/car/?car=99341&Ford). How I wish I had a Focus RS ☹

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