How much for control arm shaft/ball joint replacement?

[LowGT]

Ok, I'm converting to front disc and installing a complete front/rear suspension rebuild kit. I removed the upper and lower control arms and cleaned them up, man I had to go after some of that stuff with a chisel and hammer!

I removed the upper control arm shafts/bushings. Now I'm taking all the control arms to a shop to have them:

-Remove factory upper ball joints
-Remove lower ball joints
-Remove lower shafts/bushings

-Install upper ball joints
-Install upper shafts/bushings
-Install lower ball joints
-Install lower shafts/bushings

I haven't had much luck with machine shops in the past as far as work quality and knowledge go, so I took it to a place that does complete car restorations all in house. I talked to the owner, he claims to be a suspension guy. (drives a 55 pickup tall enough for the bumper to hit me in the chest) Anyway, he had a 67 in the shop already and had all the right responses with measuring and centering the shafts, etc... so I felt good about his knowledge of the work to be done. He quoted me $400 to do everything listed above, and my initial feeling was that was expensive, but I have never had stuff like this done before so I just don't know.

Is $400 too much? Good deal? Or about what you would expect?

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by LowGT

Ok, I'm converting to front disc and installing a complete front/rear suspension rebuild kit. I removed the upper and lower control arms and cleaned them up, man I had to go after some of that stuff with a chisel and hammer!

I removed the upper control arm shafts/bushings. Now I'm taking all the control arms to a shop to have them:

-Remove factory upper ball joints
-Remove lower ball joints
-Remove lower shafts/bushings

-Install upper ball joints
-Install upper shafts/bushings
-Install lower ball joints
-Install lower shafts/bushings

I haven't had much luck with machine shops in the past as far as work quality and knowledge go, so I took it to a place that does complete car restorations all in house. I talked to the owner, he claims to be a suspension guy. (drives a 55 pickup tall enough for the bumper to hit me in the chest) Anyway, he had a 67 in the shop already and had all the right responses with measuring and centering the shafts, etc... so I felt good about his knowledge of the work to be done. He quoted me $400 to do everything listed above, and my initial feeling was that was expensive, but I have never had stuff like this done before so I just don't know.

Is $400 too much? Good deal? Or about what you would expect?

Is that parts & labor or what?

[LowGT]

Just labor.
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[72lb4x4]

Why not do it yourself?

Uppers are riveted in or by now bolted.
Lowers you can borrow a tool from the parts store to remove/install.
My C20 had screw on caps on the shafts, so a big socket may be needed. I'm not sure if a C10 is the same.

I'm in Grapevine and can help if you bring the parts over and don't mind being around an old guy for a few hours... We should be able to at least get part of it done.

I think $400 is high and figure a few hours.

[LowGT]

I had intentions of doing it myself, but after tearing down a complete donor 72 front end and then the front end on my 68, I was exhausted.... and in the dog house with the Mrs for being out in the garage the whole weekend.

[ItsRandy]

Originally Posted by LowGT

.... and in the dog house with the Mrs for being out in the garage the whole weekend.

She'll get over it. If you do it often enough, it will become normal and she will expect you to stay in the garage all weekend working on your truck, or...she will divorce you.

[lil hoodlum]

I don't know, $400 sounds a little high to me.

Maybe because this is a restoration shop?

If I were you, I would find someone to do the work. I agree, the ball joints practically pop in. Ok, it's a little harder than that but you get the idea.

I use a tire and alignment shop here in Denton and they usually charge $60 an hour for labor.

Since you are in the Dallas area, you might try some of the Servico Mechanicas. The are the service or mechanics that do work for the spanish speaking clientel. Yes, they will do work for the Gringos too!

Keith

[72lb4x4]

Hold out your hand and say you need $400 to pay someone to work on the truck... I'll bet she has you back out in the garage in no time.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by LowGT

Just labor.

Do you already have the parts?

[cdowns]

for $400 i'd rather buy the tools that i didn't have and take my time and do them myself(will go faster if wife helps)

in the end you can clean and oaint to a higher level and have tools you own available for the rest of your life and a superior finished product that you did yourself for less money

[eldogg]

$300-$400 Sounds fair to me, thats a lot of work. Rubber bushings make it even harder.