'99 Tahoe 4x4 Issues related to maintenance of ball joints

[fullm3taljacket]

Alright, a little background...I am not a mechanic and never will be. I have done some research both here and the sister site (Tahoe Forum) where this will be posted as well, verbatim.

After an 800 mile trip, I had an oil change done to my '99 Tahoe and discovered that the boots were split on my upper ball joints. I was told that this was an $1100 job in total with upper and lower ball joints needing to be replaced, along with the pitman and idler arms being replaced.

So, I feel as though I'm being taken advantage of, as we never looked at the lower ball joints (if there are even lower ball joints, I honestly don't know) and the mechanic tells me about the arms needing to be replaced, but never discussed it at the time of the inspection.

Figuring this forum has an objective point of view, I have a few questions:

First, do you think I rightly feel taken advantage of, or could there be more to the mechanic's concerns with the arms and lower ball joints even though he never discussed them with me then and there?

Second, it is my impression after reading these forums that perhaps I should just grease the joints more regularly and not worry about them too much for some time, would you agree with this?

Third, because the engineers decided in their infinite wisdom to rivet the joints in, this is why the cost for this maintenance is so much (labor). What is the general impression of a reasonable price to have this work done?

Any additional insights are more than welcome and thank you in advance!

-Max

 

[OR VietVet]

See replies on other forum.

 

[2000tahoeZ71]

I paid about $500 bucks for Moog parts and labor on the ball joints. The reason I paid to have the ball joints done was due to the riveted in uppers and my lack of time. I did my own pitman and idler arms and tie rods and will say that the pitman arm is a PITA, and if you're not careful, you will probably be replacing the steering box when the seals fail from beating and banging on the pitman arm to get it to release. In my honest opinion, considering how much trouble it is, it's probably not an unreasonable price if it includes quality parts. I would however find someone that is willing to remove the upper ball joints instead of just replacing the upper control arm. After that, the next time you need ball joints they just bolt in.

 

[fullm3taljacket]

Also posted on Tahoe Forum.

So I finally got around to getting some quotes with itemized lists.

I told each shop that I needed pitman and idler arms replaced along with both control arms (which each come with their own socket joints). I asked for Moog Problem Solver everything, but Moog no longer makes control arms for my model, so that's going to be standard. My tie rods and sway bar links looked good as-is.

The highest price I got was for $2K (without my military discount applied) and their itemized list was:

7 Hours of Labor (w/ alignment): $660 total
2x Lower Ball Joints: $124 total
2x Upper Control Arms: $560 total
2x Lower Control Arm Bushings: $150 total
1x Idler Arm: $170
1x Pitman Arm: $124
Alignment: $90

The low-end shop is giving me a $900 quote (with my military discount being used) and their itemized list shows:

4 hours of labor: $400
Idler arm: $150
Pitman arm: $110
Upper control arms x2: $220 total

Just realized this one didn't put alignment in...they're pretty lax about things like that, it is possible they'll throw it in, but let's say $90 just to be safe, getting me out the door at just under $1K. That's at least a $1K difference between the two!

Does my description to the shops seem correct? Is the low-end quote realistic? Have I missed anything here?

 

[OR VietVet]

Also posted on Tahoe Forum.

So I finally got around to getting some quotes with itemized lists.

I told each shop that I needed pitman and idler arms replaced along with both control arms (which each come with their own socket joints). I asked for Moog Problem Solver everything, but Moog no longer makes control arms for my model, so that's going to be standard. My tie rods and sway bar links looked good as-is.

The highest price I got was for $2K (without my military discount applied) and their itemized list was:

7 Hours of Labor (w/ alignment): $660 total
2x Lower Ball Joints: $124 total
2x Upper Control Arms: $560 total
2x Lower Control Arm Bushings: $150 total
1x Idler Arm: $170
1x Pitman Arm: $124
Alignment: $90

The low-end shop is giving me a $900 quote (with my military discount being used) and their itemized list shows:

4 hours of labor: $400
Idler arm: $150
Pitman arm: $110
Upper control arms x2: $220 total

Just realized this one didn't put alignment in...they're pretty lax about things like that, it is possible they'll throw it in, but let's say $90 just to be safe, getting me out the door at just under $1K. That's at least a $1K difference between the two!

Does my description to the shops seem correct? Is the low-end quote realistic? Have I missed anything here?

I see no tie rods replaced in the estimates. Will the higher quote give a military discount and how much? Be aware those are estimates because when doing the labor if rust keeps it from coming apart easily the price is likely to go up, ask about that. Ask the first shop why the labor time is so much different and how much they are allowing for the alignment in the labor time? Get an exact price for the alignment at the second shop. Once all these have been answered then we can start comparing apples to apples. Also, you can check online at Yelp for reviews for each shop or ask around about them. With each job is it absolutely guaranteed that an ASE steering and suspension tech going to do the work?

 

[fullm3taljacket]

raiderron,

The tie rods looked good as is so we've decided against replacing them. The high-end shop will give me a discount of some kind (unknown amount and at double the price, I am disinclined to lean that direction). I also did get two more quotes in the $1400 area.

The rest I will have to address next week (everywhere is going to be closed tomorrow and Thursday and I'm going out of town over the weekend) but I will definitely do so. This is more expensive than I had thought, but it needs to get done sooner, rather than later.

 

[jerryjoe28]

have you ever thought about doing it yourself?

 

[OR VietVet]

The second less expensive estimate does not include the lower ball joints or the lower control arm bushings or any related labor.

 

[fullm3taljacket]

jerryjoe28,

I am not in any way a mechanic and while I might be able to replace batteries, alternators, and starter motors, I would be way in over my head on this one.

---------- Post added at 10:44 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:41 AM ----------

Raiderron,

You are correct that the $900 job does not include the lower ball joints or the labor therein. I did tell them what I wanted, but maybe they left that off on accident, either way, thanks for catching that...I will make sure it is addressed.

 

[jerryjoe28]

jerryjoe28,

I am not in any way a mechanic and while I might be able to replace batteries, alternators, and starter motors, I would be way in over my head on this one.

---------- Post added at 10:44 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:41 AM ----------

that is fine man just figured i would ask. i think if watched a little youtube on it you could prob talk yourself into it. but i understand not wanting to get in over your head!