Rebuiding my front end - upgrades?

[Tonyrodz]

Imo, if you can do it--I'd just replace the complete upper/lower control arms. Much cheaper and easier then just replacing bushings or ball joints. I'm pretty sure your upper bushings are probably cracked or dry rotted.

 

[tRidiot]

Actually when I was under there the other day, they didn't look bad at all. I was surprised they looked ok. Like my body bushings. But... if I'm gonna rip things out and have them replaced... why not? I think I can get purchase approval from The Wife, so I should exploit while I can, right???? lol

 

[calsdad]

So I took my truck to another brake and alignment shop this morning. Told the guy the story about the other shop wanting to do 3 ball joints and a wheel hub, then my mechanic checking them and he thought they were ok. He asked if he lifted it on the control arms or the frame, I think? I can't remember, he said you have to do it one way or the other or it will support things and make them feel tight when they're not. I don't know, offhand. Anyways, he called me back later and says, yeah I need two ball joints and hub on the driver's side. I know I replaced that driver's hub or at least bearing once, but that woulda been 8-9y ago, it's had probably 150-180k miles on it since then. Quote was about $950.

I told him I'd like to take it home, pay him for what he's done and see when I can afford to do this, turns out he didn't charge me at all, just said to let him know what I want to do and he'll take care of me.

I told him I had considered doing a full front end, if I got all the parts, what would he charge me to do everything - even Pittman arm, idler arm etc. He quoted me about $1200, which I don't think is too unreasonable, at all. He even told me to get it all on Rock Auto, the parts houses are even having trouble getting parts right now, but if I get the upper end Moog stuff, he says that is the best out there, along with TKW (I think?*), he would definitely recommend that.

So I'm gonna think about doing the whole front end. If I've got 2 ball joints and wheel hub need replacing, at 280k miles, I think I'd be best served doing the whole front end instead, and not be back in 6 or 8 months getting more done on the other side, etc.

*<edit> I cant find any TKW, maybe I didn't catch it right. I have KW coilovers on my 370Z, but they don't make anything for my truck.

<edit 2> Maybe he said TRW. That looks like it could be it.

I did the front wheel hub & bearing assemblies on my 2003 2500 Suburban myself - but it was obvious that it needed them as there was noise coming out of the front end that sounded like noisy bearings. When I rebuilt the front end on my 2010 Yukon XL 2500, the hubs & bearings didn't seem like they needed to be replaced - everything seemed tight and there was no obvious noise - but I did them anyway because I was doing everything else in the front end, and I was upgrading the brakes - and because all of my reading thru GM truck forums over the years led me to understand that when you've got 110,000 miles on the truck - the front bearings were likely overdue for replacement.

I went with what seemed to get all the best recomendations for brand : SKF. It's what I put on the 2003 Suburban - and they seem to have worked well so far. I would also add that after I put the new bearings in - even though the old ones didn't seem to be worn out - it was obvious that the new ones were definitely an improvement. I used the SKF "X-Tracker" type front bearings - and they definitely seemed better than what was in there.

With the mileage you have on your truck I would say definitely do them - and do both of them. They're not hard to do at all - at least they haven't been hard to do on either of the trucks I have had.

TRW makes a lot of suspension parts - they've always been good quality from what I know of them.

 

[tRidiot]

Ok, The Wife says to go ahead. We're taking a trip to south TX in 3 weeks over Spring Break and her RAV4 isn't big enough for us all to be comfortable hauling all our crap to sustain use for 8-9 days and the dog.

So it's on like Donkey Kong.

But now I'm feeling guilty about spending a ton, as we're planning 2 major vacations this year, and I've got to buy a vehicle for my son, as he totaled his 2 weeks ago. <sigh> So I'm gonna come up with a couple of options and lists and see what 'level' of repair/rebuild sounds like it makes the most sense right now.

 

[mattt]

Was the $1200, now $950 quote for labor only? Where are you located? If that is labor only, it seems a tad high, but that could be area dependent. Is there another reliable shop you could get an estimate from?

 

[tRidiot]

No he had estimated $950 to do the two ball joints and the hub - including the parts. (The first place I went wanted $1500, I think for 3 ball joints and one hub or bearing).

Then when I went and picked it up, I asked him about if I got all the parts how much to do a complete front end rebuild, including Pitman and idler arm. That was what he quoted me at $1200 for labor only.

 

[tRidiot]

Ok, so I've got a couple of preliminary things put together.

Option #1. Complete front end rebuild. $1,136 parts/~$1200 labor = approx $2300-2500
L/R Upper and Lower Control Arms - Moog CK line
L/R Inner & Outer Tie Rods - AC Delco Gold
Pitman arm, Idler arm and Idler arm bracket - Moog HD line
Center link/Drag link - Moog
Sway Bar/Stabilizer Bar End Links - GM Genuine
L/R Wheel Bearing & Hub - Timken (GM Genuine is Timken, but $40 more)

I didn't include CV axles, though I probable should. About another $110 for APWI or $150 for GSP, the only ones available at Rock Auto. I don't know anything about these two brands, so any help or suggestions would be appreciated. AutoZone doesn't have anything, Carquest brand from Advance are $115 apiece, NAPA new are $130 ea, or remans $67 ea.

Essentially everything under the front end will be replaced except the actual sway bar/stabilizer bar and the brakes. Oh and the steering linkage box? Anyways...

Option #2. Moderate front end rebuild. $658 parts/~600-750 labor?? (guesstimate) = approx $1300-1500
L/R Inner & Outer Tie Rods - Moog
L/R Wheel Bearing & Hub - Timken (GM Genuine is Timken, but $40 more)
Sway Bar/Stabilizer Bar End Links - AC Delco Gold
Control Arm Bushing set - Energy Suspension
L/R Upper & Lower Ball Joints - AC Delco Gold

So I figure about another grand to go from moderate rebuild to complete.

Do I NEED to replace everything? No, not really. The control arms themselves I think are fine. The stabilizer bar, ditto. And the Pitman and idler arms are fine for now, but have nearly 300k miles on them, who knows when they'll start giving me trouble? I'm leaning toward option #1. Now, I have a message in to a guy I know who helped me do my shocks and springs and minimal key lift. He has a great shop and a lift we can do this on, we'd knock this out in no time, like a day. But... I also haven't talked to him in a couple of years, so I don't want to just call him up and ask him to basically do this for me while I hand him tools - which is what happened last time. He loves to wrench on things, and he has built monster rock crawlers and such, he had a Bronco he build I think that was on a magazine cover, etc. But I don't want him to think I'm just taking advantage of him. Even though I am.

That would be my ideal situation, I'm gonna ask his advice, and if he offers to have me come over and do this crap there, I'm jumping on it! He knows his stuff and it would save me ~50% even if I paid him a few hundred bucks. He doesn't need the money, at all, he just enjoys it.

So... I spend $1500 or so and hope the Pitman and idler arm remain good, or throw in an extra grand and do it all at once. An extra $1000 ain't nuthin' to sneeze at, that's for sure.

 

[Smutty j]

I have an 01 Yukon Slt. I just replaced the upper and lower ball joints on mine. One thing I‘d recommend. Plenty of penetrating oil on them before you attempt to do the job. Mine took almost 8 hrs to do just for the lower ball joints. They had never been changed since new. The rear arms were easy and not hard to do. So I hope you don’t have a bear of a time on your front as I did. But it’s doable. The Moog parts, I think are the way to go. Good luck.

 

[tRidiot]

If I had a place to do it, I'd try it myself. But, my garage doesn't have room, and my driveway is sloped. Not much other option.

I know in some bigger cities they have places you can rent shop space and I think even tools. Man, if we had that here, I'd jump on it. <sigh>

<edit> At this point, I'm just driving it. I'm mostly in town for short hauls, and I just can't MAKE myself spend $1000-2500 on the stupid thing.

 

[corvette744]

If i can make a small upgrade-dont install the stock rubber sway bar bushings.Install energy suspension end links and sway bar bushings you will be so happy you did.To prove it do all your suspension even with the stock rubber sway bar end links then go drive it for 100 miles.Remove sway bar install energy suspension poly mounts and end links same money as rubber then go drive it and you wont believe what a difference it makes in a more secure feeling on your handling.Especially loaded down with the family and lots of weight thats what i would do.This one simple upgrade will make such a big difference you wont believe it.