Look what Brown brought me!

[jwduke]

$538 for a pro to put BJ's in & Spyntec free wheel kit & new u joints, too. Was going to buy the OTC press from Amazon and do it my self, but between it was rained 14" the last 2 weeks, and what was I going to do with the press later... that seemed like the lesser of 2 evils...

 

[AMink]

I think I'm going to give it a shot. Got quotes ranging between $500 and $650 to do the job at a shop . I have more time than money or good sense.

 

[jwduke]

AMink I have to agree, but when you are down a vehicle & the weather doesn't cooperate... .

 

[HHhuntitall]

My problem is finding someone to do it right. Locally, around here, there are no shops that will do much of anything right. I constantly find the crap other shops, including dealers, screw up. That's what's gotten me started doing mechanic work again..... I had a truck in here from the dealer about two years ago, an '03-04?, and the bottom passenger ball joint wasn't pressed in all the way, and didn't have the snap ring on it... . Then, when I went to press in the new ball joint, the dealer's trained monkey had apparently knocked the old one out with a hammer, and bradded the housing on one corner..... I really didn't think it was that complicated. I know I'm not the best, but around here, I seem to be the one everyone calls.....



Even yesterday, Orielly's at Sanger called me looking for an upper control arm for a '92. Apparently, the customer had gone in to get his front end fixed for whatever reason, they replaced all his ball joints, and welded the upper one in place when they did it. Now, a year or so later, he's got to do it again, but now it's gonna cost him $muchodinero$, as this time, he has to have the truck and can't wait on it..... The dealer was the only one that could get it the next day, at $240, and it'll be here this afternoon. And add ball joints, bushings, and labor to that cost. And I don't have an alignment rack, so he'll have to do that, too.



Bah!! Makes me feel like I'm a Ford mechanic again!!! :{

 

[jwduke]

Actually I read the bill wrong... It was $392+ tax. Forgot to deduct the 2 U-joints. So really it wasn't that bad.

 

[AMink]

Started the job today. Took a while to get the axle nut off but with a little penetrating oil, some heat, and a tap with a hammer it popped free. Could not get the damn caliper bolts off for the life of me. Ticks me off! Axle nut back on, more penetrating oil, start again tomorrow. I need to get a better wrench.

 

[Superdawg]

Try applying heat to the caliper bolt, then try to turn it. If I remember correctly, there is a little loctite in it.

 

[AMink]

All the way in! I even had a joint press! Of course it's the wrong one and doesn't work except on the bottom one which seems to be welded in. ARRGGGHHH!

EDIT: OK, it would help if I dropped the axle down some to get to the top of the screw. Duh. Got the old ones out and got the new top one in. It was harder to get the new one in with lube than get the old rust welded one out. That's enough for today.

 

[AMink]

Success! Yes, it's been 6 days but I didn't work on it the whole time. Things I've learned:
1--heat and penetrating oil are ok but leverage is da bomb!
2--the caliper adapter is right side up on one side, upside down on the other. The caliper goes in on the top first on the driver side, bottom on the passenger.
3--you need a bigger press. When the stack is big enough to do what you need to do, the press isn't wide enough. Keep thinking and you'll figure out a way to do it.
4--it's harder to get the top joint in than out.
5--it's harder to get the bottom joint out than in.
6--at least put in new brake pads while you're in there. Even at 103,000 miles the original pads still had meat left though.
7--if you put a stack of wood under the handle of your breaker bar and slowly drop the axle with the socket on the caliper bolts, they will pop loose. Finally.
8--it sucks trying to work on this when it's over 90° and the sun is beating down on you.
9--it's good to have an alternative mode of transportation while you catch your breath.
10--the second side goes a whole lot faster than the first.

 

[jwduke]

AMink, you are making me think the $392 check was EASIER to write... . LOL!!

 

[AMink]

AMink, you are making me think the $392 check was EASIER to write... . LOL!!

Yep, and you may want to consider the same when replacing the 10' long serpentine belt! That was a two beer, may cuss word job too!

 

[jwduke]

I got the tool to do that (No its not a pen & checkbook either, LOL!). It worked quite slick!