OK---Sears quoted me $850 to put in both upper and lower ball joints---Midas was $680. My mechanic will do it for $500. There is no way that I can do it myself--I do not have the facilites or the tools, not to mention the skill or patience necessary.

My question is this---is $500 a decent price? I trust the guy and he has done work for me---but can I get it cheaper? What do you all think?

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Is the $500 price with the parts or are you supplying the parts? and this is his labor.

 

Parts and labor---he said he would also check the U-joints as well.

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I would say that sounds like pretty good price IMO

 

are they that bad to change???

 

$500 for parts and labor on both upper and lower? If so that is a very good price.

 

Thanks---I appreciate the input. I really trust the mechanic, and usually his prices are better than anybody---but the great deal about him is that I know that the job will be done right.

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Had my lowers done recently & price was right around $500...I had no idea they were/would be bad with less than 40k miles at the time...

 

Wow.. $500 you are getting a killer deal. Parts alone depending upon where you go are $200-$300. If you are past 75k your mechanic may find that you need new tie-rod-ends so don't be surprised if you have to pay for those too and he charges you more. I took my truck all apart a few weeks ago with intensions of just installing upper and lower ball joints but when it was time to put the tie rod ends back in the ball was spinning inside the joint so I was unable to tighten it thus, I had to buy new tie-rods.. another $180. If you have the choice on parts I would go with Moog and get zerk fittings that way you can grease them at every oil change and never have to buy new parts (life time warranty on Moog parts)

$500 is a great deal though.. I was quote $800 by NTB and $900+ at pep boys.

-Bill-

 

x2 Im looking into replacing my uppers and lowers. anything i should look out for?

 

$500.00 for parts and labor. I'd be all over it.

 

500 is a great deal!!! I just had my buddy price me and he said somewhere around 1099 dolars to do it . Now im realy confused. Hes a mechanic and iv known him all of my life and he usualy gives me a good deal. Id jump all over that

 

Just for comparison. I did all four, uppers and lowers myself. The parts were $132.00 total. It took me 5 hours to perform the complete job. This was on a 1997 F150 4x4. So with the cost of labor per hour I would say $500.00 is a fair price.

 

I went to the quicklane at the dealership today to have 4 new tires put on my truck. I was told my lower ball joints are starting to have some play in them. Looks like another major exspense soon. My old 2000 still had the original ball joints in it when I traded it off with 96k on it. My 05 just has 43k on it and they are starting to go bad they must not make them like they use too or I got very lucky with the ones on my 2000.

 

186K on my 2000 f150 4x4. they have been needing a change since about 120k. What makes the joints wear out so quick. Why are there no grease fittings on them. makes no sense to me. I'm thinking of putting in a straight axle. I could do it for the cost of the joints and not have to worry with them anymore.