I took my truck in to get new wheels and tires put on today and the mechanic told me that my::went bad
2 lower ball joints
2 outer tie nuts
then i need the camber & caster correction done
all together with labor its 930 bucks! does this seem right at all?

 

They might be bad but $930 is ridiculous. Just get the parts and do it yourself I've done them on my truck and it is easy.

 

anyone know how much aprox it is to get the caster camber stuff done?

 

If your lower ball joints are shot the uppers can't be far behind.
Prices for alignment cost vary. In my area an alignment is $39.

 

I wish mine were that cheap. Its about 70 for me

 

It happens...I went to get an alignment back in Dec and my front end was so bad, the guy wouldn't even work on it. I needed all four tie rod ends, pitman arm, and the idler arm. Don't remember the price quote, but as mentioned, you can do the work yourself if you're mechanically inclined. All those parts ran me $230 from RockAuto.

You guys are lucky...my front end alignment (after I replaced these parts myself) was $120. I went to three other places and no one had equipment that would work on my wheels (fake bead-locks). Supposedly this guy at the 4WD shop I went to really does good work. It drives completely awesome so I don't feel too bad about it.

Ball joints seem to go out at different times for different trucks. My uppers went out about 10,000 miles after installing my lift kit. My lowers are still originals with 100,000 miles on them. Just had them checked when the guy did my alignment and he said they're fine...I believe him to, cause if anyones wants to sell you parts it's this place. If they were even questionable he would have tried to make a sale...LOL

The caster camber kit is just a bolt kit with a larger eccentric head on it that replaces the stock upper control arm bolts. I think all four bolts (two on each upper control arm) were $50 or so when I did mine a few years back. They're mandatory if you have a lift. Stock, I don't know.

 

I'm worried that thats what i'm going to hear when i take mine in. 180k on all original front end parts and i just installed a leveling kit earlier tonight

 

Yea, but sometimes it's a blessing in disguise. For one, it's an excuse to get out and work on my truck. Another, it's amazing how my truck drives now with all new components. Front end parts are kinda like shocks...they degrade so slowly over time/mileage you don't notice the difference since you adapt right alon with them...until you put the new parts on and then go HOLY COW!, and can't believe what a drastic change.

 

that price is what it costs to take the lower control arms out and press new ball joints in. its alot of labor.

if you want to take them off and take the LCA's to them itll be cheaper and you can install the camber kit when re installing the LCA's .

And my alignments cost 3.61 FTW

Pics or this didnt happen haha

 

Couldn't agree more! Lets you get to know your truck that much better as well.



OP: How many miles on the pickup? How many miles since lift kit? Leveling kit? or were they done at the same time? Just curious.

 

Great idea!
The camber bolts install on the upper control arm, not the lower.

 

On the 97-03 they're on the upper but the nbs are on the lca's

 

got one up in the show em off thread

 

Ah...good info. Just noticed he has an '05.

 

yessir... $930 is way much. rip the lca off, take them to a shop and have the ball joints pressed in then put in the caster bolts. replace the tie rod ends yourself (mark the thread they are tightened to, take off, replace and tighten the new ones to that thread) then drive right to alignment shop. shouldn't be more than $550 max! (with your labor and shop pressing ball joints and alignmnet)

it is easier to let them do it but i'ld save the dough!!!