Front End Work Estimate : LCA, CVs, Wheel hubs

Dylan

Dylan

Member
As the title says, I'm trying to gauge what route to take for installing my new front end components...LABOR only. If it wasn't 10* out right now I would try tackling this myself, and unfortunately I dont have any close friends that have availability to help me in a heated garage currently.

Estimate for labor on both side of vehicle:
LCA Install (includes LBJs, already installed bushings) $350 total
CV Axles install: $350 Total
Wheel Hub assembly: $550
Total: $1,250

I thought these prices seemed steep since there seems to be a lot of overlap with the labor. I have brand new cam bolts, so them being seized isn't an issue.

For what it's worth, the local 4x4 shop I went to a month ago was going to install CVs for no extra labor cost when they installed my lift since everything was already torn down. Unfortunately the parts store was closed that day. That labor total was $350 for just the lift, regardless of installing the CVs additionally.

Any insight is appreciated.
 
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Sounds like these prices are just labor and you're supplying your own parts?

Compared to where I'm located, those prices seem pretty fair for the work being done. Definitely cheaper than a dealership service dept.
 
If those are the prices with THEM supplying the parts with the labor, sounds pretty fair to me.

More info would be helpful.
 
Yes...these prices are for labor only. I guess I was most surprised by the wheel hub assembly install. If you're already taking out the CV axle and removing the lower control arm, you have most of it apart anyway. The hub assembly is plug-and-play once you have the caliper removed and suspended and start undoing everything. It's not imperative I do them right now, but they are original and I want to do them eventually. Although at this price of $550 I am inclined to do them myself once warmer temps come around.
 
hubs will prolly be seized or pita to remove but still too much when most of its apart. dont forget inner and outer cv seals. possibly dust cap cause its impossible to remove with damaging (for me at least)
 
Sounds pretty steep to me.

Overhaul of the Rt Frt Suspension is usually somewhere around 3.5 hrs per side for a regular suspension (non mac-strut). The would be replacing upper and lower arms, ball joints, hub/bearing press in/out, and bolting it all back together.

Mech Labor in your area is about 100 bucks per hour, so your looking at 12.5 hours of labor. That's almost 2x what the job pays. Shops make 60% of their profit on Labor, so I think that's honestly a rippoff price. It's a half day job at best for an experienced mechanic.

700-800 bucks sounds more in line.
 
Sounds like you know how to do it yourself. Personally, I'd get the parts needed, wait for better weather, then post up a MOD/MAINTANCE day and have some locals come help you out and have a BBQ.

That's what we do out here.
 
having fun said:
Sounds like you know how to do it yourself. Personally, I'd get the parts needed, wait for better weather, then post up a MOD/MAINTANCE day and have some locals come help you out and have a BBQ.

That's what we do out here.
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I would, but I need to get it aligned sooner than later. The lower cam adjust bolt is seized. That's what prompted the replacement of the LCA to begin with...the aligment shop couldn't adjust the camber. Noticed my CV boots were leaking and not in good shape, so replacing those too.

I will definitely wait to do the hubs myself, but the CVs and LCAs ought to happen soon. I plan to go talk to the shop owner in person on Wednesday when he gets back from being out for a week. I talked to him originally a few weeks ago and hope to bargain with him given the nature of the simultaneous work that is happening.
 
Dylan said:
I would, but I need to get it aligned sooner than later. The lower cam adjust bolt is seized. That's what prompted the replacement of the LCA to begin with...the aligment shop couldn't adjust the camber. Noticed my CV boots were leaking and not in good shape, so replacing those too.

I will definitely wait to do the hubs myself, but the CVs and LCAs ought to happen soon. I plan to go talk to the shop owner in person on Wednesday when he gets back from being out for a week. I talked to him originally a few weeks ago and hope to bargain with him given the nature of the simultaneous work that is happening.
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Just to do the LCA no need to access the CV or hub. So that would be extra work/tear down in a mechanics view.

Due to the alignment, maybe just have them hit the LCA, CV can last for awhile especially if your getting replacements, which comes to my prior statement of doing later. Can save some cash.
 
having fun said:
Just to do the LCA no need to access the CV or hub. So that would be extra work/tear down in a mechanics view.

Due to the alignment, maybe just have them hit the LCA, CV can last for awhile especially if your getting replacements, which comes to my prior statement of doing later. Can save some cash.
Click to expand...

So my original CVs that have torn, leaky boots will be OK to continue with for a month or two? I just get paranoid. Not planning to wheel anytime soon until late spring. I'm definitely down with saving money and just doing the LCAs. I'm pretty sure it's my LCA bushings that make a squeaking noise upon flexing...which has been very annoying. New UCAs were installed a month ago.
 
Dylan said:
So my original CVs that have torn, leaky boots will be OK to continue with for a month or two? I just get paranoid. Not planning to wheel anytime soon until late spring. I'm definitely down with saving money and just doing the LCAs. I'm pretty sure it's my LCA bushings that make a squeaking noise upon flexing...which has been very annoying. New UCAs were installed a month ago.
Click to expand...

I have had torn cv boots since november (when I bought the runner) I have boot kits to re-do them but I am holding off till I lift it and add new brakes to do it all at once. I may end up purchasing some NAPA CVs to throw in there and then rebooting the originals later on as spares. This will save me a ton of time in the process and help to get the truck back onto the ground. This way I can take my time with the rebooting process and not cram it all into 1 day and rush everything and make a mess. I will have a significant amount of time invested in the re-booted CVs because I have some rust on them that I want to fix as well. With all this being said, I really hope that when I open up the torn CVs that I don't see any damage.....
 
Dylan said:
So my original CVs that have torn, leaky boots will be OK to continue with for a month or two? I just get paranoid. Not planning to wheel anytime soon until late spring. I'm definitely down with saving money and just doing the LCAs. I'm pretty sure it's my LCA bushings that make a squeaking noise upon flexing...which has been very annoying. New UCAs were installed a month ago.
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If you're not hearing any noise, you're fine for 2 months. Mine have been leaking for 1.5 years at least.

No need to bargain with this shop - they are either way overpriced because it's their norm or they don't want to do it. Talk to other shops or you can just wait a month or so and do it yourself.
 
Dylan said:
So my original CVs that have torn, leaky boots will be OK to continue with for a month or two? I just get paranoid. Not planning to wheel anytime soon until late spring. I'm definitely down with saving money and just doing the LCAs. I'm pretty sure it's my LCA bushings that make a squeaking noise upon flexing...which has been very annoying. New UCAs were installed a month ago.
Click to expand...

As you can tell, others and myself have had torn boots and wheeled. There is still grease in there, when they get dry is when you worry.

Warmer weather not to far off, I'd wait and reboot later, it's just a messy job to do.
Same with the hubs. Edit... hubs not messy.

Definitely do the LCA now since there frozen, besides, that what gets your alignment back to par. Use antiseeze on them cam parts. As long as you dont loosen them bolts when doing the CVs and hub, your still good.

Another suggestion, if your cam tab tabs are bending over, you might want to use the TC cam tab gusset kit also while your in there.

TOTAL CHAOS FABRICATION
 
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I'd wait until it warms up before diving deep into this. Unless it's pulling or wandering excessively, there's no real urgency to do caster or camber alignment, which are the only things that require LCA adjustment. Out of spec caster and camber cause only minimal tire wear.

Out of spec toe can wear tires fast, so get that set correctly ASAP. But you only need to be able to adjust the tie rods for that. And, with a tape measure, a helper, and some care you can do that yourself in about 30 minutes.
 
[MENTION=66906]Dylan[/MENTION]

Also if you do a boot kit, get rid of them factory clamps.

Google up McMaster-Carr

Order up 5574K24 and 5574K16
You can thank me later.
 
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