Shop quoted $1200 to replace front control arms and tie rods

Sky Render

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Fredneck is $150 an hour?!?! When I was in high school in Damascus was $24 per hour. Shit I'm getting old!

Depends on the dealer.

Honestly, control arms aren't that difficult, especially if you're just replacing them (as opposed to changing bushings). If you can do it yourself, the only labor you'll have to pay for is an alignment!

While you have it off, you should replace the hubs (you can buy a knuckle as a complete assembly to avoid messing with bearings) and pads/rotors (since you have to remove them anyway).
 

TGR96

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OP, I also vote for doing it yourself. You'd be surprised what good instruction you can find online, and the feeling of satisfaction when you do it yourself is awesome. This job really shouldn't be that difficult, if you have a good set of sockets and wrenches, a jack, and jack stands. And if you don't then it gives you a good excuse to go spend money on some new tools! :biggrin:
 

tjm73

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You can take what you expect to pay for labor and buy tools that you can use again. I have several tools I bought in this exact kind of deal for doing work around the house.
 

LordBritish

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OP, I also vote for doing it yourself. You'd be surprised what good instruction you can find online, and the feeling of satisfaction when you do it yourself is awesome. This job really shouldn't be that difficult, if you have a good set of sockets and wrenches, a jack, and jack stands. And if you don't then it gives you a good excuse to go spend money on some new tools! :biggrin:

I don't have a jack or jack stands. I'm a little intimidated to do this myself as I have no experience doing it.

I will be doing the the spark plugs myself though (discussed here http://www.s197forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=131857)
 

tjm73

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I'd tackle this before the plugs myself.
 

tjm73

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That is about 85K just in Boxes alone.

No doubt. I bought a pair of snap-on side cutters about 20 years ago for I think $28 back then. Use them at least a couple times a month. Still like new. Still warrantied. If you make a living with tools, it's worth it. I just wreck my own shit, but I do it with good tools.
 

bujeezus

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I'd be more intimidated doing spark plugs than control arms. Lol! Like others have said, check out Youtube. It could be a little time consuming, but you gain some experience. At one point, none of us knew how to do shit to these cars.
 

86GT351

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My box is not that big. I have about 125K invested in everything including Scanners and Lab Scopes, etc. That is sitting in my garage at home collecting dust know. Don't need them here at the dealership. They get used for working on my own toy.
 

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tjm73

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They get used for working on my own toy.

'85-'86 Mustang GT. Probably my number 1 favorite fox body. Yeah I just bought a '93 GT, but '85-'86....... my favorite.
 

86GT351

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'85-'86 Mustang GT. Probably my number 1 favorite fox body. Yeah I just bought a '93 GT, but '85-'86....... my favorite.

86. Has a 351 Windsor, Edelbrock Victor Junior Heads and Intake. Full Griggs Road race Suspension including Torque Arm and Panhard Bar
 

tjm73

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86. Has a 351 Windsor, Edelbrock Victor Junior Heads and Intake. Full Griggs Road race Suspension including Torque Arm and Panhard Bar

I figured as much from your screen name.
 

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