Fubba

I posted awhile back on my steering problems. I knew it was in between the tie rods and rag joint. My normal mechanic closed up shop and referred me to another. It's the local Chevrolet dealership. I took it there today, they looked at it, and they told me the least I would need would be a rag joint, upper ball joint, and upper control arm bushing to solve my "darty" steering. I asked for a round about estimate though he will have to look it up. I'm hoping for much cheaper than what he told me. He said $1000. I can get the parts for less than $200 I know. What would be a good price for this? I'm thinking $1000 is WAY too high. $800 in labor is ridiculous. I don't exactly have the funds to pay that much for a couple of parts to be replaced. If it is this high, what should I do? I'm not mechanically inclined so could I take it to the shop that does my brakes and other small things? By the way, where can I get the rag joint? I don't want the rebuild kit, just the actual joint. Thanks for the help.

GTR1999

Man that sounds like a lot to me. You can buy a GM rag joint from any GM dealership for about $70. The upper ball joints usually outlast the lowers by a LOT of miles, the bushings could be dry rotted though. Most times the lower arms are the problem. I'd look elsewhere if you can't do the work yourself. Too bad you weren't closer to me I'd help you out.
Gary

71redskin

i had a prob with my 71 and had it towed to a chevy dealer and it sat there for a month becuzz no one wanted to touch it... found a corvette shop and had it towed there...never to a dealer again for service...if i can't do it i'llgo to someone who works on c3's...just my $.02...

GDaina

Very rarely do the uppers wear...there is no stress, all the stress is on the lowers...

you can do the job yourself...do the rag joint, drop the steering box, R&R the joint, take it for a drive...then do the lowers if the [roblem persists. I would also check the tie rods and as Gary said, check the control arm bushings.

markdtn

If you are near Fayetteville, I have a good friend that runs a Corvette shop there. He isn't cheap, but he would be less than the dealer.

Fubba

I live about 40 miles North of Macon right in the smack dab middle of GA. Fayetteville is a little ways off and the Vette isn't exactly up for a long trip right now with the steering the way it is. I hated pulling up at the dealership this morning. I just don't know of anyone to take it to that has done a Vette before.

surfshark

I don't want to give bad advice, but if you ask other motorheads in your area, you should be able to find someone who either has a professional garage that will do the repair for your car reliably and at a good price, or better yet, someone who works for a garage that would like to make some extra money on the side by repairing your car in your or their home garage. My next door neighbor just had someone in this latter category that he knows rebuild the front end and remove the trick springs on his '66 Chevelle. The work you may need doesn't necessarily have to be done by a Corvette shop. The first time I replace a rag joint I tore my fingernail off, but I completed the job with blood on the headers!

rihwoods

Dealer ? Don't even consider them.They mark their parts up sky high,then their "Corvette mechanic" tells a helper to do this and that,and before long,everything is all hosed up.
This happened to me at Galles Chevrolet,in New Mexico.Cost me a week in a hotel.

grybdn

I have a good deal with my local shop, I buy the parts and he does the labor. I bought the front end rebuild kit from ecklers, and had it done 572.56 for labor. (upper & lower ball joints, control arm bushings, sway bar links, front shocks, inner & outter tie rods, idler arm and new springs, and engine mounts)

noskillz

I dunno, $800 dollars in labor when you consider they are going to have to remove the upper control arms doesn't sound all that outta line to me. If this also includes the an alignment after the repair, then it might just be about right. Sounds to me like your car will take up one of their bays for the better part of a day. I hae replace the upper and lower bushings and ball joints on my car and it was a decent amout of work for sure! I even had the body off at the time!

page62

Let your fingers do the walking -- get on the phone. A good alignment shop could also do the work. For example, I know a local Midas that would be capable of the job. The trick is to quiz them -- make sure they actually know what they're doing by asking direct questions. For example: Have you done any of these before? How long has your mechanic been doing this? You get the idea...

Tom454

Gary..... I keep telling myself to stop saying that. But I can't help it.
I think it's a sickness. LOL

Tom

scotty13

american corvette in symurna if u would want a corvette shop.

770-943-2530

88'Cubka

Drive it here to NV and I'll do it for ya. You can go gamble and stuff. Make a weekend out of it.

GTR1999

Hey Tom, I know but I just can't help it when I see a guy who might be taken. But sometimes you're right no doubt!
Gary

Gary79

$800 in labor equates to 16 hours at $50/hr. I think a shop with a lift and the right tools +skill could rebuild or replace every bushing, joint, tie rod ends and idler arm in one 8 hr shift, assuming that the mechanic stays just on your car all day and knows what the hell he is doing. the next day, a couple of hours max to line it up. JMHO. I did my whole front end, one side at a time with it sitting on jack stands and me sitting or laying on the floor, I had no prior experience and was also replacing my front springs. I can't tell you how long it took cuz I worked on it some nights after work during the winter when it wasn't too cold. good luck!

Fubba

I was thinking that it would take about a whole day's work. I don't think it would take 2 or 3 days which would equal about $800 in labor. That sounds a little ridiculous to me. You don't see rag joint in the major dealers. Is it also known as a coupler? Thanks for the input.

GTR1999

I fyou were talking about rebuilding the fornt suspension then I would think $800 in labor might be fair but you're just talking abotu upper bushings and joints too much.
The Rag joint is called a coupler and the L69-82 joints is GM number 7818568 not sure what they list for now, but I sell them for $70.00 for you to compare.
Maybe you can think about starting to work on your car yourself and invest labor money into tools?
Gary

Fubba

I would like to try to start working on it. However, the car is a driver, and I don't have time to leave it sitting while I figure out how to fix it. I definitely would like to try though. Maybe by the end of the summer, I can afford another ride to let me do this.