jcat_350

Okay, so i'm on my way back from school today when i pass a pretty reputable shop that i decided to check out as far as installing my coilovers and daizen CA bushings once they get here. I get their phone number off the sign and give them a call while i'm driving. I tell the guy all i need is to have the control arm bushings replaced (told him i had the parts, just needed the labor, where he decided to try and sell me a whole new set of control arms), and to install the coilovers (direct drop in, no compressing or anything, and didn't seem to know what i meant by reuse the rear top hats), and an alignment.

The guy goes okay, let me check on that for you. Spends about 5 minutes cracking away at his keyboard, and comes back to me with this estimate, and i quote:

"Yeah, i can get it done for $846"

I laughed out loud and ended the call. Doesn't that seem ridiculous? I think he may have thought i wanted to replace the control arms completely, and that there was a lot more labor involved than there actually was....what have you other guys paid for these services? I'm thinking about tackling the coilovers myself, shouldn't be a problem, but has anyone done the CA bushings themselves?


I swear i almost dropped dead when he said 846 hahaha

whazzzzuup

iTrader: (11)

There is more labor involved if you are replacing the bushings in your stock upper control arm than just replacing the entire control arm; with new bushings already pressed in.

They will have to remove the control arm, torch or press the old bushings out, then press the new bushings in.

jcat_350

well yeah, but even at 85 an hour thats 10 hours worth of labor. That seems a little extreme, especially considering he said he could probably install the coilovers while i waited. I called up another shop to get a quote to see if their number is more reasonable. I have a buddy that works at this other place and he said it should be a couple hundred bucks.


But, if the control arm bushings are DIY'able, i may just do it all myself...i have access to a torch and a vice...i can prob get it done no?

4ntvings

iTrader: (6)

imho, i think you can do the coilover install

however, the CA bushing install may be a challenge...in the end, depends on who's trying to tackle it and how much time you have on your hands

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

Remove the control arms and bring it to a Napa autostore near you. most of them will press out bushings for a small fee. Installing the LCA and UCA poly bushings can be done by hand, but you'll need them to press back the caster bushings. It's going to be a challenge because they're not easy to press in at all. Many shops seem damage them in the process. I'm not a fan of using the polyurethane caster bushings for cars that are lowered too low, but everything else seems fine.

jcat_350

^^ hmm...i hadnt thought of that. Good looks GSteg. Just so i'm correct in my terminology, the caster bushing is the bushing of the actual ball joint on the end of the control arm no?

why would you suggest staying away from a poly caster bushing?

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

Look under the car. The caster bushing is the largest one of them all. They're mounted right where the A-brace is located.

Poly bushings aren't bad. I'm not suggesting to stay away from them unless you are going to slam your car to the max. When you're slammed, the lip of the caster arm will press against the outer edge of the bushings. One thing with urethane is that they'll tear. At least with OEM rubber, they're more elastic. The Daizen design isn't designed for cars lowered all the way. If I had all the money in the world, I'd design my own caster bushings/arm. It's nice to have RCA in addition to relieve stress off the bushings and the mounting bolt.

jcat_350

yeah, i'm not going to slam the car on it's nuts right away... i'll be looking to grab a set of wheels first, then probably save up for some RCAs.

Spyder78

iTrader: (7)

I did the install myself in a friends garage and let me tell you that it was torture. The bushings are difficult, I tried one of the upper control arms and it took me about 1.5 hours to do it by hand I torched it, pounded, used a vice and I managed to slightly tweak the control arm which I needed to straighten. The others I took to the shop and it took them about and hour to do the rest with a press and to put the daizen in on the caster arms is difficult they need to be pressed in. I'll tell you that a coilover install in NYC is around $200 straight drop in without having to swap top hats, if you need to take apart the stock shocks than its more. But for the Daizen CA you will need to disassemble the whole front end of the car, it is not a cheap or easy job. Looking back I would have never tackled it had I known how hard it would have been before hand. Good Luck with your installation.

macd7919

iTrader: (10)

That price seems a little high but when mine when in it was a HUGE pain in the ***. You figure about 2.5 hours to do the coilovers and fully adjust them. The another 5-6 hours on the bushings, so he was a little bit high, Probably should have been around $600 for the whole job, but the bushing install is no joke.

jcat_350

^^ yeah i think i'll have the bushings done professionally and do the coils myself. Im more than capable of doing the coils but i had a feeling the bushings would be a nasty pig. haha

excluesive

iTrader: (10)

do you have to take out the struts to do the bushings?

jcat_350

yes, the control arms need to come out which im fairly positive involves removing the struts. hence why i wanted to do it all at once but if money doesn't permit it won't be me tearing it all down again.

speedaddic

iTrader: (10)

coilovers are cake...easy. I'd stick to that plan jcat...do the co's yourself and the bushings to a REPUTABLE shop. Don't base it on cost, but on quality...if that makes any sense.

eyecon7

iTrader: (2)

upper control Arms are a B I T C H......... i had to use Impact Hammer and a wedge.. Eventually came.off.