Parts store

[wolfeman351]

Moog is the only brand I trust. I have had house brand ball joints or unknown brands come apart. Rick auto has good prices and the Autozone coupon is good too. Oriely has the best price but their parts are never in stock and always used. I mean used. Nasty greasy old parts in the box. I stopped shopping there after the third brake light switch in two months failed.

As for the estimate. All chains make money by sayimg the following. "While we are in there" or "you will need it soon" or the manufacture recomends we replace xxx when we replace yyy". Firestone wanted $600 to do a rear only brake job on ny 97 crap box minivan. There are not $600 worth of parts and labor back there.

Pay the shop their $50 to $90 diagnostic fee, get the written estimate, buy the parts yourself and do the work yourself. This routine has saved me thousands. Now if I could find those thousands I would be verry happy.

[Nevea'sExplorer]

Sometimes "While we are in there" or "you will need it soon" is true I know once you change a couple of bushings then you'll have half of your suspension working properly and the other 10 year bushings wont be and are going to fail quicker then they would have.

I agree if you are not sure what you are doing when it comes to fixing your truck then look around and you might found a side mechanic who has the tools that is willing to work with you on the cheap.

[Exproblems]

Originally Posted by wolfeman351

. Now if I could find those thousands I would be verry happy.

Check your local Native American Casino. It's where I left mine!

[F500]

I did the replacement of most things last weekend! I ended up buying a press kit to reinstall the ball joints! Great, more tools!!! I still need to change the rear upper ball joint driver side since the ball joint I had bought requires 17" wheels (not good since my winter tire are mounted on 16" mags). I’ll just wait to get the non-greassable ball joint from Moog. The other problem I came across is with the driver side lower strut bolt! It’s just seized so my only option is to cut it off with a reciprocating saw. Where can I get the exact specs for this bolt? I was told buy a dealer that it can be purchased at a hardware store…

[Exproblems]

Originally Posted by F500

The other problem I came across is with the driver side lower strut bolt! It’s just seized so my only option is to cut it off with a reciprocating saw. Where can I get the exact specs for this bolt? I was told buy a dealer that it can be purchased at a hardware store…

Someone else in here had a similar problem with that strut bolt the other day and referred to it as a "Grade 8" bolt or in the old terminology I always knew them as, "case hardened Bolt". They are a much stronger bolt or specialty bolt. Not sure if you can buy them at a hardware store(kinda doubt it), but you should be able to get them at a shop that makes coil or leaf springs. I know the spring shops here in Buffalo use to sell case hardened bolts that are used in vehicle suspensions. Don't use one of those zinc coated bolts they sell at Home Depot or Lowe's, not strong enough. Besides the Ford dealership or spring shop, you can try to find them online.

[HiImBrian]

Originally Posted by F500

I did the replacement of most things last weekend! I ended up buying a press kit to reinstall the ball joints! Great, more tools!!! I still need to change the rear upper ball joint driver side since the ball joint I had bought requires 17" wheels (not good since my winter tire are mounted on 16" mags). I’ll just wait to get the non-greassable ball joint from Moog. The other problem I came across is with the driver side lower strut bolt! It’s just seized so my only option is to cut it off with a reciprocating saw. Where can I get the exact specs for this bolt? I was told buy a dealer that it can be purchased at a hardware store…

What the hell do you mean your ball joint requires 17" wheels? Whoever told you that is full of shit.

Also, you can buy a grade 8 bolt at your local Home Depot/Lowes all day long. They aren't hard to find and are more than strong enough. Just measure the length and diameter of your current bolt and replace it.

And for future reference you can rent a ball joint press tool from ANY auto parts store (NAPA/Advance/O'Reilly's/Autozone) for free....

[F500]

Hi Brian,

First of all, the ball joint I was referring to is the upper rear ball joint. The part I had was the K500109. This is the description on the Rockauto site:

MOOG Part # K500109 incl. powdered-metal gusher bearing to allow grease to penetrate bearing surfaces; Greasable design; w/17" wheels; Rear Upper
I ordered the part #K500169

As for the bolt, I'll simply remove the one on the other side and match it at Home Depot! Thanks for the tip

Finally for the press, none of the auto parts stores rent these around here... Only at Canadian Tire that I a kit for free (pay it all then get the credit when you return it...) but it was useless to for the lower front ball joints... The kit I bought was about 170$ plus taxes but with all the money I'm saving, I deserve a treat!

Originally Posted by HiImBrian

What the hell do you mean your ball joint requires 17" wheels? Whoever told you that is full of shit.

Also, you can buy a grade 8 bolt at your local Home Depot/Lowes all day long. They aren't hard to find and are more than strong enough. Just measure the length and diameter of your current bolt and replace it.

And for future reference you can rent a ball joint press tool from ANY auto parts store (NAPA/Advance/O'Reilly's/Autozone) for free....

[Exproblems]

Originally Posted by F500

Hi Brian,

As for the bolt, I'll simply remove the one on the other side and match it at Home Depot! Thanks for the tip

Finally for the press, none of the auto parts stores rent these around here... Only at Canadian Tire that I a kit for free (pay it all then get the credit when you return it...) but it was useless to for the lower front ball joints... The kit I bought was about 170$ plus taxes but with all the money I'm saving, I deserve a treat!

On the Grade 8 or case hardened bolt for the strut, if you can buy the correct bolt at Home Depot then do so, I wasn't sure if places like that sold those types of bolts.
On the "Loaner tools" to customers at auto parts stores(in America), the words 'rent and free' should have never been put in the same sentence. Only confused you. They don't rent the tools to you, they "loan" them to you. They just require a $$$ deposit on the tools they are loaning you, to ensure you return them to their stores. Once the tool is returned, they give you a "full refund" of your tool $$$ deposit. This is a loan, not a rent. I see you live in Montreal, Canada(been there several times, Sabres-Canadiens games), this is possibly why things are different up there with your parts stores(other than Canadien Tire) and loaner tool programs than here in the U.S. As for a personal treat for yourself on all the money you are saving, take a trip to "Chez Paris" and watch the Ballet and have a few cold ones! If the place is still there that is!

[F500]

Yes! Chez Parée is still around! I guess it was hard to forget

Cheers!

[Exproblems]

Originally Posted by F500

Yes! Chez Parée is still around! I guess it was hard to forget

Cheers!

Good to know! Lets just say we had a great time in there and my French language skills got a lot better by the end of the trip! I also forgot to mention "Thursdays and the Hard Rock Cafe' ".