I got quotes from a couple of places to install my Energy Suspension A-arm bushings.

They all list it as a 2.6 hour job, EACH SIDE!!!

I'm thinking it's cheaper to buy the PA Racing tubular arms with the bushings already installed for $350 and put them in when I buy new struts and springs.

 

Are they including the time it would take to disassemble and reassemble the front suspension or just taking your a-arms to them with the new bushings? If it's the latter, that's a bunch of crap. Find a new shop!

 

That's a good question, AT4 T/A. I could understand the price if they have to do all the dissasmebly.

Tom

 

that price sounds about wright.

 

I took my A-arms off and brought them to a machine shop. Cost about $20 to press out the old and press in the new.

 

I usually go to the buzzard and buy an extra set for $15 or so ( of course I don't tell them I want Camaro ones since other kinds are the same), and slip the tech at the corner tire store a $20 around closing time on Saturday... no problem...

I hate doing those myself, it's worth springing the big $$$ like that to get somebody else to do it at my convenience instead of theirs.

 

That price is probably close, because that job is a Bitch... I tried pressing those bushings out, beating the hell out of them with a hammer, heating them, almost everything! Unless you have a collar to insert inside the a-arm and under the bushing when you are pressing them, then the arm ends will warp and bend. 350 bucks for the tubular set sounds like a pretty good deal, what brand was that and where do you get them? That's what I will do with my other Iroc if that's the case.

 

I did the same and they charged me $15 per arm including pressing ball joints.

 

I spent $40 myself at a local machine shop. I feel like I got ripped off. You must have got quoted a price for the complete disassembly

 

I paid $35 for labor when i brought the a-arms off the car with the old bushings, and new bushings in the boxes (they were kind of suprised that i had done this). A guy told me after i picked them up that they had pounded on them for about 45 minutes a side, and earlier i had tried a clamp-style bushing press, a torch, a sledge, and couldnt get the things to budge.

So i felt like i got a pretty good deal as well as saving me a lot of aggravation.

 

I jsut installed new struts, shocks, polyurethane LCA bushings and ball joints. Took me about 6 hours total. I ended up heating the bushings and hammering out the rubber part with a large drift. Then i using the cutting torch to cut the sleeves out and a chisel to get them out of the a arm. THe first one tool about 1.5 hours, the second about 30min since i had it figured out.
If you have access to a spring compressor the LCAs are not difficult to remove. It will save a lot of labor. Make sure you re-aling the front end with the new bushings.

 

People usually use an air chisel... 15 seconds, they're out of there. The new ones just pound or press in.

 

hehe. the guy at the shop i went to used an air chisel. took him over and hour!! but those suckers where in there TIGHT.. but with 200K miles. what do u expect.

cost $20 a side