Ball joints-S10...

Every ball joint I ever replaced had a cotter pin to hold the nut in place.

The replacement joint itself is normally held in place by three bolts, which replace the original rivets.

$550 for ball joints sounds high...REALLY high.

I don't know who is humping you, but I would suspect that someone is, or has.

One of the top causes of a failure is the previous repair. You had your ball joints replaced and they are loose. My first thought is the installer did not tighten them properly. If you can tighten them and remove the play, perhaps you will want to go elsewhere for the alignment.

If I understand what he is saying, it is not the main nut on the ball joint, but rather the three bolts that replace the rivets which are loose.

I have used this type of ball joint a lot, but never had them loosen.

Maybe the guy who replaced them originally drilled them out too big in the first place. That can happen with a goober at the helm. Or maybe he just didn't tighten them. (And, maybe the new mechanics DID loosen them. Anybody who would quote $500 for this job is nigh onto a thief, IMO.)

In either case that situation could be repaired by fitting proper bolts and retightening. If it is an overdrilling situation, just drill to the most appropriate size and install new bolts.

I use Loctite on the nuts in this type of installation, but I guess a self locking nut would work as well. I have seen some bolts that come with the ball joints that are not very strong. This is another reason to replace them with good quality strong bolts.

If you tighten the bolts, does the play go away? Those bolts should have either lock washers or lock bolts to prevent this. As for the price, that sounds about right as long as they were using good parts, not the plain white box stuff.

If you tighten the bolts, the play NORMALLY goes away. Depends on why the play is there in the first place.

I strongly dissent that $500 plus is 'about right' to replace two ball joints.

Without a hydraulic lift, I can do the job in no more than 1.5 hours. At MOST $150 in labor. I believe you are talking about $20-30 each for the ball joints. (I haven't checked since I dont have the exact model.)

So, $250 would make me very happy. We havent included alignment, which may not be necessary anyway, but is certainly always a good idea. Alignment here costs $60.

$310 does not equal $500-550.

If they were that loose you should have noticed shimmy or some other problem at highway speeds I think. If I were you I would check with the Better Business Bureau to see if this mechanic has any complaints filed against him.

Ted

First of all, we don't know what year this thing is or if it is two or four wheel drive. If its 2 wheel drive, I will give you an hour and a half. If its 4 wheel drive, no way in an hour and a half for both. Second, ball joint prices are going to be higher at a garage. You don't expect to pay 20 or 30 dollars for joints at a garage do you? The shop would not stay in business for long if they did. 4 wheel drive ball joints are almost double the price as 2 wheel drive joints.

You're right. We don't know exactly what this thing is. I had assumed a rather ordinary case.

Garages often get a better price than the rest of us, but, even so, it is not unusual to mark up the part (cost * 3) or so.

I would not personally pay any garage $500 to replace two standard ball joints, unless I were caught in a heck of a bind.

But not every individual can or will take on a job like this either.

understood. Standard 2wd ball joints 500 is too much.