Rip Off
#1
03-16-2011, 11:43 AM
Rip Off
I'm currently in the process of repairing the passenger side control arms for my '67 Camaro. I'm just going to trash the ones I have on there now. I found an old pair someone was selling on Craigs list and decided to clean them up myself.
Before cleaning them up, I had to remove the bushings and I don't have the device to do it myself. I know I can borrow the device from a parts store, but I thought I'd just drop them off at a local shop to have them pop out the bushings. Hell, I'd be willing to drop them off in the morning, go to work, and pick them up later in the day with the bushings removed. I was estimating $20 at most for the shop to do it.
The shops quote to remove 4 total bushings from the upper and lower control arms? $210. Thats right. At first, I thought they meant $2.10. I couldn't believe it. I can get a new set for around $250 with the bushings installed.
Needless to say, I rented the device and popped the bushings out myself. For the record, the parts store rented the device to me for free. I just had to pay a deposit which I got back after I returned the tool. The actual process took me 15 minutes at most. Hell, the longest part of the ordeal was renting the device from the parts store and dropping it back off 30 minutes later. I think it took me longer to clean the grease from my hands.
Anyway, here are before and after pics of the upper control arm. I hope to have them installed this Saturday (yes, I'm doing the work myself).
87f314bf.jpg?t=1300293270
Before cleaning them up, I had to remove the bushings and I don't have the device to do it myself. I know I can borrow the device from a parts store, but I thought I'd just drop them off at a local shop to have them pop out the bushings. Hell, I'd be willing to drop them off in the morning, go to work, and pick them up later in the day with the bushings removed. I was estimating $20 at most for the shop to do it.
The shops quote to remove 4 total bushings from the upper and lower control arms? $210. Thats right. At first, I thought they meant $2.10. I couldn't believe it. I can get a new set for around $250 with the bushings installed.
Needless to say, I rented the device and popped the bushings out myself. For the record, the parts store rented the device to me for free. I just had to pay a deposit which I got back after I returned the tool. The actual process took me 15 minutes at most. Hell, the longest part of the ordeal was renting the device from the parts store and dropping it back off 30 minutes later. I think it took me longer to clean the grease from my hands.
Anyway, here are before and after pics of the upper control arm. I hope to have them installed this Saturday (yes, I'm doing the work myself).
87f314bf.jpg?t=1300293270
Last edited by minex; 03-16-2011 at 11:46 AM.
#2
03-16-2011, 08:50 PM
I'm currently in the process of repairing the passenger side control arms for my '67 Camaro. I'm just going to trash the ones I have on there now. I found an old pair someone was selling on Craigs list and decided to clean them up myself.
Before cleaning them up, I had to remove the bushings and I don't have the device to do it myself. I know I can borrow the device from a parts store, but I thought I'd just drop them off at a local shop to have them pop out the bushings. Hell, I'd be willing to drop them off in the morning, go to work, and pick them up later in the day with the bushings removed. I was estimating $20 at most for the shop to do it.
The shops quote to remove 4 total bushings from the upper and lower control arms? $210. Thats right. At first, I thought they meant $2.10. I couldn't believe it. I can get a new set for around $250 with the bushings installed.
Needless to say, I rented the device and popped the bushings out myself. For the record, the parts store rented the device to me for free. I just had to pay a deposit which I got back after I returned the tool. The actual process took me 15 minutes at most. Hell, the longest part of the ordeal was renting the device from the parts store and dropping it back off 30 minutes later. I think it took me longer to clean the grease from my hands.
Anyway, here are before and after pics of the upper control arm. I hope to have them installed this Saturday (yes, I'm doing the work myself).
Before cleaning them up, I had to remove the bushings and I don't have the device to do it myself. I know I can borrow the device from a parts store, but I thought I'd just drop them off at a local shop to have them pop out the bushings. Hell, I'd be willing to drop them off in the morning, go to work, and pick them up later in the day with the bushings removed. I was estimating $20 at most for the shop to do it.
The shops quote to remove 4 total bushings from the upper and lower control arms? $210. Thats right. At first, I thought they meant $2.10. I couldn't believe it. I can get a new set for around $250 with the bushings installed.
Needless to say, I rented the device and popped the bushings out myself. For the record, the parts store rented the device to me for free. I just had to pay a deposit which I got back after I returned the tool. The actual process took me 15 minutes at most. Hell, the longest part of the ordeal was renting the device from the parts store and dropping it back off 30 minutes later. I think it took me longer to clean the grease from my hands.
Anyway, here are before and after pics of the upper control arm. I hope to have them installed this Saturday (yes, I'm doing the work myself).
#3
03-16-2011, 08:50 PM
"Rip Off" is right!! I just had the bushings removed and replaced my control arms for $50 total. I provided the new busings. There are several websites with good instructions, but I was having them sandblasted and powder coated and it was much easier to spend my time on other rebuild tasks.
#4
03-16-2011, 08:57 PM
You know, I almost didn't. I gave them the control arms and was about to walk away before asking the cost. I'm glad I did.
#5
03-18-2011, 04:46 AM
I think some garage just do not want to get involved with "Helping" on older cars. I was working on a older car at a friends house and we needed a U-joint pressed out and a new one pressed in. I called the local garage and they told me $100. I ended up using a large C-clamp. It took less then 15 minutes.
