|
|
|
|
|
#1
11-10-2008, 09:15 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
How much for ball joint install...
For those of you who have taken dissassembled steering knuckles with new ball joints in hand to a local shop to have the ball joints pressed in, how much have you paid for this...just for pressing in the ball joints.
I am finding that my local indy mercedes repair shops aren't very reasonable...one local shop quoted me $70 just for one ball joint!! His explanation was...."Well....special tool....." Mark
__________________
1984 300TD Wagon, 407,800 mi (current daily driver) 1985 300DT Sedan, 330,000 mi (gone to that great autobahn in the sky) 
|
|
#2
11-10-2008, 09:25 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
I got a quote of $125 from one shop. A couple of shops hung up on me when I asked. (Apparently they feel "cheated" by DIY'ers.) I finally got connected with a dealership tech who did the job for $20. It took him well under 10 minutes to press in the two ball joints.
|
|
#3
11-10-2008, 09:52 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
That seems steep. Have you tried local dealerships?
also, if you buy the ball joint from them, it may be cheeper- it is like bringing your own beer to the bar, so to speak....
__________________
1984 123.193 372,xxx miles, room for Seven. 1999 Dodge Durango Cummins 4BTAA 47RE 5k lb 4x4 getting 25+mpgs, room for Seven.
|
|
#4
11-10-2008, 09:53 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
From what I've seen here and from personal experience, it definitely pays to shop around for this task. Personally, I paid $10 for both but have seen folks pay the hourly shop rate. I would even check with a dealer as you never can tell.
__________________
Sam 84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )
|
|
#5
11-10-2008, 10:11 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
When I did the ball joints on my car the dealer wanted $150 per side but the indi that I took the parts to charged $30 per side. I took it to that indi because he had the MB ball joint press.
__________________
1983 300SD 200000miles
|
|
#6
11-10-2008, 11:08 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
I managed to press it in myself with the autozone ball joint press tool and some heat. It really wasn't that hard.
__________________
Ich liebe meine Autos! 1991 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL | Megasquirt MS3-Pro | 722.6 transmission w/ AMG paddles | Feind Motorsports Sway Bar | Stinger VIP Radar | AntiLaser Priority | PLX Wideband O2 | 150A Alternator | Cat Delete 1981 Mercedes-Benz 300SD | Blown engine, rebuilding someday... 1981 Mercedes-Benz 300SD | Rear ended, retired in garage. 2009 Yamaha AR230HO | Das Boot Excessive speeding? It ain't excessive till I redline!
|
|
#7
11-10-2008, 02:59 PM
|
||||
|
||||
Out here in rural America.....
It took awhile to find someone that could press the offset W123 spindle.....finally found a guy who does VW's and BMW's....he rooted around in his toolbox and found a "specially" ground socket, 3/4" drive I think, that just fit over the ball and still fit squarely into his press.....$20.00 cash, and the guy's wife had made an excellent lasagna and he fed me lunch with the rest of his employees.......
I don't know what the socket size was/is....I think it's a trade secret.....lol SB
__________________
 Diesels: '85 300D, "Max, Blue Benz", 155K, 27.0 MPG '84 190D 2.2, "Eva, Brown Benz", 142K, 40.2 MPG '77 240D (parts car) '67 Eicher ES 202 Tractor "Otto" (2cyl, Air Cooled, 30HP) Gassers: '94 Ford F-150, "Henry", 170K (300 Six) 17.5 MPG '85 190E 2.3, 148K....Parts Car '58 Dodge W300M Powerwagon (Flat Fenders) Less than 10 MPG
|
|
#8
11-10-2008, 03:02 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
sounds pretty good... $20 for pressing and a free dinner
__________________
Ich liebe meine Autos! 1991 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL | Megasquirt MS3-Pro | 722.6 transmission w/ AMG paddles | Feind Motorsports Sway Bar | Stinger VIP Radar | AntiLaser Priority | PLX Wideband O2 | 150A Alternator | Cat Delete 1981 Mercedes-Benz 300SD | Blown engine, rebuilding someday... 1981 Mercedes-Benz 300SD | Rear ended, retired in garage. 2009 Yamaha AR230HO | Das Boot Excessive speeding? It ain't excessive till I redline!
|
|
#9
11-10-2008, 11:13 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
I'm going to be doing this job this weekend...the ball joints and LCA bushings. I'm just waiting for the spring compressor. However, my point is that I went to my local NAPA in Carrollton, GA and they will loan me the ball joint press for nothing. I was rather surprised, but they said, "we know who you are"...so that was rather encouraging. Anyway, I'm looking forward to using it. I took a quick peak at it...it's rather heavy duty. I'll post pics of the job.
Andy
|
|
#10
11-11-2008, 12:50 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
|
|
#11
11-11-2008, 12:59 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Quote:
__________________
Mercedes Fleet: 2004 CL600 Designo Espresso SPORT 2004 S600 Designo Espresso SPORT/Lorinser Pkg. 1999 S320 1988 300TE 1972 280SEL 4.5 Diesel Fleet: 2014 GL350 Blutec 1987 300SDL Blk/Blk 4 place seating #18 head 1987 300SDL Smk Slv/Burgangy #17 head 1986 300SDL Blk Pearl/Palomino #14 head w/ 280K 1984 Lincoln Mark VII Fact BMW Turbo Diesel
|
|
#12
11-11-2008, 01:38 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
After searching for a shop that even HAD the tool, I finally found one.
They pressed in my ball joint for free, after offering to just swap an already loaded spindle for mine once I got mine off of the car. That being said, I took my work to them when I needed to press in another set, and they quoted half an hour this time, to press in two ball joints, so around $50.
__________________
-Josh Testing the cheap Mercedes axiom, one bolt at a time...
|
|
#13
11-11-2008, 08:07 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Quote:
|
|
#14
11-11-2008, 09:52 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
|
|
#15
11-11-2008, 09:58 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Took mine to the dealership to be pressed into my spare set of spindles. The advisor questioned how I had driven to the delaership and I replied, "skills".
He had the tech press the joints in and just told me since it was such a small job ( 15 minutes per side since I had them removed and prepped) he told me to just pay the tech straight up. popped the trunk and the tech laid the spindles in there and got his payment. I like my dealership Last edited by TheDon; 11-11-2008 at 10:30 AM.
|
 |
| Bookmarks |
|
|
Linear Mode
