99'CajunFirehawk157

iTrader: (57)

Just to see, I called a few places in my area to see what they charge to swap out front struts on f-body car like ours...to my amazement, the going book rate is like $275 labor to do both front struts...WTF! Seems killer high???
One shop quoted $630 to do all four w/ a 4 wheel alignment, WOW!!
(not including parts!)

MeentSS02

iTrader: (11)

Holy cow...the guy that I had do mine in Panama City Beach did the whole thing in a little over an hour (he had never done a Ground Control setup), and all he charged was beer. If you have the tools, I'd say give it a shot yourself...just take the front shocks/springs to someone with a compressor if you don't have one. Other than that, it ain't rocket science.

dopy

I wouldn't pay for work that i could do my self.

Krab

iTrader: (28)

Ehh?
J/K, I know what you meant.

To the OP, that does seem way too high. The job really isn't that difficult. I've done it several times on my car using the crappy (according to a lot of people) autozone spring compressors with very little trouble. The most difficult part is being sure you align the shock assembly correctly so the holes on the lower A-arms and shock tower line up correctly. I say give it a try yourself if you have the tools. All you need is a set of hand tools.

Demon Of Dreams

iTrader: (3)

It's booked as a 3 and a half hour job... but in reality, it takes about 2 hours with the right tools... shop I went to charged about $120ish when all was said and done... didn't bother me at all to pay for it, mostly because it's a shop I've gone to a few times before and I live in an apartment complex so to me it was worth it

2002_Z28_Six_Speed

iTrader: (19)

If you have a car from the North you been in a lot of rain then those upper rubber strut mounts might just be attached to their current home.

ultraz

iTrader: (4)

Yup, its a 2 hr job if everything goes smoothly and the nuts arent rusted to the shock. In reality alot of people run into problems doing the fronts, which is why there is a high quote. Do a search and see how many people have problems doing front shocks and springs.

coolformula

iTrader: (21)

Sears wanted 240 bucks.

I got mine done local shop for 60 dollars.

VIP1

I forget how much I paid, but I think it was a little more than $275 for the labor.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

Did you ask them how they do an alignment on the rear wheels on a solid rear axle?

2002_Z28_Six_Speed

iTrader: (19)

They do alignments on FWD drives with twist beam axles. They have to remove the whole axle and put a shim on it. It is more a safety precaution to have all four wheels tested as you aren't going to do anything if it is just marginally out of spec.

A 4 wheel alingment is what lead me to the purchase of aftermarket LCAs and a panhard bar. Mine was off from the factory. The shop won't do an alignment on your axle but will notify you if there is a problem.

VIP1

Adjustable LCAs and PHB will give something to align.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

Right but I always considered alignments being adjustments to camber, caster, and toe which you can't change in the rear.

VIP1

You certainly can adjust toe with adjustable LCAs. Although an adjustment to one side does the opposite on the other side and is called thrust angle.

2002_Z28_Six_Speed

iTrader: (19)

That would make a very interesting ride on slick roads and ice.

spy2520

iTrader: (3)

when thrust angle is off and front toe is set, its called dog-tracking. thats an interesting ride on any road surface lol

DopeFedZ

iTrader: (34)

I did my car without any issues and didn't take long at all. I then offered to install shocks and springs for a friend and those two f#cking rusty nuts on the fronts springs were the biggest pain in the ***. I'll never attempt to lower another Fbody unless it's my personal vehicle.

VIP1

Huh?
What are you getting at?
A badly aligned car will drive badly in all weather conditions.

3.4camaro

iTrader: (1)

I thought thrust angle was sposed to be off a LITTLE, like its not sposed to be on the center line of the car.

Lt14mla

iTrader: (2)

i paid 275 for the have the front shocks and springs swapped. another 70 for an alignment. I did the rears myself of course