Need Ball Joint Replacements
TECH Resident
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 827
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From: Dallas, TX
My car is at the local "stealership" (will explain shortly) to get everything replaced. The service manager called me and said that my upper shock mounts were fubar'd 
. I asked how that can happen and he said that they i could have been caused by inferior parts and faulty installation. I took my car 2 yrs ago to NTB to get my front shocks installed, they said i needed new mounts then b/c they were rusted and they replaced them (with $500 dollar ones, i was stupid back then), so I doubt they gave me inferior parts. I can only assume the moron tech didn't install them correctly or somehting, which isn't hard to believe, since HE ASKED ME how the front A-Arms come apart, which i told him. LIke i said, i was stuuuupid... 
.
Anyways, I asked the service manager how much $$ the shock mounts were and he said, brace yourself, $500 just for the parts, no additional labor.
. R u ******* kidding me?! I asked him why they were so much, and he told me that they were "Genuine GM parts". I was thinking to myself, "...yea, and that means what?" lol I told him to i would call him back.
I went onto Advanced Auto Parts website and order MOOG upper shock mounts for, brace yourself, $180 TOTAL. I called him back and told him i would have the parts to him tomorrow and he said that was fine. I asked him why The "Genuine GM" parts were so much more then the other ones. He told he he can't speak for the quality of the MOOG ones, and that all he knows is the "Genuine GM" ones are of "top quality" and "tested". *coughbullshitcough*...
. We are talking about almost 250% markup per mount (MOOG = $80 per side, GM = $250 per side), get real...
They must have thought i was some dumb kid or something, or stupid b/c i have a studder when i talk, idk. No wonder "Government Motors" is in the place it is. There is no ******* way in hell that there is ANYTHING different between "Genuine GM" upper strut mounts and MOOG ones. If anything, the MOOG ones are better then the GM ones. Which wouldn't suprise me considering the premuim i payed for the MOOG bushings/tie rods.
F-f-**** you, d-bag! ******* epic...
Incase anyone wants to know, the MOOG part#'s are MOOG-K6517, MOOG - K6516.
. I asked how that can happen and he said that they i could have been caused by inferior parts and faulty installation. I took my car 2 yrs ago to NTB to get my front shocks installed, they said i needed new mounts then b/c they were rusted and they replaced them (with $500 dollar ones, i was stupid back then), so I doubt they gave me inferior parts. I can only assume the moron tech didn't install them correctly or somehting, which isn't hard to believe, since HE ASKED ME how the front A-Arms come apart, which i told him. LIke i said, i was stuuuupid... . Anyways, I asked the service manager how much $$ the shock mounts were and he said, brace yourself, $500 just for the parts, no additional labor.
. R u ******* kidding me?! I asked him why they were so much, and he told me that they were "Genuine GM parts". I was thinking to myself, "...yea, and that means what?" lol I told him to i would call him back.I went onto Advanced Auto Parts website and order MOOG upper shock mounts for, brace yourself, $180 TOTAL. I called him back and told him i would have the parts to him tomorrow and he said that was fine. I asked him why The "Genuine GM" parts were so much more then the other ones. He told he he can't speak for the quality of the MOOG ones, and that all he knows is the "Genuine GM" ones are of "top quality" and "tested". *coughbullshitcough*...
. We are talking about almost 250% markup per mount (MOOG = $80 per side, GM = $250 per side), get real...They must have thought i was some dumb kid or something, or stupid b/c i have a studder when i talk, idk. No wonder "Government Motors" is in the place it is. There is no ******* way in hell that there is ANYTHING different between "Genuine GM" upper strut mounts and MOOG ones. If anything, the MOOG ones are better then the GM ones. Which wouldn't suprise me considering the premuim i payed for the MOOG bushings/tie rods.
F-f-**** you, d-bag! ******* epic...
Incase anyone wants to know, the MOOG part#'s are MOOG-K6517, MOOG - K6516.
Regardless, you should also know you will pretty much pay list at the dealer for parts (unless you have discount pricing setup as I do). Order the parts online...there are plenty of places to get genuine GM parts for good prices.
Last edited by JamRWS6; Sep 22, 2009 at 12:28 PM.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Aug 2006
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From: In your sisters panties
i read some reviews on it, and i have decided to go OEM. I don't feel like paying $500 for mounts, but i also don't know what kind of mounts NTB installed. I can only assume they were OEM, but i really have no idea. I don't want to risk any b/s issues. I have a feeling that i would be kicking myself later if i don't go OEM, this time at least.
I deleted my earlier post. I didn't mean to come off like a cocky *******, it is just that they all seem to rip you off. lol I would do the install myself, however, ALL my bushings are being replaced up front, incl my inner/outer tie rods. I also don't have a working jack at the moment, stands, tools to do the bushings, or time.
Anyways, i'm the first one to admit when he is wrong, so i'm admitting it. It appears that $500 is about the going price for these things. They're ordering them today and should have the car done 2moro. I will give feed back on the MOOG bushings i bought when i get the car back.
I deleted my earlier post. I didn't mean to come off like a cocky *******, it is just that they all seem to rip you off. lol I would do the install myself, however, ALL my bushings are being replaced up front, incl my inner/outer tie rods. I also don't have a working jack at the moment, stands, tools to do the bushings, or time.
Anyways, i'm the first one to admit when he is wrong, so i'm admitting it. It appears that $500 is about the going price for these things. They're ordering them today and should have the car done 2moro. I will give feed back on the MOOG bushings i bought when i get the car back.
Last edited by Nightrydass; Sep 22, 2009 at 01:19 PM.
TECH Resident
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 827
Likes: 0
From: Dallas, TX
i read some reviews on it, and i have decided to go OEM. I don't feel like paying $500 for mounts, but i also don't know what kind of mounts NTB installed. I can only assume they were OEM, but i really have no idea. I don't want to risk any b/s issues. I have a feeling that i would be kicking myself later if i don't go OEM, this time at least.
I deleted my earlier post. I didn't mean to come off like a cocky *******, it is just that they all seem to rip you off. lol I would do the install myself, however, ALL my bushings are being replaced up front, incl my inner/outer tie rods. I also don't have a working jack at the moment, stands, tools to do the bushings, or time.
Anyways, i'm the first one to admit when he is wrong, so i'm admitting it. It appears that $500 is about the going price for these things. They're ordering them today and should have the car done 2moro. I will give feed back on the MOOG bushings i bought when i get the car back.
I deleted my earlier post. I didn't mean to come off like a cocky *******, it is just that they all seem to rip you off. lol I would do the install myself, however, ALL my bushings are being replaced up front, incl my inner/outer tie rods. I also don't have a working jack at the moment, stands, tools to do the bushings, or time.
Anyways, i'm the first one to admit when he is wrong, so i'm admitting it. It appears that $500 is about the going price for these things. They're ordering them today and should have the car done 2moro. I will give feed back on the MOOG bushings i bought when i get the car back.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Aug 2006
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From: In your sisters panties
FML, FML w/ a $10 roll of quarters, up my ***, sidways. Only i could take my car in for new bushings and end up rebuilding my front end. NTB apparently cross threaded my shock mount stem and fucked up my shock. Now i need a new one. So now i'm getting 2 new upper strut mounts, and 1 new bilstien shock. Both the service manager and the Tech think that NTB didn't do anything they were supposed to 2 yrs ago. If only i knew what i know now back then. At least the car will be "like new". Eventually i will be doing a Koni/Strano setup, but not for a couple yrs; at least. No $$$ with me being in school and owing my dad $5K for loaning me money to buy a new truck to replace my POS '00 Blazer. I don't race it or anything, i just want it back on the road. It will have to do for now. Speaking of which, had i bought Koni's and had this happen, use ur imagination....
For future reference, when a shop asks YOU how somehting comes apart, take it somewhere else. I remember standing in the service bay at NTB showing the Tech how the A-Arms came aprt to get the spindle off to get the shock out.
The service manager said he would work with me on the cost, that is a plus!
For future reference, when a shop asks YOU how somehting comes apart, take it somewhere else. I remember standing in the service bay at NTB showing the Tech how the A-Arms came aprt to get the spindle off to get the shock out.
The service manager said he would work with me on the cost, that is a plus!
Last edited by Nightrydass; Sep 22, 2009 at 03:28 PM.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Aug 2006
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From: In your sisters panties
just got off the phone with the service manager. He said that one of the MOOG balljoints had too much play in it so they had to use a GM one; the rest of the supplied MOOG items were ok. So now i have 3 MOOG balljoints and 1 OEM one. Not that i will even notice the difference as i don't autox the car; this whole things has been one big *** mess.
IDC, as long as i get the car back on the road. This will hold for a few yrs until i get the funds to get UMI CA's. Like i said, i wouldn't have noticed if he didn't tell me. I know that parts can have a defect from the factory, and i hope that is all it is, a "monday or friday part", a fluke. I hope these dont fall aaprt in like 2K miles or anything.
IDC, as long as i get the car back on the road. This will hold for a few yrs until i get the funds to get UMI CA's. Like i said, i wouldn't have noticed if he didn't tell me. I know that parts can have a defect from the factory, and i hope that is all it is, a "monday or friday part", a fluke. I hope these dont fall aaprt in like 2K miles or anything.
Last edited by Nightrydass; Sep 23, 2009 at 01:51 PM.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Aug 2006
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From: In your sisters panties
i got my car back finally, and in the process, found an honest dealership. He helped me save almost $200.
The car feels like new, it is truly night and day. Bump steer is all but elminated, it doesn't "track" as bad in the ruts on the highway. The front end doesn't feel loose or sloppy anymore. MOOG is a great product, the only complaint i have is the one of the upper ball joints from them had too much play in it so they couldn't use it. Must have been a defect. no biggie.
The clicking went away, atleast in the front. My rear now clicks. I can feel the click as well as hear it. it is my rear lca's. no suprise to me, the bushings are 92K miles old. It gives me an excuse to install new LCA's next summer! Maybe new Strano Sway bars, or atleast new endlinks.
I'm VERY Happy!!!
The car feels like new, it is truly night and day. Bump steer is all but elminated, it doesn't "track" as bad in the ruts on the highway. The front end doesn't feel loose or sloppy anymore. MOOG is a great product, the only complaint i have is the one of the upper ball joints from them had too much play in it so they couldn't use it. Must have been a defect. no biggie.
The clicking went away, atleast in the front. My rear now clicks. I can feel the click as well as hear it. it is my rear lca's. no suprise to me, the bushings are 92K miles old. It gives me an excuse to install new LCA's next summer! Maybe new Strano Sway bars, or atleast new endlinks.
I'm VERY Happy!!!
