Lower Control Arms replacement cost?

[412KING]

Hey guys, what kind of costs are you guys getting to have the lower control arms replaced on an 06 ECSB 4X4? I'm being quoted at $1640

Local shop is telling me the bolts are bad and that the LCAs themselves are bad which I find hard to believe but maybe someone can correct me. I know the LCA bushings are shot but I wouldn't think those heavy duty arms are bad. Thoughts?

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[torqued2dmax]

Do you live in a rust belt ? They get all the all the water and crap first while driving that 15 year old truck ! If it stays in a heated garage all winter like mine then it should not be rusted out . Just crawl under it and tap around the bushings to see if they seem rotted but sometimes they may look ok until you get the bushings pressed out and then you find its rotted out under the bushing ! Good luck you cant go wrong with new arms though .

 

[412KING]

Do you live in a rust belt ? They get all the all the water and crap first while driving that 15 year old truck ! If it stays in a heated garage all winter like mine then it should not be rusted out . Just crawl under it and tap around the bushings to see if they seem rotted but sometimes they may look ok until you get the bushings pressed out and then you find its rotted out under the bushing ! Good luck you cant go wrong with new arms though .

The truck has been in western PA and Ohio it's whole life. I have only had it for a few years but I believe it was mostly kept outside prior to me buying it. The bushings are definitely shot as the rubber is falling apart.

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[torqued2dmax]

They are most likely rotted out you were probably told correctly .

 

[412KING]

They are most likely rotted out you were probably told correctly .

Thanks... any ball park estimate for replacement and alignment? I just felt like what I was told was a little high

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[torqued2dmax]

Sounds high to me but are they also including any other parts that might go along with changing the control arms on what might be a lot of rusted parts ? When in doubt get a second opinion , we can not possibly tell you for sure without seeing it up close , get another opinion .

 

[412KING]

They had said LCAs and bolts and alignment

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[Chevy1925]

if the bolts are rusted into the bushing, gunna be a bitch to remove and require cutting the bolts out. they are adding extra time for that ill bet. clarify with them on that though, dont assume.

alignment, 100 bucks. arms, are 180 each for good mevotech (ask what arms they are getting and cost, AC Delco OE are 300-400 each. dont confuse those with ac delco professional). bolts, 20-30 max. I would say its high. alignment should have labor included at 100 bucks. You should be in the 1000ish range varying by a couple hundred dollars up or down depending on what they want to charge to cut out the old bolts if rusted in.

 

[412KING]

if the bolts are rusted into the bushing, gunna be a bitch to remove and require cutting the bolts out. they are adding extra time for that ill bet. clarify with them on that though, dont assume.

alignment, 100 bucks. arms, are 180 each for good mevotech (ask what arms they are getting and cost, AC Delco OE are 300-400 each. dont confuse those with ac delco professional). bolts, 20-30 max. I would say its high. alignment should have labor included at 100 bucks. You should be in the 1000ish range varying by a couple hundred dollars up or down depending on what they want to charge to cut out the old bolts if rusted in.

Thanks for the feedback. I saw the mevotech but haven't heard of them. How is the quality? I was looking at Moog and they seemed to be about the same price.

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[Anotherduramax]

In my experience, Moog is terrible (5 years ago that what I would buy, but never again) I have had great luck with mevotech Supreme on daily driven cars, and good luck with the Mevotech Terrain tough on work trucks/ my truck. I still use ACDelco a lot too with good results, their professional line is hit and miss though.

 

[TheBac]

You could always cut the bolts, knock the old bushings and ball joint out, and put new in. It's not like the arms themselves wear out.....

 

[torqued2dmax]

Get another estimate , you may be pleasantly surprised !

 

[412KING]

You could always cut the bolts, knock the old bushings and ball joint out, and put new in. It's not like the arms themselves wear out.....

I asked specifically about that and the mech said the arms were bad. As torqued2dmax stated, they could be rusted out and therefore need replaced.

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[412KING]

Get another estimate , you may be pleasantly surprised !

Just got another one and they said 1200 +-100. That doesn't include alignment though. Might ask about a cash discount... I still just hate it because injust had an alignment done 3-4 weeks ago when I replaced everything else in the front end but the LCAs.

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[Chevy1925]

As long as the shop doesn’t remove the upper control arm from the frame, you really shouldn’t need an alignment imho.

 

[PureHybrid]

I doubt the arms are bad. Mine came apart with no fuss, 200k+ miles in Ohio

 

[Bdsankey]

I asked specifically about that and the mech said the arms were bad. As torqued2dmax stated, they could be rusted out and therefore need replaced.

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I don't think the lower arms will need to be replaced. My truck has lived in the rust belt its entire life since 2005 and has over 350k miles and the arms have surface rust but have not lost their structural integrity. These are large cast iron pieces, not flimsy rocker panels.



Take a few pictures of your lower arms and post them up.

 

[412KING]

As long as the shop doesn’t remove the upper control arm from the frame, you really shouldn’t need an alignment imho.

I was kind of thinking the same thing.

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[412KING]

I don't think the lower arms will need to be replaced. My truck has lived in the rust belt its entire life since 2005 and has over 350k miles and the arms have surface rust but have not lost their structural integrity. These are large cast iron pieces, not flimsy rocker panels.







Take a few pictures of your lower arms and post them up.

Will do I think I will be picking it up tomorrow

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[Chevy1925]

by time you add in labor to replace the ball joints, bolts and bushings in the rusted arms you have, you will have the same or more into them compared to a new set (this is assuming the shop does the work, not you). much like resurfacing rotors, most instances its cheaper to buy new than resurface.