yes and used their prepping spray

 

New ball joints! These had developed a terrible squeal whenever I turned the wheel, despite not having any of the clunking symptoms of failing ball joints - it seems like the boots failed and the grease leaked out. In MA, torn or missing boots can cause you to fail inspection, so it wasn't as though I could just shoot some grease in there and live with it.

This is the first item that I've gone to a shop to have done. With no garage or torch, I think this one was a little too ambitious. Had a good experience with the shop and I had them throw on some new brake rotors and pads during reassembly.

Next up:
- Fix AC, install new blower motor
- Install new fuel pump (currently my fuel gauge isn't working correctly)
- Transmission and transfer case fluid change
- Frame repair

 

I agree with you completely.

I have a garage, and I have a small, propane torch, but I've read too many ball joint horror stories to want to do that job myself. I did the headgaskets myself ten years ago, and there's not much I won't tackle myself, but not ball joints.

I'm curious, please, what were you charged to do the ball joints only, not including the pads and rotors? Are the charges broken out that way? Or even the total less the parts cost for the pads and rotors since there's really no additional labor? Thanks.

 

I had already purchased the rotors and pads and planned to replace them myself. Then, the ball joints went, and since they were taking the whole front end apart anyway, I just asked that they put on my new brake parts while they were putting it back together. They didn't charge me for this.

Parts (OEM upper and lower ball joints both sides) were about $200 total and labor was about 7.5 hours. I think the uppers had some life left, but I'd have been kicking myself if I only had them do the lowers and then the uppers failed in a year or two.

 

Nothing major but went for a nice ride yesterday afternoon and then today found the disco leaking coolant. Thinking pinhole leak in the radiator based on what I could find. Hoses are intact and it’s not coming off front of motor.

 

speak of the devil Of course the passenger head light went out today. Had to replace it. Never fails

 

After my post yesterday about my 04' Disco throwing a P1176 code I did some hunting on the forum. Found out most folks with this code found lose bolts on the intake plenum. Well, what do ya know - one of the bolts on the plenum was finger tight! Tightened it up along with the rest of the bolts, cleared the code, and now it no longer stumbles at idle and the code has not come back. Cheap fix... Ordered some headlight guards and a LR rubber floor mats to replace the Chevy branded format on the driver's side that the truck came with.

 

Did you get the Bearmach light covers?

 

Had a trusted shop replace the front driver-side hub bearing, CV joint and axle, along with installing a set of Gwyn Lewis 4x4 Products stainless steel Sumo Bars steering bar kit. The Sumo Bars, btw, are hefty. Only way they'll bend is if I do something REALLY stupid. Bought directly from Gwyn Lewis. Shipping was surprisingly fast, considering it had to cross the Atlantic and the US to get to me.

 

Replaced both motor mounts again. Tore the first set back in March and tore the new ones a few weeks ago. Both at the same ohv park. Can't wait for round three next month