Dealer tried to rape me

kaball

kaball

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I went in for some service plan work today. I know I needed new rear shocks and end links. Turns out I need all four corners replaced. That's all four end links, shocks, both swaybars, and UCAs and LCAs.

Good news: Everything but the shocks are covered under my ESP. So a total of around ~1600 in parts alone. Also included my driver side door handle since it was not locking.

Bad news: Shocks are not covered.... They tried to tell me that 4 shocks was going to be 1100 installed. I promptly told them to f-off.:mad: I informed them that I could have it done elsewhere for less than half that cost and I could do it myself for less than a 1/4 of that price.


Here's the problem: the more I look at how to replace them the more unsure I am. I have a LONG road trip coming up and really don't want a shock blowing out on me in the middle of I-95 or I-81. That being said how difficult are these really to replace? If I had the money I would buy the coilovers from stance but since I don't have the 1100 laying around I obviously don't have 1300 and change. :rolleyes: I have done a fair amount of research on the forums and have come up with part numbers, little tricks, and what not to buy. So for my on self confidence here what will I need to accomplish this task myself. I can do the basic things, but the more mechanically complicated tasks I need some help on. I know I will need ratchets, wrenches, and a spring compressor. Will this work? http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/OEM-Coil-spring-compressor/_/N-264t?itemIdentifier=555573_0_0_

Have you guys found a "best" way to do them?

If I have enough money leftover from the shocks I may pony up and buy a set of Eibachs for the right price. :D

As always thanks in advance for the help.
 
I don't think that style of spring compressor will work. I bought some that looked like this.

spring_compressor2.jpg


Air tools will save you a lot of time.
 
+1 that's a coil spring compressor. you need a strut spring compressor.

and

+1. an impact wrench saved a ton of time.

that's how we did it on a taurus.
not hard but you need to be careful. those springs under compression are a bomb.
 
Well I wouldn't have taken it that far. When I did my front UCA & LCA I had to remove the shock assy. Don't see how that's $500-$600 worth of labor assuming 4 shocks cost around $500.

Air tools will help zip everything off. This isn't much help but just put it back together the way you got it.
 
kaball said:
I went in for some service plan work today. I know I needed new rear shocks and end links. Turns out I need all four corners replaced. That's all four end links, shocks, both swaybars, and UCAs and LCAs.

Good news: Everything but the shocks are covered under my ESP. So a total of around ~1600 in parts alone. Also included my driver side door handle since it was not locking.

Bad news: Shocks are not covered.... They tried to tell me that 4 shocks was going to be 1100 installed. I promptly told them to f-off.:mad: I informed them that I could have it done elsewhere for less than half that cost and I could do it myself for less than a 1/4 of that price.


Here's the problem: the more I look at how to replace them the more unsure I am. I have a LONG road trip coming up and really don't want a shock blowing out on me in the middle of I-95 or I-81. That being said how difficult are these really to replace? If I had the money I would buy the coilovers from stance but since I don't have the 1100 laying around I obviously don't have 1300 and change. :rolleyes: I have done a fair amount of research on the forums and have come up with part numbers, little tricks, and what not to buy. So for my on self confidence here what will I need to accomplish this task myself. I can do the basic things, but the more mechanically complicated tasks I need some help on. I know I will need ratchets, wrenches, and a spring compressor. Will this work? http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/OEM-Coil-spring-compressor/_/N-264t?itemIdentifier=555573_0_0_

Have you guys found a "best" way to do them?

If I have enough money leftover from the shocks I may pony up and buy a set of Eibachs for the right price. :D

As always thanks in advance for the help.
Click to expand...


I got in a pickle and couldn't do the rear stocks my self. Sears charged me ~$60 per corner to install. So, at Sears you're looking at ~$250 labour plus the price of the shocks. It's not too terribly difficult; just make sure you mark the location of one of the bolts and use a QUALITY spring compressor.
 
Thanks for the quick responses! I assumed since we had shocks not struts I would need a coil spring compressor. I do have an impact gun and it was the best investment I have ever bought! is it as simple as the tech article looks? just the four top bolts and the LCA bolt?
 
LS4me said:
I got in a pickle and couldn't do the rear stocks my self. Sears charged me ~$60 per corner to install. So, at Sears you're looking at ~$250 labour plus the price of the shocks. It's not too terribly difficult; just make sure you mark the location of one of the bolts and use a QUALITY spring compressor.
Click to expand...

Still at 260 + the shocks that's still less than the 1100 they quoted me lol
 
kaball said:
Thanks for the quick responses! I assumed since we had shocks not struts I would need a coil spring compressor. I do have an impact gun and it was the best investment I have ever bought! is it as simple as the tech article looks? just the four top bolts and the LCA bolt?
Click to expand...

Yep. Its that simple.
 
+1 on the quality spring compressor. I bought a cheap one and messed up the thread on it. I rented one from autozone, its was better built than the one I bought and it worked great and super easy.
 
Correct me if I am wrong. But wouldn't that be essentially $1100 for all of those parts and labor?

That sounds like a good deal to me. That is basically your entire suspension installed with new parts for 1100.

Don't view it as just for shocks. See it as a whole package.


That is unless you got raped already on your etended warranty.
 
Installed new motorcraft shocks and eibachs the other day and everything went smoothly.

Did everything with hand tools so it took awhile to do.

Rented a spring compressor from autozone for 58 bucks.

Easy as pie.
 
Andrizzle said:
Correct me if I am wrong. But wouldn't that be essentially $1100 for all of those parts and labor?

That sounds like a good deal to me. That is basically your entire suspension installed with new parts for 1100.

Don't view it as just for shocks. See it as a whole package.


That is unless you got raped already on your etended warranty.
Click to expand...

I have an extended service plan which is covering UCAs, LCAs, tie rods, and swaybars. That's a $100 flat fee. All labor and parts included. That leaves the other $1100 for shock replacement. The total bill before taxes was $1200. So it's hard to not see it just for shocks. She also showed me the break down they wanted to charge 1.2 hrs for each corner 369.80 for the front and 386 for the rear. From what all of you are telling me it is more like a 30min job per corner and that is with limited tools.
 
Yeah definitely not 1.2h per corner.. They take 30 min to take off tops, with manual tools.
 
For a bit more money you can buy new complete assemblies with the coils and shocks together...then it is just a bolt-in affair.
 
You should mark which stud goes where in the shock tower so there is no confusion putting it back together. Use a white grease pen or anything that will not come off during removal.

+1 on just renting the spring compressor from autozone. Air tools will cut out some time but most of the time is spent wriggling the old assembly out and the new one in. Spray everything down with the PB Blaster the day before.

I'd go with Motorcraft though I have suspicions that Monroe makes these for Ford. I very recently ordered rear euro shocks from rock auto (ASHV862 5U2Z18V125VA) and searched the non ford numbers on the shock and got nothing but Monroe numbers. There was no color markers on the shock like there was in the past. This musical part number shiz is annoying.
 
02LincLS said:
This musical part number shiz is annoying.
Click to expand...

+1 on that. I was trying to get a straight answer out of rockauto about number interchangeability but no response. Right now I want to go with the ASH150/AST25 in the front and AT703G in the rear. I really just want to make it through to save enough money for the stance kit.
 
kaball said:
+1 on that. I was trying to get a straight answer out of rockauto about number interchangeability but no response. Right now I want to go with the ASH150/AST25 in the front and AT703G in the rear. I really just want to make it through to save enough money for the stance kit.
Click to expand...

You can do the whole thing yourself. It only took me about 3-4 hours for the fronts. That's with me taking a trip to the shop to use the spring compressor.

I bought the spring compressor tool from Autozone and do not recommend using it. It's doesn't sit right on the spring......very dangerous. Last thing you want is a loaded spring to get loose in front of your face.

Good luck!
 
ok I may get some lashback from this but bear with me. Just got off the phone with my service adviser. Apparently Ford is going to be covering the front shocks.... From what she told me under the ESP Ford considers "struts" a replaceable item. So from the mouth of Ford the front end of the LS in considered a "strut"...sounds so dirty after all the research I did and what some have said the differences are. :D

Since then they said I would only have to replace the rears...only 230 out of pocket including shop time. Their prices magically changed overnight! So it sounds like I get a brand spanking new suspension for 330 all said and done. WOOT!!
 
kaball said:
ok I may get some lashback from this but bear with me. Just got off the phone with my service adviser. Apparently Ford is going to be covering the front shocks.... From what she told me under the ESP Ford considers "struts" a replaceable item. So from the mouth of Ford the front end of the LS in considered a "strut"...sounds so dirty after all the research I did and what some have said the differences are. :D

Since then they said I would only have to replace the rears...only 230 out of pocket including shop time. Their prices magically changed overnight! So it sounds like I get a brand spanking new suspension for 330 all said and done. WOOT!!
Click to expand...

Gotta love the Ford ESP. That thing has saved me so much $$. I've extended mine twice, for an additional 5 yr 50k miles total. I'll be getting my control arms in the rear done in a few months (one is clunking now, they told me bring it back in a couple months and they'll do the whole rear end for me). It's a really awesome plan.
 
pagluy said:
Gotta love the Ford ESP. That thing has saved me so much $$. I've extended mine twice, for an additional 5 yr 50k miles total. I'll be getting my control arms in the rear done in a few months (one is clunking now, they told me bring it back in a couple months and they'll do the whole rear end for me). It's a really awesome plan.
Click to expand...

I totally agree! Mine had paid for itself before this fiasco but now it has been 10X better. Still don't understand how the fronts are considered struts...:shifty:
 
1. I hate you.

2. I'm kidding. Good to hear success stories coming from the ESP every now and again.

3. What happens when you don't mark which stud went where on the shock tower?
 
you have to pull it out and take off the shock mount, then line it up. Happened to me on the first one and after that I figured it out. Not too big of a deal just a time waster.
 
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