Mechanic's Verdict

[bluryeyes]

After two hours in the shop, the report is thus: oil leak - valve cover gaskets, pleneum gasket, steering - ball joints, axel joints, check engine light - coolant temp. sensor, air injection valve and tube, gas guage - sending unit. Also, a tune up - plugs, wires air, fuel, cap, rotor, exhaust system, and alignment after the ball joints, etc. Total parts - $880.99, total labor - $735.00, Estimate time - 17.5 hours. Grand total without tax - $1654.94 I think this will have to be done in parts.

 

[Seabronc]

If you can't do it yourself, that is not such a bad price. However, I think a lot of that you can do if not all. You cancertainly replace gaskets, cap rotor wires and plugs. If he really wants your business he will probably be willing to have you do the simple stuff while he does the heavy work. the ball joints isn't the easiest job and will require some special tools. If you haven't done that before and decide to do it, be careful about support of the vehicle durring the process. You may also wish you never started before you finish. Alignment is definateyl a shop job to get it correct.

Good luck, >-

 

[Ice Man 860]

ball joints arent that bad, there is a balljoint tool that you deffinatly want tho. its kindof like a realy big c clamp with some special cup type attachemnts that go over the ball joint itself. then all u need is a friend to help, a nice weekend and a good orginaization system, (thers lots of parts). while ur in there you can replace the 3 u joints in the front axel and... well i guess it depends on how confident you are with your mechanical abilities, i rebuilt my entire front in january... it was like 10 below and the truck didnt fit all the way in the garage... it was a pretty crappy 4 days, but at this time of year a wrench wont freeze to your hand so its all good.

also i recomend that you get a good book 4 the truck not haynes but a chilton. that will give u a realy good idea howmuch work is involved. good luck

 

[Gunner]

hell yeah i say you do most of that stuff on your own and save half of the money.

 

[404PageNotFound]

advice: SUPPLY YOUR OWN PARTS! (this will save you a good bit of change)

mechanics and service centers charge list price (higher than walk in standard customer over the counter price) when they get wholesale pricing to turn a decent profit. If you have a shop/friend that will do the work for you (if you cant do it), if you supply parts, then you will be alot better off, especially with some of the stuff you're listing.

Also, if you're in the new england area, get in touch with me, I can probably get you parts a little bit cheaper (and try to find you a decent service center that will do it for labor only).

 

[zakcode]

man i seem to do most of the work on my bronco when it is either way cold or way hot.i dont have a garage so i try not to break anything when its nasty out.i had a bronco-2 that i could not get to break when it nice out(knock on wood)..i went through three throw out bearings one winter before i put a new flywheel on. i had the time down to 70 min.s to drop the tranny/transfercase. another 70 to put it back.i should have listened to my neighbor and put the flywheel in the first time it looked good when i put the clutch in :huh: