Tie-rods and CV joints

[HappyMom]

Brought the car to a local garage for an alignment and got a nasty surprise . Need to have the following changed:

Tie rod: left side inside
Tie rod: right side outside
Complete CV joint: right side
Boot for CV joint: left side

The garage want to charge me CDN$422+taxes (about US$340) including alignment.

You probably know I'm not the type to do my own work, but would like your opinion: Am I beign screwed?!?

Any fellow Festy mechanics in the Montreal area who would like to bid on this work

Not so happy HappyMom

[Festy46]

The CV joint and boot has nothing to do with the alignment. If your short on money, those 2 items could be put off to a later date ... unless they are totally destroyed. Are your steering rack boots in good condition? I've never seen a bad inner tie rod end if the boots were good, unless it was bent. I would ask the mechanic to show you the reason he thinks the inner tie rod is bad. An inside and outside tie rod should not be more than $50.00 US for both. A complete CV axle and a boot should not be more than $80.00 US.
You can check prices for yourself by going to any of the auto parts web sites. The prices I gave you were from the Advance Auto Parts site: www.advanceautoparts.com.

[HappyMom]

Thanks for the tip

I always get this feeling when I walk into a garage that the serviceman is thinking: "Look guys the money pot just walked in"

Got a second opinion who said the tie-rods weren't that bad and the steering is loose but not that loose and the work could wait till spring. I'm worried about wear on my tires

He did show me the split boot and also where my steering rack is leaking Oh Joy! Said the whole rack needs to be changed and that it comes with the tie-rods. Then a guy at work told me it's probably just a seal on the rack.

Thanks again

Claire

ps: The prices he gave me for parts were higher than you've noted so I'll try to negotiate that or maybe buy the parts myself...

[Festy46]

Festivas don't have much alignment adjustments for caster and camber so unless your car was damaged, those 2 adjustments are probably about right. The "toe" adjustment is the one that can be way off. You can check this yourself if you have someone to help you. Park your car on a level, preferably paved surface, like a garage. Take a rag and wipe a clean spot on the tire tread on the front of each front tire. Place a small piece of masking tape on each tire and draw a vertical line on the tape. Place the tape as far toward the top of the tire as you can and still have a straight line across the front of your car from tire to tire just under the body. Now measure the distance between the 2 marks on your masking tape. Record or remember this measurement. Push your car forward (or backward) until the tape and marks are as high as they can be and yet get a measurement across the back of the tires and just under the body. If the 2 marks (front and back) are less than 1/8" difference, you shouldn't have to worry about tire wear for a few months. If the measurement difference is greater than 1/8", it's very easy to adjust it with a couple wrenches and a pair of pliers.
John

[aithanmier]

don't buy the parts yourself! most shops will not touch parts that you bring in. i tell you i had a heck of a time finding a shop that would install my lowering springs a front struts on my cougar, because i had already purchased them. that price doesn't seem to outrageous to me, you have to remember that parts usually don't account for even half of the total cost. most of the cost is labor. $340 with an alignment isn't bad, 80 bucks for the half-shaft, the boot shouldn't be more than like 10 bucks, not sure about the tie rod ends, but then you need to figure a minimum of 3 hours labor plus another $60 for an alignment is about standard. suspension work on a car that old is never fun, bolts have seized, parts are rusty ect...

[someguyincanada]

i went into Midas today and to get a inner and outer cv joints and axle and heres the price quote

parts 149.11
labour 63.60
shop sup 10.64
sub total 223.35
gst 15.63
grand total 238.98

dont know if im getting ripped, its a good deal otherwise...

[HappyMom]

I got the car fixed per my first post with the addition of a new steering rack (old one was leaking). 100 yards out of the garage I hear a horrible rasping noise. :evil:

It's not constant, it's only when the car is moving, it's intermittent and arbitrary to car speed and direction (going straight or turning) It almost sounds like a piece of car is rubbing on the road then bounces around whacking something in the engine bay.

Going back to garage today to give to see what's up? Any of you guys have any idea?

[jeffdjeffd]

strange noise

Is it kind of a thumping? Seriously - check your lug nuts on the front wheels. I'm not ashamed to admit this has happened to me. They work loose if not properly torqued and the wheel wobbles and makes a horrible racket. I thought I had destroyed some suspension component - turns out I nearly destroyed the whole car with only one lug holding the wheel on.
jeff

[HappyMom]

The noise ended up being the brakes and a wheel bearing. I new the brakes were going, but the guy who made the alignment made sure they were gone.

I've spent more on repairs in the past week than what I paid for the car two years ago.

Well it looks like I'll be keeping a her a while longer.

Thanks for your help guys

[Gro Harlem]

having the boots replaced is pointless. If your axles are clicking, they need to be replaced, simple as that.

Replacing the boot just bandaids torn boots or cracked boots but doesn't fix the wear & tear that is already done internally to the axle

[HappyMom]

It never ends does it?

Since I've changed my CV joint w/axle (right side) and boot only (left side), my tranny is leaking. It has to be the tranny, cause the oil is really thick and gooey compared to motor oil or brake hydraulic oil.

A few people have told me of a similar problem after a change in CV joints, on cars other than Festys. Is this common on a Festiva. What should I look for under the car when I bring it back to the garage.

Brought to garage:

Turns out it was a seal that was dry and they didn't change when doing the CV joint. They will change the seal and only charge me the part $10, no labor.

This garage is now on my OK list again