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Hello I have posted about repairs and things about this same 2001 GMC Sonoma I own a few times here and got lots of good advice and things on them. The control arms and bad especially more so on the passenger side then the driver side. The ball joints were replaced on that side a year ago but I believe they are going out. I had a lot of repair work put in it a few months ago in a new fuel tank, fuel lines, and brake lines all redone costing about 800 bucks. The guy had it for over 4 months and it sat there more then anything. This made me mad because I have been loyal to this guy for a few years now at a small service station and i Know him well. But he acts like he dont wanna do what it needs and it is too far gone. Another guy said he just dont wanna mess with it because he gets like that and knows him better then I do. So i would like to maybe find someone else to do it but not where where i could go. Sears would do it but would charge me more then anything but i woudl have it in a day or so. Better then 4 months. And i could put on a sears card and make payments. But I would like to know about how much it might cost and im talking the front end. I was told it would probably cost 500 per side. Looking at parts online they wouldnt be too much in cost but labor I am sure is what would be the cost. SO is this cost about right or would i expect more? Im talking pretty much the frong of the suspension and all that maybe too. Like the tie rods, cv axle joints ball joints. I look at it as maybe expensive fot the age but i havent made payments for awhile on a vehicle and having what i did put in almost a thousand. It also keeps cheweing up front tires and i believe it is caused by the one wheel bearing maybe going out too but i figure all that has come off to fix it so might as well change it since i put new fuel tank and stuff in it . ANy thoughts or suggestions? Its a good running truck but i can tell while driving the front needs some work and i am tired of this one guy i thought was dependable giving me a runaround anymore
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I also wanted to mention and forgot that the power steering leaks some where on the driver side and i never seen anything on the ground. The pump works fine still but i have to add some maybe once every two weeks depeding how much i drive it. there is times i deliver pizza with snowy days with it for the 4×4 i give it some and it last fine the whole time even going all over the place at times and then some after so i wanan fix that too and some place like sears will i am sure cathc that i i dnt say so
Your basically looking to R&R pretty much the entire front end.
As to cost, that will be dependent ….
On what parts are used and who purchases them.
If your shop will allow you to purchase the items.
Some shops will and others will not due to warranty issues that may come up.
A few other items you may need to add to your shopping list..
Stabilizer bushings
Sway bar links
Bearing hubs
Front end alignment
Shocks
As you mentioned.. Steering rack.
Labor cost is the ghost issue.
R&R the entire front end of a 17 year old vehicle is going to have a few issues.
Rusted hardware.
Seized control arm bolts
Etc.
Also, shops hourly labor rates vary.
Your best option:
Search around for several shops (hopefully that specialize in front end work)
Get quotes for exactly what you want done.
Inquire if you can purchase the parts for the job and if they will install them.
With that, be prepared to hear ” Sorry, no.” or ” We will install your parts but will not be responsible for any warranty replacement work”
That is the shops right to do so under those situations.
Which ever case, I’m afraid that with a R&R that extensive it will be costly.
That is were you need to judge the condition of the vehicle, age, mileage and how long you hope to keep it to the overall cost.
If it were in excellent shape, no rust, body straight, no damage, low mileage and well maintained.
Then investing say $1,500.00 – $2,000.00 would be in your benefit, considering finding another vehicle for the same cost without any repair issues would be slim.Getting another vehicle with my financial situation isnt in the cards. Yes the SOnoma is 17 yrs old. However it is for its age a great running lil truck yet and besides some rust and body issues on the bed the engine is running strong and i have had a lot of well maintained things done to it over the years along with recent just putting 800 bucks into the fuel system with a new tank and lines and brake lines as i stated. So I know it is not gonna last forever but I believe it is well worth putting the money into the front end. I have had between a buddy and I and some repair shops done a lot of work to it. It runs great and drives goods stops good. The only issue is the way it wears tires in the front. It needs an alignment but that cant be done without the control arms. I know for fact they sell the control arms, bushings and ball joints as a complete kit for each side. I have found for cheap price for each side these complete kits and even a complete kit online that supposedly has all the parts needed to redo the front end.I do not think it needs everything done. The power steering Looks to me like a line but i cant be sure as it hard for me to see it with the tight engine are. ALl the brake lines and coolant hoses are kinda in way to see much. ANd would have take the air intake off which no big deal just too cold here to do that. YEs i have weight the options and TRIED to get another vehicle but my financial means is hard. To fix it i wold save up between now and then. All i was looking for was a ball park figure about how much it could cost. Being that i put almost $2,000 in it in past two years and it runs and drives as well as it does. The steering wheel is TIGHT as it was when new so i have no major issues other then a leaking powersteering and way it wears tires. If you are saying that ball park it would problaby be 1500 to 2000 dollars then I would be ok with that it it means i could get a lil more use out of it and better tire wear.
My mechanic who had it for 4 months and it just sat there for 3 of them or longer, said that the control arms are bad which i suspected awhile back when i noticed tire wear and i asked him and he said they fine and when i took it too him for the fuel pump issue when the one my buddy and i replaced went out cuz it was junk i asked him that. i had it maybe a month or so when i noticed a small fuel leak. This mechanic is a good mechanic but his times never match and i dont see him a reliable anymore. I know sears auto center does front end work here but i know they charge alot in labor too. Im mostly as i stated more concerned about the tire wear. the front one i jsut had put on hardly a year ago and it sat for 4 months. A brake line busted on me one morning and it sat here for almost a month jsut in my own driveway. the drive side tire still looks new with the tread and all the passenger side the inside is wearing to almost no tread now last i looked when i got gas this week and the outer side the tread looks like the driver side tire having almost new tread. so something is out badly on that side. i think a tie rod is bad but the mechanic claims they are fine and now that im thining about it and what he told me he did say the driver side control arm isnt bad but the ball joints are getting there. SO it sounds like the passenger side ball joints and control arm are shot and maybe a tie rod is which problaby as one the parts you stated so is the wheel hub bearing
As I stated..
Start researching shops and make inquiries.
This way you’ll have a good insight as to what you can expect.I will do that. But two shops including the mechanic i was talking about that i have had work on it said the $500-600 per side would be a round about estimate. Not sure where all around me does them.
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