ekj wrote:
Upper control arms and lower ball joints. $2,200 total.
I don't know how capable you are at working on these things, but it can be much cheaper than that if you order the parts and do the work yourself. You can rent ball joint presses at auto parts stores, or have a shop with a hydraulic press do them for you once you have everything disassembled. The lower ball joints are relatively easy once you have the knuckle removed, and MOOG sells a greasable version with a MUCH longer than OEM life expectancy. It is best to buy a complete replacement upper control arm and just swap it. I seem to remember that they aren't replaceable? In any case, here are some part numbers...
Upper Control Arm: MOOG Problem Solver: CK3198 (x2)
CK3198, ROCKAUTOLower Ball Joint: MOOG Problem Solver: K80767 (x2)
K80767, ROCKAUTOBall Joint Press: AutoZone
Ball Joint Press, AutoZoneOne of these can be helpful if you have a stubborn ball joint that gets stuck part way coming out. Many recommend against using these because they can damage the mating surface that the ball joint sits against if you're not careful. In my opinion, it helps to have a little extra leverage there if you need it, and its free if you return it in one piece!
Ball Joint Separator, AutoZoneWhen I did mine, I used a big brass hammer and a couple of blocks of hardwood to hammer the ball joint out...but I'm redneck like that. If you're not confident in your wrench skills I would definitely recommend having the shop take care of this one. These are critical components that can cause some serious damage if they fail suddenly, as you have already gathered from others' posts. I just wanted to let you know of the alternatives. Good luck!