GTS Control Arm Bushings (Need & Cost)

[-TRQuixote-]

Local viper shop (Eurocharged Minneapolis) is telling me my new (to me) 97 needs the control arms bushings replaced. $7k for parts and labor. A big surprise to say the least. Is this a common issue? And more or less the expected cost? Trying to figure out how and if to move forward.

 

[white out]

Bushings on the cars are usually in rough shape given their age. However, most people do not replace them unless they are blow out or tracking the car.

$7k seems high (33 hours at $200/hour and $300 in bushings), but it is labor intensive and conductive to their hourly rate and book time. Expect to replace quite a few other components while the control arms are off as a 'while you're in there' scenario exists.

 

[daveg]

How many miles on the car? Garage Kept?

 

[-TRQuixote-]

How many miles on the car? Garage Kept?

15k. Garaged

 

[BoondocSaint]

Suspension is labor intensive, but it's also very doable in a home garage over a weekend. Worth looking at ball joints, sway bar links, tie rod ends, and steering rack bushings while you're in there.

Not sure how many hours the average garage expects, but the parts are cheap and the beer charge for a friends help are going to be well under a shop charge...YMMV.

 

[daveg]

Have any Pics?

 

[serafins]

There’s a good YouTube video of some guy doing an ACR

 

[BoondocSaint]

At 15k I'm guessing most of the other parts I mentioned are fine except the steering rack bushings. Those are no different than control arm bushings in their degradation with age. Also probably fine for normal drivig duties unless you are noticing a delay in steering or a little extra tram lining while driving.

 

[ViperTim]

$7k is a ridiculous price.

A full set of energy suspension bushings will set you back a few hundred $, granted they are absolutely not the greatest! I know because I put them on my car this winter but they will absolutely do their job and do it far better than 30 year old, worn and dry-rotted stock bushings.
For the serious people there's most likely far better alternatives out there than Energy Suspension, but they pleased me. Also the rear uppers go in backwards from what their instructions tells you.

Everything on a viper is doable in the garage, all you need help with is getting the stock bushings out which require a hydraulic press but your local shop will help you with that if you bring them all of you suspension parts. It will be labour intensive work, but paying $7k is just a ridiculous amount of money.

But does it ride nice? No suspension noises etc?
Just leave it be until next year, you just bought the car and need to enjoy it so enjoy it. If it feels alright and sounds alright it's no rush. It's to be expected on a 30 year old car but as long as it's stable (safe and predictable) on the road and wont clunk it's OK for now - not great but OK.

IMPORTANT:
Also thorouhly inspect your A-arms for hairline cracks, I'm up to 6 or so cracked A-arms on my Viper and I'm not pleased with how this isn't discussed more.

 

[daveg]

Granted they are 30 years old but I find it somewhat hard to believe that a car with 15K thats in the garage have bushings that degraded that much, that why I asked for pics.

 

[GTS Dean]

If you decide to replace the rack bushings, be absolutely sure to keep the shims under each side of the rack taped together and marked by side for proper re-installation.

The OE rubber bushings are factory torqued in a fully ballasted condition and have a lot of preload on them. Even if driven sparingly, the rubber around the center tubes will develop a permanent deformation. I noted this when my car was only 5 years old, but had a lot of track days on it. This degrades performance and makes alignment a bit more difficult. For a street driven car, it is debatable how much the average owner will notice it.

The DSE and TKO bushing sets are very expensive compared to ES urethane, but are *much* easier to install. They provide superior articulation performance, do not need to be preloaded and will last the life of the car.

 

[pokeyl]

Control Arm Bushing Up-Grade-...

This may have been covered before. I am using the Energy Suspensions Gen 2 bushing kit on my 2004, $200 for both front and rear. I also used a bushing press kit from Amazon. Works perfect! I have not started the rear yet!

www.viperclub.org

 

[99RT10GTS]

Hemi-Autowerks in Miltown can do it way cheaper. (651) 212-0893

 

[asuj158]

That price is absurd. Just had both front and rears done at a reputable shop for $2200. I supplied the bushings.

 

[GTS Dean]

That's a great price. Did this include ballasted bolt torquing and an alignment?