Daizen Install
11-09-10, 11:43 AM
#1
Daizen Install
Hi, i've replaced shocks, lower ball joints, outer tie rods and all new michelin pilot sports tires on my 02 gs430 with 101,000 miles. After numerous alignments, the car still gets out of alignment after a month and won't track straight. It is a pain to drive. Searching the forums, most of you guys have said that the bushings are the main problem. I ordered a full set of Daizen suspension bushings and sway bar bushings. My independent mechanic told me that it could be $1500 and 2 days of labor for him to press the bushings in and out!!! Is this a high price? Anyone know of someone in the DC,MD,VA area that could do it?
Thanks for your help
Thanks for your help
11-09-10, 12:04 PM
#2
Hi, i've replaced shocks, lower ball joints, outer tie rods and all new michelin pilot sports tires on my 02 gs430 with 101,000 miles. After numerous alignments, the car still gets out of alignment after a month and won't track straight. It is a pain to drive. Searching the forums, most of you guys have said that the bushings are the main problem. I ordered a full set of Daizen suspension bushings and sway bar bushings. My independent mechanic told me that it could be $1500 and 2 days of labor for him to press the bushings in and out!!! Is this a high price? Anyone know of someone in the DC,MD,VA area that could do it?
Thanks for your help
Thanks for your help
11-09-10, 01:03 PM
#5
Well then you probably gonna get soaked as just about all your front suspension has to come off for this...I could barely check oil 6 months ago, thanks to these forums I did the bushings, oil change, brakes and bunch of other stuff myself. I am in the IT industry so definitely not the mechanic type lol. try going to a smaller shop as when I called the dealer they told me $1300 and that they did not really even want to do it
11-09-10, 02:24 PM
#8
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Join Date: May 2009
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$1500 is too much but $350 is way too low. I don't believe that you will find anyone to do this for $350 for all front suspension bushings. I did all daizen bushings myself and if I was gonna do it again I wouldn't even touch this for less then $600. This is very labor intensive job and it requires a lot of patience and tools to perform. Honestly I'm not surprised that they want so much.
If you want to do it right it will take about 6 hours or so.
If you want to do it right it will take about 6 hours or so.
11-09-10, 03:49 PM
#9
Is there any reason why i shouldn't install the lower control arm bushings? I've heard of conflicting reports of issues with them installed. Will just the Caster arm bushings fix my alignment issues and firm up the loose steering?
Thanks
Thanks
11-09-10, 04:55 PM
#10
$1500 is too much but $350 is way too low. I don't believe that you will find anyone to do this for $350 for all front suspension bushings. I did all daizen bushings myself and if I was gonna do it again I wouldn't even touch this for less then $600. This is very labor intensive job and it requires a lot of patience and tools to perform. Honestly I'm not surprised that they want so much.
If you want to do it right it will take about 6 hours or so.
If you want to do it right it will take about 6 hours or so.
It's relative I guess. A shop down here in socal does it for $350 and he normally takes 3 hours to do the job.
11-09-10, 04:57 PM
#11
if your alignment keeps on changing, then all fingers point towards the bushings. You will definitely be able to keep it more consistent, but the loose steering may or may not be the bushings. It could be the steering rack bushings, steering rack tensioner, etc.
11-09-10, 07:01 PM
#13
if its just the UCA and LCA#2 then its not too bad, but if you're doing the LCA#1 and you're doing it in 3hrs both sides I wouldn't ride in the car with you because you must have extra parts left over lol. Pressing in/out takes probably 30min-1hr because the LCA#2 bushing don't just easily come out, i cant see a complete front suspension assembly and disassembly in 3hrs unless there is a guy working on each side at the same time. That is unless the guy has done this job 100 times.
11-09-10, 08:16 PM
#14
It's possible to do it in 3 hours. The guy I know has done it for many socal CL members so it's nothing new to him. First time around took maybe 5hrs, but after finding tricks to make things easier, it's smooth sailing from there. Once the car is up in the air, it doesn't take that long to zap all the bolts off.
I was able to remove and press in the caster bushing for both sides in 30 minutes. When you have the right tools and you know how to use it, it's quick. If you find yourself wrestling with something, you've got the wrong tool or you're doing it wrong
I was able to remove and press in the caster bushing for both sides in 30 minutes. When you have the right tools and you know how to use it, it's quick. If you find yourself wrestling with something, you've got the wrong tool or you're doing it wrong