Just took the truck in for the state inspection (needed to re-register the truck).

Upper and lower passenger ball-joints - $338.88
Power Steering box - $429.11
Front End Alignment - $70.00
------------------------------
Total to make it legal for the road....$837.99

I know that the power steer box leaks, and I just add fluid every month or two. But never knew it needed to NOT be leaking for it to pass inspection!

Warning....expect a lot of new threads by me over the next few days.

 

I used to live in Virginia and they have yearly inspection's too. Had an old S-10 Blazer that the front got all messed up on in a car accident, it was fun replacing all those parts by myself.

Now I'm in Ga. NO yearly inspections!!!!!

 

Where is the box leaking?

 

gdstock just did a rebuild on his steering box, prompted by leaking seals:

"Steering rebuild"

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...g-rebuild.html

You might want to PM him and get his now-expert opinion on how hard it would be to just replace the seals. Seems a shame to shell out $429 and scrap an other-wise fine steering box over a couple of seals.

 

Don't know for certaint where the box is leaking. I haven't been able to determine that yet.

I think for a truck that is worth about $2500, I may be retiring it to the driveway until we buy the house, and then it will be trade bait on a younger used truck. Just tired of constantly having to dump money into it. I bought it for $3500, and have probably put $2000 into it on my own since then. Would be much more if I let a shop do the work. All part of owning an older truck (220k+ miles).

Just venting right now. Just not feeling the love. Sorry for the rant.

 

0.o Balljoints for my truck cost me about $120 with moog all around (I think that's the price, it was a present after all).

And if the gearbox is leaking from the shaft where the pitman arm attaches it's seriously a 30min job for that seal and about $10.

 

"Don't know for certain where the box is leaking".

"And if the gearbox is leaking from the shaft where the pitman arm attaches it's seriously a 30min job for that seal and about $10".

That's certainly the most obvious place it would be leaking; try cleaning that area up so you can see what's going on.

That's a nice-looking truck you have there; maybe this revised to-do list will make you feel more inclined to get it registered:

Upper and lower passenger ball-joints - $120 plus your labor
Power Steering box - $10 plus your labor
Front End Alignment - $70.00

Total - $200

And if the alignment issue is just toe-in/toe-out, you might just save the $70 by doing a simple adjustment yourself with a couple of straight-edges across the wheels, and a couple of tape measures (have a friend help you). Adjust the tie rods so the front measurement is about 1/8" less than the rear, and down the road you go. Just did it on my Jetta and got it dead nuts, even up on a lift with the wheels hanging down all cocked. That would bring it down to $130 plus your labor.

 

Sounds very doable. And is typically the issue with my Dodge projects. I will spend the next week consumed with gathering the parts and a day doing the 3hr of labor. Wife and I are tired of constantly doing this dance. But I appreciate your smaller numbers. I did find a full set for $143 and a single side for $73.

 

Are you pricing ball joints? I just put these in a week ago ($150ish). My thread is around here that tells of the trials and tribulations.

Good day

Edit, I can't read sometimes. Not < $100

 

I hope this helps!

http://youtu.be/OzN0Z2HupcM