Just curious cost question - DIY last weekend

[BoxMN]

I am curious how much I might have saved myself - just for justification for hunting trip this fall

What is ballpark cost for these jobs, if anybody would be willing to offer suggestions:

05 Trailblazer - all premium parts where it matters:

upper ball joints both sides

front pads and rotors

rear pads and rotors

98 k1500 - premium parts:

pitman arm

idler arm

bearings both fronts

front pads and rotors, and slide service kits (rubber and o rings, etc.)

Thanks for any thoughts. I did have to buy a pitman arm puller ($13 at napa) and 36mm socket, but was able to borrow the bearing press kit. It took me basically all weekend, but I am no (Cat) mechanic! Doing it again I bet I could reduce the time in half knowing what I know now Thanks goodness for my neighbor who had tools I did not, and knows what he is doing in general, but these were new to him too.

[TruthWalleyes]

Now that your the expert, estimate your time to do it again, and then drop 15% because the shop will do it faster. Take your hours and multiply by a typical shop hourly rate of $90.

I'm sure you saved yourself enough for a new hunting toy

[Jeremy airjer W]

05 Trailblazer - all premium parts where it matters:

upper ball joints both sides

front pads and rotors

rear pads and rotors

[BoxMN]

Thanks guys. It makes me feel good, because I saved money and learned how to do a few more things. I also gained even more respect for you guys who really know what you are doing! It was tough, and folks who stopped by laughed at how dirty I was, haha! I can see where a lift is a godsend...

I also learned that Alldata (I get from library) really assumes you know what you are doing on the little stuff - i.e. for removing pitman arm, it said "remove steering box; remove pitman arm; replace pitman arm; reinstall steering box"....

what I needed was more like:

remove steering fluid lines with 18mm line wrench

remove steering shaft with the little bolt near the steering box

pull steering back towards cab

remove three bolts (after cutting a bit of the wheel well liner to access top bolt)

take out steeering box

use pitman arm puller (it did say that I guess)

install new pitman arm, be sure to keep everything in line

set steering box on ground to get leverage to torque the nut on until your arm breaks...

... and so on! ha!

Anyway, sorry for writing a book, I just have a cool sense of accomplishment. Easy things for many, but was quite a feat for me, haha!

I had about $800ish into parts, so saved anywhere from about $900 to about $1900.... best of all the trucks are ready for hunting season I owe my buddy and his wife a nice dinner out as well, but they use our cabin for weekends or weeks so it evens out.

Thanks guys!

[Whoaru99]

You brought them in for alignment after putting the new parts in?

[BoxMN]

Not yet, that is on the list. Haven't put on but 2 miles on the 98 yet. I do notice a slight pull to left on trailblazer, so yep, alignment is/was needed. So that will be about $80 each more.

[polarsusd81]

Not to hijack, but how much do you think it would run to have new brake calipers installed on the front of a 2000 S-10 and bleed the brakes? I had a little fun in the driveway Sunday morning. Took me about 90 minutes start to handwashing. About 30 bucks for the reman calipers. Pads were replaced a few months ago and noticed some wear on the calipers and decided I needed to replace them, just had to get the time to do it.