Hi Chris,
£1,200 sounds a bit steep, for a garage with all of the tools and lift it really would be a morning job. For someone without all of that and having not done it before it is longer.
Discs and pads are an easy job, especially if you are doing kingpins as they have to come off anyway. They aren't particulary expensive in the BigJimny store, but if out of stock get them at EuroCarParts or GSF. You might want to check them first to make sure they really need doing.
If it is just the swivil seal that is leaking a bit, it probably isn't too much of a worry, but as Lambert says needs sorting sooner or later. There is an oil seal on the drive shaft, they sometimes leak and let oil in to the kingpin housing, this is more of a problem, so get new oil seals in the kit of parts.
My suggestions if doing it yourself are
- Get somewhere local to do it in case it doesn't go well and spills over in to 2 days
- I can come across and help on a Saturday, possibly 25th June?
- Aim to get one side done at a time, if you get both done it's a bonus
- Assume everything will be stuck on tight, get easing oil, a large hammer, a breaker bar/long socket bar, drift or cold steel chisel
- For small nuts/bolts get replacements, it's faster than trying to clean up old parts. Get new split pins for the steering rod ends, I had to drill one of mine out.
Things that were stuck on mine
- One of the caliper bolts was very tight
- The swivil seal bolts on one side
- Both of the ABS bolts sheared off
- The lower kingpin, needed a blow lamp and a big hammer
- The lower kingpin bearings, hammer it out with a 1" socket.
If I come over I can bring the tools I used/found useful.
I wouldn't say it is a difficult job, just sometimes various bolts won't budge, but that is normal. It is just a case of knowing how much force to use, the tricks to get things free or when to use heat.
Robin
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