The rear diff, springs, and brakes are easy. You can knock that out in an hour if you know what you're doing and have all the parts.

The front end is more complicated due to having more fiddly bits and dealing with alignment. A seasoned pro can knock one out quickly but someone just starting out will likely take a full day once everything is on hand.

One thing I will suggest is a quick and dirty alignment. Once the tires look like they are more or less straight up and down you need to look at toe.

Lift each front tire off the ground. Grab a screwdriver and hold it steady. Spin the tire and let the pointy tip of the screwdriver drag along the tire somewhere in the middle of the tread. Done right it will scribe a line around the tire.

Do this on both sides.

Put the car on the ground and bounce the suspension a bit to settle things.

Slide a tape measure under the car to your friend on the other side.

Measure the distance between the marks on the tires in the front and rear. Adjust your tie rods until the measurements are the same.

*POOF*

You just did a quickie alignment good enough to get you to an alignment shop without trashing your new tires.

Note that the marks do not have to be on the same portion of the tread for left and right. As long as you scribe a perfect ring and don't wobble about you're fine.


We are brothers and sisters doing time on the planet for better or worse. I'll take the better, if you don't mind.
- Stu Harmon