So what was his explanation for lack of need for an alignment? And why was it so cheap? Better than half the going rate.Just had both Front Upper Control Arms replaced by mobile service, 45 minute job in total, including my annoying questions... Fantastic technician, really knew what he was doing, and took time to explain the cause, and why the lack of need for an alignment. He did one side at a time, and only needed to use the hydraulic jack once per side to lift the car, no need for lifting the hub assembly during the process. I was initially concerned that this was a procedure best suited for a Service Center, but now understand that the Mobile Technicians are plenty qualified/equipped.
Prior to this, the control arm was "raising hell", even driving at a constant speed on a flat road. As a temporary fix, I used a syringe to inject a lithium grease/oil cocktail (for reduced viscosity) into the noisy passenger side upper control arm boot, which completely eliminated the noise in a days drive. Technician said that it would be fine to leave it as is, or replace both for $275.00 (out of warranty) - opted for the part replacement in the event the driver side developed the same issue, and for peace of mind.
For reference, I used the following large gauge syringe for grease injection, then wiped down the injection location with alcohol, then sealed it with a "smear" of RTV sealant. Drove for 30 days without the noise returning. Technician stated that he had not heard of this fix, and that he could not detect any symptoms of wear by pushing on the fender.
Ski