Ball joints:how much should i be paying?

Yes, just get the kit. The job is a pain in the *** and can take all day or even a weekend if you don't have experience with it. If you're gonna start tearing it apart, you might as well just do everything at once instead of having to do it all over again in a couple years.

You better buy Mopardude a t-bone steak dinner when you guys are through :)

Also make sure you have enough money for an alignment afterward.