HOLY CRAP J&L 4wd in Madison is a RIP OFF!!!!

[Atl-Atl]

Just called to see what they would charge for a gear install in my 8.25 to match the front 456s I just got. They want $635 to install ONE set of gears!!! That's just labor, not even parts included. What an unbelievable ripoff. How do places like that stay in business? What are they charging $100 an hour x 6 hours? When I worked at 4 wheel parts we charged a couple hundred bucks to regear an axle. I need to figure out how to get my rear end regeared, anybody?

 

[99SJ_Ex]

Phil at MaxBilt will do it for like 350ish I think, but you'd have to come up to Eau Claire...

Call around some more...

 

[Atl-Atl]

Thanks I will look into that. I just called 4wp in Indy to check their prices and they want $450 for labor. Boy how the times have changed. Time to learn how to setup gears!

 

[macgyvr]

My buddy does it here in Fort Wayne for $150 labor. He used to set them up at the factory.

mac ' didn't realize how much of a deal that really was 'gyvr

 

[ChiXJeff]

<chuckle> My g/f's Dad got taken for a ride on gears probably 20 years ago. He had a 1 ton Chevy 4wc C&C with a flatbed (he was a mason/bricklayer.) I don't know how, but he destroyed the rear axle ring & pinion set. He bought a replacement set of gears from the local Chevy dealer for $900..... and then paid somebody else to install them.

Deb not so gently suggested that I not tell him what parts & installation should have been.

 

[99SJ_Ex]

<chuckle> My g/f's Dad got taken for a ride on gears probably 20 years ago. He had a 1 ton Chevy 4wc C&C with a flatbed (he was a mason/bricklayer.) I don't know how, but he destroyed the rear axle ring & pinion set. He bought a replacement set of gears from the local Chevy dealer for $900..... and then paid somebody else to install them.

Deb not so gently suggested that I not tell him what parts & installation should have been.

Must have been made out of titanium... :laugh:

 

[ChiXJeff]

Nope.... dealer in the west end of da YooPee who knew that the guy on the other side of the counter wouldn't have any idea of where to go otherwise.

 

[Atl-Atl]

So I just spoke with the guy over at Madison Driveshaft. He did some work for me a couple months ago. Nice guy, very fast turnaround and seemed very knowledgeable. He said he has a lot of experience setting up gears and just recently regeared an XJ. He wants 6 hours at $70 and hour so a total of $420. That seems incredibly reasonable compared to $650! He has turned out to be a diamond in the rough on a few occasions when I need stuff done in Madison. Sounds like the best option so far.

 

[ChiXJeff]

Indeed. Reasonable rates, and sounds like he knows what he's doing.

 

[99SJ_Ex]

Yeh, thats a lot more reasonable for setting up an axle...

 

[whitexj98]

Maybe they price high because they don't really want to do it.

 

[Atl-Atl]

Maybe they price high because they don't really want to do it.

Probably the case but that's terrible since its a 4wd shop.

 

[ChiXJeff]

<shrug> Either they really don't want to regear axles (bolting on chrome crap might be easier and higher margin,) or they really are getting people in that will pay the freight.

Quite a few years ago, I stopped in Attitude Performance in Arlington Heights, IL, and got numbers in the same range. Don't know if they're still in business, but they've had vehicles featured in national rags. Given their quote, I wasn't about to do business with them.

 

[XJosh95]

The 8.25 is one weird setup to regear. The pinion is a cake walk. It's got a crush sleeve so all you have to do is torque down the pinion nut and check the torque resistance.

Setting backlash is a bit more complicated. Most axles, like Danas, have shims for the carrier bearings. The 8.25 has adjuster "screws" that require a lot of back and forth to get set just right.

Is it a bit of a pain? Yes. Does it take 6 hours? No way! My buddy and I did mine in probably an hour. Of course it was out of the vehicle when we did it.

Idk. It is a job, for sure. But it's no $600 job. Jeezy.

 

[Atl-Atl]

I'll give you $200 and drive up to Green Bay if youll do it for me!

 

[ChiXJeff]

To play Devil's Advocate on the 8.25 setup..... at least you don't have to press bearings on & off to set up the carrier. You do need that long tool to reach in from the end of the axle to spin the eccentric, though.

This is also probably a good place to put a reminder to *NOT* remove the carrier on an 8.25 if you're not prepared to set up the carrier preload again. Unlike a Dana axle, you can't just put the carrier back in place and get the same pattern.

 

[XJosh95]

I wish I could set them up. I had to have my buddy help me with it and that was about 3 years ago. That's the only one I've set up. I remember the process, but don't remember the specs.

 

[Atl-Atl]

I wish I could set them up. I had to have my buddy help me with it and that was about 3 years ago. That's the only one I've set up. I remember the process, but don't remember the specs.

Thanks, it's cool I think I'll have this local shop do it that is reasonable.

 

[Rev Den]

Point made.

Thread now closed.


Rev