Spoke to a local shop for installing gears. 4.88�s, master install kits, Detroit locker in the rear, power lock up front, and new carriers, installed is $5900. 10.5hrs for the rear axle and 9hrs for the front axle. $3000/axle seems really high. This was inland truck in Austin. Axles are Dana 60 and 14bff and have 3.73�s with open diffs. Thoughts before I pull the trigger?

 

Seems a bit high.

Although, you don't say who was supplying the parts, or whether they were included in the price.

Shop labor typically runs in the $75 - 150 an hr range. Less for shops that cater to *cough* economically sensitive" *cough* situations, more for shops that tend to do things RIGHT and not want comebacks. Take yer pick. Gear labor is on the order of 3 - 4 hrs per axle set, plus anything they come across in the meantime, like maybe U-joints or whatever. So 8 - 10 hrs at $125/hr, roughly $1 - 1.25k, might be a good target.

20 hrs labor seems a bit ... aggressive. Depends on the quality of work, the shop's reputation, and the degree you can count on them to stand behind their work though, to some extent. A RACING shop, as opposed to something like a landscaping service shop (the BEST you can get vs just get it back on the road pulling the trailer earning revenue) is a whole other level. Not so much a matter of "better" or "worse", so much as, suitability for purpose. If I was a landscaper I wouldn't want to pay racing prices for my tow truck either. Any more than if I was running a Late Model or something, I'd want somebody that only did fleet vehicles doing my gears. No matter how "good" their reputation in their chosen field was.

 

that's too high of a price.
but, it also depends on your location. in a big city, im blessed with shops on nearly every corner, with that, comes competitive pricing..

 

I paid a 1300 for my rear end on my 2012 sierra to get rebuilt.....thats parts and llabor. The axles had groove in them, they welded and machine them back to specs then rebuilt the entire rear with new bearings, 4.10 and a trutrac. it took about a day to do, he said if he didnt have to fix the axles it would have been about a half a day job.

 

I'd say it's high based on everyone's responses. The last gear swap I had cost me under $400 but that was a straight swap, no maintenance outside of fluids.

 

the last straight up gear swap i had done just the gears alone, no maintenance was just 350, like madmann said.

 

$5,900 seems ridiculous. I was quoted $1,300 for a true track and gears in a 10bolt earlier this year.

 

I just had 4 wheel parts price it and all parts installed with a 3yr warranty was $4100 out the door before the 10% discount. Looks like I'm getting gears and lockers Dec 1.

 

That seems Much more reasonable! I do look at Google reviews a lot and haven't been wrong much ever although bigger companies can afford to pay for filtering through private sources. Not a fan of Yelp (probably Mafia lol). People love to talk trash.

 

I priced out some work from a different 4 wheel parts before, they have stores all over. I remember they were quoting me the same MSRP for parts, that I see em being sold at (no mark up), and they were right there with all the other labor rates I was getting. (I shop around on almost everything). If I wanted to nitpick, I think they were about $10-$20 an hour higher for labor. Considering what you are getting done, I would think you are paying for someone who should be a little more of an expert for this job. They should also have the network and ability to get you done as quick as anyone could.