Ford Motorsport 4.10 Gear Change Expense?!?!

[8UWITH6]

I am just wondering if the price I was quoted from a local performance shop was fair or not. I have heard the 8.8 can be a pain but I have never been in one.

Ford Motorsport gears 179
Shim/Install Kit 39
Labor 480

So, 698 dollars for a gear swap? Really?:eek:

[guspech750]

I payed $300 for my install.


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DTR + 4.10's + Eaton swap = Wreeeeeeeeeeeeeeedom

[rocky]

I am just wondering if the price I was quoted from a local performance shop was fair or not. I have heard the 8.8 can be a pain but I have never been in one.

Ford Motorsport gears 179
Shim/Install Kit 39
Labor 480

So, 698 dollars for a gear swap? Really?:eek:

I think that's about right for retail....as with anything it helps to know someone.


Sent from my iPhone 5

[DOOM]

I payed $300 for my install.


Sent from my iPhone 4S

DTR + 4.10's + Eaton swap = Wreeeeeeeeeeeeeeedom


Yeah but how much were the gears?

[guspech750]

Yeah but how much were the gears?

I payed $150 for them. My install included lube. I payed I think $40 for the small install kit too.


Sent from my iPhone 4S

DTR + 4.10's + Eaton swap = Wreeeeeeeeeeeeeeedom

[DOOM]

My install included lube.


I bet it did! :D

[8UWITH6]

Yeah, it pays to know somebody but this is a "buddy". Gonna call a friend of mine and ask him if he has ever been into a 8.8. He does a lot of GM stuff.

[fastblackmerc]

I supplied all the parts and I paid $200.00 labor.

[L.Mark]

I just priced 4:10 gears and the price was above $600...:eek:

[SC Cheesehead]

I just priced 4:10 gears and the price was above $600...:eek:

For just the gears? :confused:

[MyBlackBeasts]

Yeah, it pays to know somebody but this is a "buddy". Gonna call a friend of mine and ask him if he has ever been into a 8.8. He does a lot of GM stuff.


If a "buddy" is going to charge you $500 labor (unless he is doing in a retail shop & has no control over the billing) I respectfully suggest you find a new friend.

Find a knowledgable Ford tech with 8.8 experience and pay him to do a cash side job. Don't recomend a GM guy doing 8.8 unless they have 8.8 experience.

I did all the labor & paid a client of mine $100 cash and he brought all the required 8.8 specialty tools over & set the pinion depth & lash.

My 4.10 thread: http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=79929

[MyBlackBeasts]

I just priced 4:10 gears and the price was above $600...:eek:

Sparta has gear kit for $150ish. Install kit was around $200 I think. I paid the extra $20 from my local Ford parts dude for the 1pc cast shims. I prefer them to the washer pack.

[Mac-MerC]

A place out here in Kennesaw Ga. quoted me over $800 for a gear swap... hilarious.
Lucky i wasnt an idiot and chose the right ppl to do it :-)... shout out to Mo's Speed Shop

[SC Cheesehead]

A place out here in Kennesaw Ga. quoted me over $800 for a gear swap... hilarious.
Lucky i wasnt an idiot and chose the right ppl to do it :-)... shout out to Mo's Speed Shop

Yup.

Mo's FTW. :up:

[Mr. Man]

Check your local Mustang forums. Guy here in Jersey is quoting 500 soup to nuts.

[MyBlackBeasts]

Check your local Mustang forums. Guy here in Jersey is quoting 500 soup to nuts.

Now that's a reasonable price providing it includes a full install kit.

A straight gear swap is less than 2 hours labor including set up (seized/frozen parts aside). An hour for an experienced, good tech.

[Mr. Man]

Now that's a reasonable price providing it includes a full install kit.

A straight gear swap is less than 2 hours labor including set up (seized/frozen parts aside). An hour for an experienced, good tech.
It's priced for the Mustang club members. I'm not sure what it would cost for any Joe Blow. That's why joined a few Mustang forums so I can find local shops and get the discounts, if offered.:)

[maineiac]

doing mine this week,159 for gears ,89 for install kit,thanks sparta,99 for carbon fiber clutches,summit racing,50 for oil ,friend to install for free priceless.

[MOTOWN]

The labor for my install was $325 from DTS in Warren MI

[martyo]

A place out here in Kennesaw Ga. quoted me over $800 for a gear swap... hilarious.
Lucky i wasnt an idiot and chose the right ppl to do it :-)... shout out to Mo's Speed Shop


Yup.

Mo's FTW. :up:

Thanks guys!

[8UWITH6]

I understand people need to make money and I understand you have to pay to play............. but I just cant swallow 700 dollars for a gear change. Looks like it might be worth while to do it myself............

[fastblackmerc]

I understand people need to make money and I understand you have to pay to play............. but I just cant swallow 700 dollars for a gear change. Looks like it might be worth while to do it myself............

have you ever changed gears before?

do you have the proper tools?

Do yout know how to setup gears?

if you haven't and don't your rear end will whine like a banshee.....

[MyBlackBeasts]

I understand people need to make money and I understand you have to pay to play............. but I just cant swallow 700 dollars for a gear change. Looks like it might be worth while to do it myself............

Unless you have the tools, skill & training, a gear swap is not a do-it-yourself job. Yes, swapping the parts can be simple but then you need the specialty tools & knowledge to set pinion depth, pinion drag, and R&P lash. Not doing these settings correctly means guarranteed catastrophic differential failure in a few miles.

That said, if you have some mechanical apptitude, find a knowledgable Ford tech with 8.8 experience and pay him to do a cash side job with or without your assistance.

$200/$300 labor at a dealer (more or less depending on area of the country) yes, $700 gets into WTF territory!

[IwantmyMMnow!]

I understand people need to make money and I understand you have to pay to play............. but I just cant swallow 700 dollars for a gear change. Looks like it might be worth while to do it myself............

You can get this done for less than $500, possibly a little less than $400; take the time to do some research.

Things that will cause the cost to go up:

--Rebuild the differential...approx $100
--Issues with axles and/or bearings...approx $200-$400

Issues with the above could cause a $400 gear swap to turn into a $1000 job. When you find a reputable mechanic to work on your MM, have him check the rear before you buy anything to do a gear swap; if you need new axles/bearings, go ahead and spend the $$$ to get those replaced...it needs to be done anyway.

Below is a link to my thread when I had 4.10s installed....

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=79725

[jaywish]

I agree that if you have no skills you probably want to stay away from the job. If you do have skills and patience it is an interesting job.

You need a puller to change out the wheel bearings, a dial caliper, dial indicator and base, inch lb. torque wrench, 3/8' or 1/2 inch torque wrench, brass drift plus a good assortment of standard tools including a socket large enough for the pinion nut. Also a service manual. You will need access to a press.

It would be great if you knew a friend who had done a rear before to show you the ropes.

Just to share, the first time I had a posi carrier installed in the wagon, I paid a shop to do it as i did not want to get involved in the specialty tools and play around with the shims. I paid a good buck, can not remember exactly. Afterwards I asked about the shim process. They said 'we never change the shims on a job like this, just reuse the old ones.' It worked fine, no whine but I was still kind of po'ed as that was why I paid a good buck to start with.

Many folks just reuse the old shims even when doing gears and bearings. This usually works ok from many reports. However when building a new rear for the wagon this fall I did need to use a different shim for the new ford racing pinion gear. If I had not invested in the tools I would have been stuck with a whine and possible failure. So you places your money and takes your chances.

Also if you use a shop ask all the question is advance.

Also I strongly agree it is worth it to open or have the rear opened in advance to determine the condition of the axles before you start a gear swap, unless you can spare the car for maybe a few days while you look for the axles you want. All the bearings should be changed anyway if you pull the gears.

[8UWITH6]

I am pretty mechanically inclined just no experience in the 8.8 rear. I understand the repercussions of a failed install. And I appreciate all the opinions and replies. I am starting my research phase and was expecting 500 bux. Not 700. You get what you pay for but I will not be taken advantage of. :beer:

[L.Mark]

For just the gears? :confused:


No, sorry. That 's for everything including install.

[Vortech347]

300-350 is the norm. To cheap and they'll throw it together without setting things up perfect. Sometimes it takes up to 7 tries to get the damn things set-up right.

[fastblackmerc]

Sometimes it takes up to 7 tries to get the damn things set-up right.

Unless the tech knows what he's doing.

I was originally quoted $250.00, went together so easy the first time, didn't even have to re shim it, he lowered the price to $200.00. Bought him a case of beer....

[Vortech347]

Unless the tech knows what he's doing.

I was originally quoted $250.00, went together so easy the first time, didn't even have to re shim it, he lowered the price to $200.00. Bought him a case of beer....

I've done about a dozen sets. Some go in and fit perfect first try. Others its like square peg in a round hole.