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Fair price for installed gears and lockers?

Superduty09350

Superduty09350

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Hi all,

I have a 91 3/4 ton burb and want to go from 3.73 to 4.56 gears with a Detroit in the rear and a lockrite in the front. If I have a shop do the work for me what is a fair price range for them to charge with parts and labor?
 
With lockers I'd think in the $1500 range to be honest. If not more.

My Detroit for my 14bsf was $700 alone. But $700 well spent
 
lockright front = do your self its easy .

rear what axle ?

might be cheeper in the end to buy a 14ff with Detroit / 4.56 from military truck and just bolt it in place.
 
It really varies. I'd count on 1000 parts and labor per axle, and that's assuming that there isn't anything else wrong when they dig in there and that you don't get fancy. If you were going with high-end selectable lockers, you could easily double your cost. You also get into the "might as well" situation, in that if you're tearing everything apart anyway you might as well do new bearings, seals, u-joints, etc.
 
As much as I would like to go all in and do a 14ff and all the other stuff I am only months away from retiring from the AF and funds are real real low this is my DD and I am more worried about the gears then the lockers. With the current setup I cant keep it at 75 on the freeway without it shifting constantly.
 
14FF parts are cheaper than 14SF parts. Just fyi.




Detroit is $700 for SF, and they are less than $500 for FF, also FF is a much more common locked axle so you see them for sale used quite often.




But if you get a new Detroit and new lockright, expect to be $1k in just for that, install kits with bearings are like $60 for the USA standard ones for a front 10 bolt, the rear axle is a bit more. Then add gears etc.


I have $1200 into my rear axle alone, and I did all of the labor and bought used gears :popcorn:
 
lunch box locker for front just replaces spider gears . no bearing kit needed.

look around you might find a 14ff with the 4.56 and locker much cheeper than all new and labor . that's all I am saying .
 
sweetk30 said:
lunch box locker for front just replaces spider gears . no bearing kit needed.

look around you might find a 14ff with the 4.56 and locker much cheeper than all new and labor . that's all I am saying .
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I thought we were changing gears here? Idk about you but id never do gears without doing bearings and seals.
 
Deuling said:
I thought we were changing gears here? Idk about you but id never do gears without doing bearings and seals.
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Correct! You should never do a gear swap without brand new bearings. They wear into the mating parts and no two are alike.

Side note...im glad I do all this crap myself lol. I couldnt imagine spending a couple grand after buying axles.
 
Gears and install kits should be anywhere from 300 an end to about 500 an end. So 600 to a thousand without lockers.

I charge 260 per end for intstall.

I know shops that do gears by book rate and that makes it several hundred per end. Most local shops I am aware of charged about a hundred more than I did
 
sweetk30 said:
lunch box locker for front just replaces spider gears . no bearing kit needed.

look around you might find a 14ff with the 4.56 and locker much cheeper than all new and labor . that's all I am saying .
Click to expand...

Still need gears for the front.
 
wetoolowdingbangow said:
Correct! You should never do a gear swap without brand new bearings. They wear into the mating parts and no two are alike.

Side note...im glad I do all this crap myself lol. I couldnt imagine spending a couple grand after buying axles.
Click to expand...

Normally I would do it all myself, but as it is my DD I need it done and I don't have the time to do it. I am trying to retire and my time is used up pretty good right now.
 
Retiring+low on funds = don't fix what ain't broke.

Seriously though. Add up the cost for gears and lockers and then add a couple hundred bucks an axle for labor. Should be fairly close that way.
 
Expect $300-$500 an end for installs. Other than an ARB no shop should be charging you anymore money for putting a locker in.

Just add gear cost, locker cost, and about $150-$250 each end for install kits.
 
I've always felt $1200 was a safe comfort range to pay for a shop to do everything. Anything higher than that then you'd better look into "why" they're charging more. Could be hidden fees or other unexplained labor or parts that may not be necessary.

And don't settle for "one of your buddies" when they only charge you beer and pizza. Sure anyone can tear out the guts and impact the new stuff back together but do they know and understand about backlash, mesh, dial indicators, etc., etc.? If not, walk away.

You can do this yourself but plan on doing tons of research. Plan on renting or buying the correct tools, too. Most of all, plan on lots of time and patience especially for a first timer.
 
I just priced it out on Randy's Ring and Pinion site and it came to over $2,000 in just parts with no shipping or taxes. That is assuming a 10-bolt/14 SF axle combo in a '91 Sub, 4.56 gears front and rear, Detroit rear, Lock-rite front, and install kits for both axles. I used the "mid grade" option for the gear sets (not the $600 OEM versions!). You could save maybe a $100/axle with the cheaper gear sets, probably okay for the front but wouldn't do it in the rear on a DD.

Just the Detroit and Lock-rite are over $1,000 and then add in the cheap gear sets and the bare bones in bearings and seals and you are hitting the $1,500 mark on just parts.

My recommendations if money is tight....well, besides just not doing it to begin with:doah:. Definitely skip the front Lock-right for now as that will save you the $300+ parts cost and I would guess most shops would charge a little more for installing it (there is still a little extra work involved in installing the Lock-right even if already doing gears).

Seriously consider going the military 14FF rear route, or at least look around for one. Haven't looked recently but seem to remember them going in the $500 range at some point in time. That is significantly cheaper then gearing and locking the 14SF and once the spring pads are moved you can bolt it in an hour.
 
not sure how far this is.. but can be put in quickly on your DD>. to get you back going..

then have your axle out and can do on your leisure
i know front.. but do you need 4wd right now?
$350

http://wyoming.craigslist.org/pts/5180096100.html


front d60 needs bearings but 4.56s already.. no locker...

hmm your area doesnt have complete sets.. my area while back had front/rear matching 1 tons with 4.56 and xover steer for $1300....
 
While cleaning up my garage the other day, I found the receipt for my 14bff rear axle rebuild. 5.13 gears, install kit, bearings, detroit locker, 1410 U-bolt yoke, plus labor. Was just under $1200
 
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