4 Wheel Parts Service Experience

LilHammer97

LilHammer97

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 19, 2019
Messages
213
Location
Huntingdon, TN
Has anybody on here had some good or bad experience with a 4 Wheel parts store/service shop? Im looking to have my rear end rebuilt there and I was just gonna see if anybody in the Nashville area has used them before. Everyone in my local area wants to charge me anywhere from 1200-2000 to have my axle rebuilt, but 4 Wheel Parts will charge me 1300 to do it and will warranty the work and parts for 10% of the cost.

Long story short my pinion retracts from my differential when I accelerate so I need to have mt ring and pinion replaced along with the bearings and seals. Im wanting to pretty much replace everything besides the arb locker just to be safe.
 
Years ago I had the local 4WP shop install both the front and rear ring, pinions, and complete bearing setups on Yukon kits that I did not purchase at 4WP. Since then, Northridge 4x4 has installed new ARB lockers. They said the wear patterns looked fine on the ring and pinions. I had to replace the front pinion seal not too long ago. If I did it again, I would make sure the pinion and axle seals were replaced at the same time. They probably were in my case but I never thought to check.

So I don't have any evidence that there work was a problem. Even so, I don't think I would use them again. I'd search for a more specialized shop and a tech that had done hundreds of them. The hassle and cost of having it re-done just isn't worth the potential cost savings to me at the moment.

I guess that's one data point that says using 4WP would likely be OK. I would ask the tech how many installs he/she has done.
 
Grant Lasson said:
Years ago I had the local 4WP shop install both the front and rear ring, pinions, and complete bearing setups on Yukon kits that I did not purchase at 4WP. Since then, Northridge 4x4 has installed new ARB lockers. They said the wear patterns looked fine on the ring and pinions. I had to replace the front pinion seal not too long ago. If I did it again, I would make sure the pinion and axle seals were replaced at the same time. They probably were in my case but I never thought to check.

So I don't have any evidence that there work was a problem. Even so, I don't think I would use them again. I'd search for a more specialized shop and a tech that had done hundreds of them. The hassle and cost of having it re-done just isn't worth the potential cost savings to me at the moment.

I guess that's one data point that says using 4WP would likely be OK. I would ask the tech how many installs he/she has done.
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Good points!!... the work will be done by an individual... so check their resume’... also they have been around a good while... and I’ve never heard any bad experiences with them.
 
Grant Lasson said:
Years ago I had the local 4WP shop install both the front and rear ring, pinions, and complete bearing setups on Yukon kits that I did not purchase at 4WP. Since then, Northridge 4x4 has installed new ARB lockers. They said the wear patterns looked fine on the ring and pinions. I had to replace the front pinion seal not too long ago. If I did it again, I would make sure the pinion and axle seals were replaced at the same time. They probably were in my case but I never thought to check.

So I don't have any evidence that there work was a problem. Even so, I don't think I would use them again. I'd search for a more specialized shop and a tech that had done hundreds of them. The hassle and cost of having it re-done just isn't worth the potential cost savings to me at the moment.

I guess that's one data point that says using 4WP would likely be OK. I would ask the tech how many installs he/she has done.
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Thanks Grant. Im mainly looking at them not just cause the cost but my jeep has a set of g2 dana 44s under it and with them doing the work g2 can't blame anyone but them if something does go wrong. That and their price point aint going to eat my whole savings up
 
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Generally 4WP is terrible but each individual shop can be very different. It is really worth asking in the regional section for a good local shop or asking a local 4x4 club for a suggestion.
 
While working for Transamerica who owns 4Wheel Parts, I regularly used a 5-6 4WP stores to have them build lifted new Jeeps and trucks for dealerships to sell. The technical expertise available at each location was highly variable and depended on the luck of the draw. Not even the top manager for the shop-end of the stores was all that technically astute, I had to "educate" him on several things as basic as pinion angles.

Personally I would not have my rear-end built by them, it's just too much of a crapshoot if you'll get it done correctly or not. Not to mention they're going to start the process off by quoting you a sky-high job cost and you'll have to push them to get it down to a more reasonable cost.
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
While working for Transamerica who owns 4Wheel Parts, I regularly used a 5-6 4WP stores to have them build lifted new Jeeps and trucks for dealerships to sell. The technical expertise available at each location was highly variable and depended on the luck of the draw. Not even the top manager for the shop-end of the stores was all that technically astute, I had to "educate" him on several things as basic as pinion angles.

Personally I would not have my rear-end built by them, it's just too much of a crapshoot if you'll get it done correctly or not. Not to mention they're going to start the process off by quoting you a sky-high job cost and you'll have to push them to get it down to a more reasonable cost.
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My biggest issue is all the local shops either don't know how or want to charge me over 1200 to just have it rebuilt, and thats with me bringing the parts.
 
LilHammer97 said:
My biggest issue is all the local shops either don't know how or want to charge me over 1200 to just have it rebuilt, and thats with me bringing the parts.
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That's a complete rip-off price, stop going to them. It should be more like $700-800 with them providing all of the parts.
 
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No shop looks at a 15 year old Jeep and thinks the driver is made of money. They reserve that for the JK and JL guys. You're getting a bad price because you aren't going to the right shops. You should try to find a specialized Jeep/4x4 shop that isn't a larger chain. The shop that did my frame swap has maybe 5 or 6 employees total most of which are in the owners family. That is the type of place you need to find.

For getting one differential rebuilt, I wouldn't expect to pay over $1000 and that is on the fairly high side.
 
06TJ35's said:
Maybe look for a shop that just does differentials if you can’t find a 4x4 Auto shop that has reasonable prices.
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Axle shops that aren't 4x4 shops are usually the highest charging shops of any of them. Their customers are car owners who don't know anything about what's going on and are usually desperate to get the problem fixed.

4x4 shops do jobs for people who are usually more astute and can usually shop around. Plus the guys who do regear jobs in 4x4 shop are likely to do a lot more of them and likely to to a better job. I went to an axle shop for a part once and walked away laughing and shaking my head at the $$$ they wanted and the comments they made to me thinking I was clueless.
 
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LilHammer97 said:
My biggest issue is all the local shops either don't know how or want to charge me over 1200 to just have it rebuilt, and thats with me bringing the parts.
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The search for quality work--it feels eternal and hopeless at the same time. Would that we were all in So. Cal. with that kind of expertise available.

You might do a post and find out if local forum members have recommendations. Also, I'd consider traveling some distance to get the quality you want. What is local? 2-3 hr drive? 4-5? When the time comes, I'll be willing to go to So. Cal. to get the work done that I want (12 hr drive).
 
Grant Lasson said:
The search for quality work--it feels eternal and hopeless at the same time. Would that we were all in So. Cal. with that kind of expertise available.

You might do a post and find out if local forum members have recommendations. Also, I'd consider traveling some distance to get the quality you want. What is local? 2-3 hr drive? 4-5? When the time comes, I'll be willing to go to So. Cal. to get the work done that I want (12 hr drive).
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I'm probably willing to go about 4 or 5 hours for this job. It just depends though
 
Jerry Bransford said:
Axle shops that aren't 4x4 shops are usually the highest charging shops of any of them. Their customers are car owners who don't know anything about what's going on and are usually desperate to get the problem fixed.
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Good point. They charged my friend $200 labor to install a battery and a air filter on his Raptor. Of course I told him he was an idiot for paying that price. If people don’t know they would pay anything.
 
Grant Lasson said:
Years ago I had the local 4WP shop install both the front and rear ring, pinions, and complete bearing setups on Yukon kits that I did not purchase at 4WP. Since then, Northridge 4x4 has installed new ARB lockers. They said the wear patterns looked fine on the ring and pinions. I had to replace the front pinion seal not too long ago. If I did it again, I would make sure the pinion and axle seals were replaced at the same time. They probably were in my case but I never thought to check.

So I don't have any evidence that there work was a problem. Even so, I don't think I would use them again. I'd search for a more specialized shop and a tech that had done hundreds of them. The hassle and cost of having it re-done just isn't worth the potential cost savings to me at the moment.

I guess that's one data point that says using 4WP would likely be OK. I would ask the tech how many installs he/she has done.
Click to expand...

Overly's Off Road shop in Friendsville
Tennesee Off Road in Lebanon....

Overly's Off Road
TN OR
 
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i personally would't go there. At least in my area, they are far more expensive than some of the local shops. And a 10% warranty? They will try do anything to get money. I got my lift installed there and was charged over 300$ more than a shop 5 miles down the road. Not saying that you shouldn't go there but if i were you, I would compare prices to other places.
 
I think really depends on the local store, I have work done at a small local off road shop, and the 4WP store in Oakland CA. I have known a couple guys at the 4WP stores for years, when I wanted to get my re-gear done no one could do for a few weeks. I called the guys I knew at 4WP and they got me in within a few days and did a good job. It has now been about 5 years and no problems what so ever. So I really think it is store by store.
 
I will say having come from the midwest to Southern California, there are much more competent gear shops in Southern California than all of Illinois. This makes the pricing much more competitive in Southern California.
 
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