Gear and locker quote for 2006 LJ

Soldmytaco

Soldmytaco

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 18, 2022
Messages
115
Location
North Carolina
Hey Y'all !

Just got a quote today from a reputable gear shop in my area and just wanted to run it by you all for general thoughts, ways I can potentially save money. Quote was for 4.88 Yukon gears and front and rear Eaton elockers. Price was $5500 including parts/labor/tax. I considered posting the actual breakdown but for some reason it didn't feel appropriate? It was essentially: $2160 in labor ($1620 for gears/locker install , additional $540 for switch setup/install) The rest was parts and tax. I could provide more info if its fine to, but no biggie. I will not attempt to do this myself and these guys have a good reputation, so I don't have much choice in the matter, but as I said, just looking for some general thoughts. Thanks!
 
Maybe I'm wrong but that labor price seems exorbitantly high. I've had three different TJs re-geared and the best price was $1200 for labor (both axles) and the worst price was $1600 for labor (again, both axles).

They're charging you over $1000 per axle for labor, plus another $540 for installing the wiring (which isn't that difficult).

I think the labor is much too high. I'd call around some more to be honest. If they have a good reputation though, you may just have to bite the bullet and pay it. Often times it can be hard to put a price on convenience.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jerry Bransford
Save $540 and do the wiring yourself. There's not 2 hours of work there for someone that knows what their doing, maybe 3 for somebody who doesn't. Eaton provides the whole harness with instructions, you just have to figure out where to mount it.

Last regear I did was 2021 and I paid $2700 parts AND labor. Add in $2000 for two E lockers and you're not crazy far off with the total (minus wiring) but I got Dana gears, which I would prefer over Yukon, which I consider overrated.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Longwhitejeep and JMT
freedom_in_4low said:
Save $540 and do the wiring yourself. There's not 2 hours of work there for someone that knows what their doing, maybe 3 for somebody who doesn't. Eaton provides the whole harness with instructions, you just have to figure out where to mount it.

Last regear I did was 2021 and I paid $2700 parts AND labor. Add in $2000 for two E lockers and you're not crazy far off with the total (minus wiring) but I got Dana gears, which I would prefer over Yukon, which I consider overrated.
Click to expand...
Yep, would love if they would just go ahead and wire them, but if it will save me that kind of cash I will definitely opt to do the wiring myself. Thanks for the reply
 
  • Like
Reactions: JMT
dang i just found my invoice from july 2020 and paid $900 labor for the same shit plus brakes.. and that's in california :oops:
 
Chris said:
Maybe I'm wrong but that labor price seems exorbitantly high. I've had three different TJs re-geared and the best price was $1200 for labor (both axles) and the worst price was $1600 for labor (again, both axles).
Click to expand...
Yep, when I had mine regeared (with one locker installed) it was $1200 labor. Labor was the same whether I had them do a locker or not, but I also did the air line and controls on my own.

This was LetzRoll, I don't think they actually cut me any discount for not having them do the plumbing and switch but I wanted to handle that anyway.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris
I paid $1600 is 2020 for a re-gear with parts and labor. They already have the carrier out for that so only added cost should be lockers and labor for wiring.

You quote sounds $1000-$1500 high even adjusting for price increase.
 
Yikes you guys, That is disheartening to hear that this place with such a good rep is charging so much for labor. I was also just checking some previous forum posts and I'm seeing that even just a year ago they were charging less. Maybe it was just the particular sales person I got a hold of today? I am going to try and get them down on this some because I really want to go through them. I don't want to cheap out, just want a fair price.
 
Labor for the gears is a bit high for my area. The shop I use wont touch wiring or anything but the axles. Anybody that says $540 for the switch setup is high, is high. They have to pull apart your dash panel, cut and trim, test the wiring, it takes time. Mounting those switches isn't standard plug and play, it is custom fabrication and the rates should reflect that. I picked the shop I used because it is the best in my area. If you don't want to cheap out then don't.
 
pagrey said:
Labor for the gears is a bit high for my area. The shop I use wont touch wiring or anything but the axles. Anybody that says $540 for the switch setup is high, is high. They have to pull apart your dash panel, cut and trim, test the wiring, it takes time. Mounting those switches isn't standard plug and play, it is custom fabrication and the rates should reflect that. I picked the shop I used because it is the best in my area. If you don't want to cheap out then don't.
Click to expand...
I can respect that. I don't know whats high and what isn't which is why I'm asking. Thanks for the insight into why they could be charging $540 for the switch setup. Like I said, I'm not trying to cheap out, but to pay the very first price that hits your ears without checking around to see if that is on the higher end or lower end just isn't my style.
 
Since you are dealing with Eatons and not ARBs that labor is definitely high. Here where I am at a rear regear with elocker is $550, the front with elocker is $750 and then wiring is a couple hundred depending on how involved it is.
 
Blackjack said:
Since you are dealing with Eatons and not ARBs that labor is definitely high. Here where I am at a rear regear with elocker is $550, the front with elocker is $750 and then wiring is a couple hundred depending on how involved it is.
Click to expand...
So if I get you a plane ticket, one weekend and you hate heading home? Local guy wanted 650 per diff if I brought it to him just for the gear and locker install
 
Eaton lockers alone range $850-1100 per locker.

Gears another $600-800 for a pair.

Then labor.

I was at $4500 for two ARB’s, compressor, gears, and install.

Cheapest of about 5 shops I called. 3 of the 5 sub it out to the shop I ended up using.
 
The labor seems high but I don’t know these days. I was talking to a buddy the other day that still works at the dealer I use to work at. He said the labor rate was up to $195 an hour. I would think 5 hours an axle would be more than enough and 2-3 hours for the switch and wiring, depending on their labor rate that may be what it costs these days.
 
astjp2 said:
So if I get you a plane ticket, one weekend and you hate heading home? Local guy wanted 650 per diff if I brought it to him just for the gear and locker install
Click to expand...
Mobile gear installs? Interesting concept.
 
Soldmytaco said:
I don't want to cheap out, just want a fair price.
Click to expand...
$2000+ for labor seems outrageous to me but I don't know your market. I understand with the supply chain interruption and inflation prices are higher all around but I paid less than $1200OTD to regear two years ago.
 
Top Bottom
Back