M35A2
TJ Enthusiast
You could take a welding class at your local community college and save some money. Probably even do the work in class!
I hate mechanic shops
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I’m in college right now. I already have welding on my list for classes next semester. I have been planning on taking the class and this situation just made me do it
M35A2
TJ Enthusiast
I’m in college right now. I already have welding on my list for classes next semester. I have been planning on taking the class and this situation just made me do it
Excellent!!
Here’s the Total guys $3,000.82.
This was for welding new 2 Front lower CA mounts and 1 Passenger Front Upper CA, Installed 1 Bushing for front driver Upper CA, Install of 4 Shocks, install 8 Control arms and Weld new rear Track bar bracket. The rest is in the Invoice.
I brought him all the parts except the 4 MC shocks, MC shock extension,front bushing set and Miscellaneous stuff.
He split the car in two. So Two Invoices. First invoice is for the front. Second for the Rear.
This was for welding new 2 Front lower CA mounts and 1 Passenger Front Upper CA, Installed 1 Bushing for front driver Upper CA, Install of 4 Shocks, install 8 Control arms and Weld new rear Track bar bracket. The rest is in the Invoice.
I brought him all the parts except the 4 MC shocks, MC shock extension,front bushing set and Miscellaneous stuff.
He split the car in two. So Two Invoices. First invoice is for the front. Second for the Rear.
M35A2
TJ Enthusiast
Yea I should have installed the controls arms myself and the two front shocks to save some money. That was my plan in the beginning but he said he was going to remove my old CA to inspect them. I had the Currie CA arms ready at my house. Putting the old ones back would have been a waste of time. I didn’t think he would charge me a arm and a leg. I learned my lesson though. Do my own work.
When I was in college, I made $2500 per year and sometimes I could afford a $1.89 McDonalds hamburger (alaska 1996 prices) how the hell can you afford that? Did you sell a Kidney? rich parents? Wow, just WOW!
I save and spend the least I can it’s hard though. I had to borrow $1200 for my parents. I’m paying them back by next month.I only had saved up $1800. The 4” currie lift Jeep emptied every pocket I had along with the control arm brackets I had buy. I probably bought $3000 worth in parts. I saved for about a year for this. Rich parents? I wish I had to earn everything I have. Reason why I go to a community college. Finical aid helps out a lot or I wouldn’t be able to attend college.
The most horrible part of this all was my jeep was sitting for over a year. I saved every penny I didn’t want to drive it because of gas prices and the poor miles I get with my Jeep plus my rear shocks were broke along with a control arm bracket. I’m just happy I’ll be able to drive it again it’s been so long. I already know money comes and goes. It’s a lot of money but I’ll get it back.
People that complain about shop rates don't understand what it takes to keep the doors open and the music playing. Employees need to be paid market rate or above wage on their checks plus some competitive level (cost) of benefits, taxes, and, withholdings, etc. The rent or mortgage and property taxes need to be be paid. The facilities need to be maintained and improved. Insurance needs to be paid. Debt service needs to be maintained. There is an unending list of other shit that sucks cash out of a business. All of that happens before the owner takes a single thin dime and puts it in their pocket yet it's his/her money and future that was gambled to make it all happen for you and the employees. And they put in way more than 40 hours per week to do it. All that effirt quite a gamble because most entrepreneurs fail and they often fall multiple times. Either they figure it out or give up the dream and go to work for someone else. Often after it's too late to ever retire at a reasonable age or comfortably.
Yea that’s why I’m not going to say nothing to him. If that’s what he wants to charge me then that’s what it’s going to be. I just know other shops can do it for less with the same quality work I just have to find that shop.
Ya have to pay to play. Either pay cold hard earned cash to those who can do, or invest years of "doing it in the gravel" to gain experience plus the monetary investment for tools and equipment to do it yourself.
This is the reason I try and do most of my own work. I'll tell you what though, it's damn hard these days with 3 kids and a wife. Back before all of that, I could have done almost all of it myself, in my garage, uninterrupted.
These days it's actually more cost (and time) effective for me to just pay a shop.
These days it's actually more cost (and time) effective for me to just pay a shop.
Armytruck6x6
TJ Enthusiast
For 1k ish you can buy a welder and the basic associated supplies... like someone on here said, "its all prep work". I would add that the welding is just time on the machine. Within a yr you will be able to do a fair job yourself, and with in 3 yrs you will laugh at yourself because it took you this long to have tried it. Its not "easy", but its also not hard. If you are like me, you will learn the biggest lessons from failers. Do yourself a favor and free yourself from needing shops. Watch some youtube vids... you will do fine.
I wish my employees and most customers understood this. I know hind sight is 20/20 but, if I could do it over I either would have been a technology education teacher (auto/wood/metal shop) or would have taken my father in-law up on the offer to get into the NYC Electrical union. Either way I would be seeing the "finish line" and at least an $80K per year pension with medical.
Brian83
TJ Enthusiast
Man I think that guy screwed you on labor hours. I just called a local 4x4 shop that does mainly custom builds to get a quote on installing LCA mounts and coil spring mounts on my 44 housing. Granted Im going to do all the prep work and bring him the housing but he told me $150 to install the mounts.
Wish you lived closer to me. I would do it with your help for free cause you're going to school. But you might be wasting your time with school. Not very smart to pay for school, study, and try to build a Jeep at the same time. Just sayin! 
lafittejeep
TJ Enthusiast
My Dad taught me and my brothers everything he knew and it saved us plenty of money. You have to know what is above your pay grade and welding is above mine.
Legit reasoning. Trying to do school work and work on my jeep are both frustrating at times. I couldn’t do both. Another reason why I brought him the control arms and shocks. I need to focus on my school work.
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