gear questions ..

Cali01Cobra

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how much did you guys pay for gears ? because a shop said 500. i feel like thats too much. and also when you guys got gears, did you get brand new seals and bearings ? thank you
 

pbeechner

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how much did you guys pay for gears ? because a shop said 500. i feel like thats too much. and also when you guys got gears, did you get brand new seals and bearings ? thank you

$500 is certainly reasonable since they drop the entire IRS subframe out to do the gears. Probably a lot cheaper if you just bring them the subframe and the pumpkin.....
 

black4vcobra

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Slowerthnyou99

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From what I saw, I didn't think you have to pull the whole IRS. I think you can just pull the pumpkin.

Pull off wheels and tires, remove bottom bolt (not the top as then you will nee and alignment) from the spindles. Pull axles out of diff, drop drive shaft, and remove bolts holding diff in. Take the diff to a gear/drive shaft shop or your local speed shop.

A shop tried to bend me over and say they have to remove the entire thing and was like $1100. After I told them no, you can just pull the diff out(to call his bluff) he changed his tune and went to $250 for the gears and $250 for the install.
 

Cali01Cobra

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well its 500 for the just the labor, all the parts i have to buy myself. so would it still be reasonable ? and okay thats what he was telling me to do. and this would be a good time to put in a differential brace to right ?
 

Cali01Cobra

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From what I saw, I didn't think you have to pull the whole IRS. I think you can just pull the pumpkin.

Pull off wheels and tires, remove bottom bolt (not the top as then you will nee and alignment) from the spindles. Pull axles out of diff, drop drive shaft, and remove bolts holding diff in. Take the diff to a gear/drive shaft shop or your local speed shop.

A shop tried to bend me over and say they have to remove the entire thing and was like $1100. After I told them no, you can just pull the diff out(to call his bluff) he changed his tune and went to $250 for the gears and $250 for the install.

yeah thats what he told me it would be too. and he said he would do something to where i dont need an alignment. but 500 just seemed a lot for just the labor.
\
 

quick01snake

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500 sounds a bit much for labor. Should be more like 300-350 tops...

I'm having a COMPLETE rebuild on mine with new gears, new carbon clutch traction lok (the entire unit) and only paying about 800 total, with me taking the pumpkin out myself. Everything will be new but the housing.
 

snakeraper11b

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From what I saw, I didn't think you have to pull the whole IRS. I think you can just pull the pumpkin.

Pull off wheels and tires, remove bottom bolt (not the top as then you will nee and alignment) from the spindles. Pull axles out of diff, drop drive shaft, and remove bolts holding diff in. Take the diff to a gear/drive shaft shop or your local speed shop.

A shop tried to bend me over and say they have to remove the entire thing and was like $1100. After I told them no, you can just pull the diff out(to call his bluff) he changed his tune and went to $250 for the gears and $250 for the install.

This. Its surprising how many people dont know about dropping the pumpkin out the bottom. Definitely worth the hour or so out and back in for the money you save.
 

Slowerthnyou99

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If anyone can correct me if I am wrong.... If I only remove the bolts out of the bottom of the spindle to swing it out and up to pull the axles,(and leave the upper bolt tight) It should not effect alignment.. Right? I mean its not a huge deal if I have to go and get an alignment, just hate dealing with shops. They always give me sh** and say sorry but your ball joints are shot we cant do it or, you need bushings here. Its all stuff that has been maintained and I usually get pissed off because they just want to bend you over and try and charge for the ky...:cuss:
 
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quick01snake

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You have to remove the toe link as well if you leave the top bolt in, but yes if you remove the half shaft nut then remove the lower spindle bolt and toe link, you can lift the spindle up while tapping the half shaft out if the splines.
 

zPipes

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I thought you couldnt drop the pumpkin from the irs seperately. Interesting. 500 for just labor does seem way too high.

500 for the works?? good deal. gears, bearing, fluid, labor.. 500 is a good one.
 

snakeraper11b

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I thought you couldnt drop the pumpkin from the irs seperately. Interesting. 500 for just labor does seem way too high.

500 for the works?? good deal. gears, bearing, fluid, labor.. 500 is a good one.

You can! its easier than you would think also. Remove the brakes, lower spindle bolt, half shaft nuts, toe link bars on the subframe side is easier and doesn't require a special tool, pull the half shafts, drop the pumpkin right out the bottom of the subframe once you remove the front and rear bolts on the housing. Takes an hour with hand tools, jack stands, and one jack in the driveway. An experienced shop with lifts and air tools should be 30 minutes tops both ways.
 

quick01snake

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You can! its easier than you would think also. Remove the brakes, lower spindle bolt, half shaft nuts, toe link bars on the subframe side is easier and doesn't require a special tool, pull the half shafts, drop the pumpkin right out the bottom of the subframe once you remove the front and rear bolts on the housing. Takes an hour with hand tools, jack stands, and one jack in the driveway. An experienced shop with lifts and air tools should be 30 minutes tops both ways.

Having just finished doing this with hand tools on jack stands, you make it sound pretty easy, an to drop the pumpkin it really isn't too bad. An hour is maybe for someone who has done it several times, first time out I would allow 2-3 hours. Getting the pumpkin back in is the real fun part. That sucker weighs probably 50-60 pounds, and it is hard to support and maneuver to get the bolt holes lined up and bolts started. Once you do that though, you're home free.
 

snakeraper11b

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Having just finished doing this with hand tools on jack stands, you make it sound pretty easy, an to drop the pumpkin it really isn't too bad. An hour is maybe for someone who has done it several times, first time out I would allow 2-3 hours. Getting the pumpkin back in is the real fun part. That sucker weighs probably 50-60 pounds, and it is hard to support and maneuver to get the bolt holes lined up and bolts started. Once you do that though, you're home free.

It blows the doors off dropping the entire subframe haha
 

ibleedblue65

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$500 for labor is reasonable if you ask me. It's 4-6.hrs work to set up a solid axle 8.8. At 80-100+ per hour it's pretty close. If your talking all new seals and bearings it's a bit more. $500 for the whole shindig seems extremely cheap to me, too cheap. Obviously an irs car is a little different and actually a little more work, even if you do drop the pumpkin. Also, keep in mind the tools just to measure pinion depth on an 8.8 is over $1000. You get what you pay for.
 
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zPipes

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i agree to a point. Take your car to a random shop that sees an array of cars.. they will probably charge much more, and get less quality than paying less at a shop that mainly works on mustangs.

I know this is a blowout deal, but I had gears/bearing/seal and lt's in for 500. I know thats a shit crazy deal, but hey.

originally he said 250 for the gears, and if i wanted to toss another 250 he would do the headers for special. this guy knows his stuff, ive seen the cars he works on, and quite knowledgeable. even called him a couple times for tips/tricks on somethings.

its about WHERE you take it. btw, no exhaust leaks, zero, literally zero whine from the gears.

op, find you a place that knows what they are doing on mustangs, and go there.
 

quick01snake

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$500 for labor is reasonable if you ask me. It's 4-6.hrs work to set up a solid axle 8.8. At 80-100+ per hour it's pretty close. If your talking all new seals and bearings it's a bit more. $500 for the whole shindig seems extremely cheap to me, too cheap. Obviously an irs car is a little different and actually a little more work, even if you do drop the pumpkin. Also, keep in mind the tools just to measure pinion depth on an 8.8 is over $1000. You get what you pay for.

You are absolutely right on these times and costs...if you're talking about a Ford Service department.
 

Slowerthnyou99

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4-6 hours at a dealership maybe, and that is what the book might say it takes. A good gear guy that does it daily sets them up like nothing... And we are talking about a ford 8.8 differential... Most shops have done there fair share of these, and paid for the tools many moons ago.. Labor should be about $250 I would not pay a penny more, if you did the dirty work and handed them a pumpkin... At $80 an hour thats 3+ hours of labor...
 

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