shocked by shock and spring replacement cost

[ShadowsPapa]

Just for kicks, and because my wife said I was too busy and had too many other projects to do it myself (plus my shop is FULL of cars to work on) I asked the dealer's shop - what would it cost to install shocks and springs that I supply - take-offs from other JTs.
They seemed sort of "huh?" for a moment, then I told them I had a set of 4 shocks from a JT Rubicon and a pair of rear Sport S max tow springs, and Rubicon front springs I was going to put on my truck - what would it cost if they did it. I would furnish the parts, ready to go.
I figured maybe it would take them a couple of hours, 3 tops, especially with their shop, tools, lift, torque specs on hand and so on.
I dunno what their rate is but - $680!
Holy cow - told my wife there was no way I was spending that kind of money to do something I've done dozens of times on cars over the years - just last year did a total suspension and steering rebuild on my 73 and swapped all 4 springs and shocks and put on Caltrac bars, too. How much time can it take on the JT compared to removing rusty leaf spring bolts from the frame.
The front shocks on my cars are inside the front springs, and a royal pain to get to the two nuts that hold the bottom of the front shocks to the spring support - and the rear shocks - the tops are up in the TRUNK - and this old guy doesn't have fun squatting in the trunk of a car reaching into small holes to take the nuts off the shock tops.
The JT has to be 1/10th as hard as doing shocks on my cars!
Takes a special spring compressor to do the front springs on those cars - and time. You have to take off tires, shock tower top, remove the front shocks, insert the compressor......... anyway, it's a process.
Anywho - the service writer guy showed me the number 680 and I must have had a stunned look on my face as I said ok, thanks............

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[danielspivey]

That’s pretty comical! Imagine what it would be including the shocks and max tow springs... probably the same price as the mopar 2” lift and install.

I did my spring swap, spacer install, Added shock extensions all with manual jacks and manual wrenches, and it took me 3-4 hours taking it slowww. That quote is borderline unethical.

 

[Blade1668]

Yep... The exact reason I work on my stuff, don't forget the mark up's "shop" fee's and tax tax.. I value my time but for that much money you can buy another set of tools to do the job. I'm not saying that some of the technician's are not worth their pay. But damn many in medical field are not being paid that much, yes I do know that it's not just going to the "guy's" turning wrenches. That's still over $227 a hour.

 

[Jeeperjamie]

I had my 2.5" ReadyLift installed by a local shop and it was $801 out the door including alignment, and that included the kit which was $449 at the time. I figured $350 labor counting the alignment that my time is worth more than that so I let them do it. For reference the dealership told me they could do it and it would be $1205 out the door, I figured $801 was a pretty good deal, plus 2 year warranty on parts and labor.

 

[kevman65]

If your Jeep dealer is like mine, minimum job time is 4 hours.

Comes out to $170 an hour shop rate. Mine is $185, you were getting a break

No, they don't get to work on mine either.

 

[Moe_Fugga]

My full JKS lift (plus front LCAs) install was $680 labor. That included wheel and tire mount/balance with alignment. As an added bonus, my guy got the lift kit $200 cheaper than I could have bought it.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

That’s pretty comical! Imagine what it would be including the shocks and max tow springs... probably the same price as the mopar 2” lift and install.

I did my spring swap, spacer install, Added shock extensions all with manual jacks and manual wrenches, and it took me 3-4 hours taking it slowww. That quote is borderline unethical.

I wonder if it's like someone else said - some minimum or something.
If he looked up some flat rate thing there's no way it should have been that high.
He asked if the shocks had the springs on them - and that made me wonder. Huh? Jeep shocks don't have springs on them. He must have been not getting what I meant or something.
These aren't coil-over setups, they aren't struts, and he knew that, he seemed to know quite a bit of other stuff about the JT line.
I've got 3 floor jacks, 4 pairs of jack stands, air impacts- 1/2" and 3/8", electric impact (Milwaukee's biggest 1/2") a small porta-power, and pretty much every socket and wrench type a person should need unless there's something really funky under there as far as fasteners.

What I don't have right now is shop space and TIME.
I'd have to wait until the temps get out of the 90s and do it outside. My shop is full, two cars torn down for work, one to replace door hinges and the requires taking out the whole dash structure, the other for complete restoration.
Plus I've got restoration jobs stacked up until the end of the year and one guy sending me 3 more to do.
So I figured - like my wife said - I have no time, let them do it while I try to catch up in my shop (and make the money to pay for it) but not at that price.
I've seen members say they can do it in a couple of hours. I'd allow myself 3 due to age and weight and arthritis LOL. That's over $200/hour.

 

[arosen1997]

My full JKS lift (plus front LCAs) install was $680 labor. That included wheel and tire mount/balance with alignment. As an added bonus, my guy got the lift kit $200 cheaper than I could have bought it.

I did my JKS lift myself.
Cost me 42 dollars to rent a work bay and tools for 7 hours at the on base hobby shop. I'd have loved to use a lift bay and probably would've had it done in Half the time but I was stuck with jackstands and a half working floor jack.

 

[RedTRex]

Want to hear something more insane. Last month I had outpatient surgical procedure at the local hospital, plus prep 4 days prior (blood work, covid testing, etc). No kidding I was in and out of the hospital in like 4.5 hrs, the claims are still pending but the surgeon put a claim in for $7k, his PA, who only prescribed post op meds $250, $1750 each for the Anesthesiologist and assistant, And the hospital threw a claim in for $86K and some change WTF!!!

 

[BrentMG]

Way back in the day I had a friend who along with his dad used to work on people's cars in their garage. They used all data which would base the book time for all things on vehicles. They didn't charge by that but used it to give people an idea of how much it would cost. Maybe the dealer is strictly going off this?

 

[Moe_Fugga]

I did my JKS lift myself.
Cost me 42 dollars to rent a work bay and tools for 7 hours at the on base hobby shop. I'd have loved to use a lift bay and probably would've had it done in Half the time but I was stuck with jackstands and a half working floor jack.

I wish I could have installed mine, but too many variables made me decide to hand the job off. I’ve helped with a couple installs, but with a more experienced gear head at the helm. I’ll do everything smaller, but a lift wasn’t something I wanted to take on haha

 

[arosen1997]

I wish I could have installed mine, but too many variables made me decide to hand the job off. I’ve helped with a couple installs, but with a more experienced gear head at the helm. I’ll do everything smaller, but a lift wasn’t something I wanted to take on haha

It's really fairly straight forwards. The most difficult part was honestly the small modification for the quick disconnects and the die grinding for the geometry correction bracket since I didn't get adjustable LCAs.
I think anyone with a maintenance oriented background floor jack and tall enough jackstands could lift a jeep.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Mine isn't even a lift.
Currently - stock Overland.
Want to install - 4 Fox shocks off a JT Rubicon - LOW MILES take-offs, not even dusty.
Also will be putting Sport S max tow REAR SPRINGS in place of the stock Overland rear springs (again, Sport S max tow take-offs, low miles, not even dirty)
And MAY put stock Rubicon JT springs under the front to level it out just a tad. Take-offs, low miles, not even dirty.

So it's a simple swap, not a lift -
swap in 4 Fox shocks from JT Rubicon,
swap in rear max tow springs,
swap in front Rubicon JT springs.
No lift.
I just don't want it to sag quite as much with the trailer on it or a load in the rear.
Plus the Overland shocks have gotten really bouncy lately. They were not bad a few months ago, but it's like driving a truck with bad shocks now - turns and bumps really make it bounce and sway.

I could see the price if they were doing a lift - but it's not.
If anyone wonders - or mentions time to do the work, that sort of thing, all I'm lacking is a lift because the jerk who did my shop concrete didn't do as I asked and used cheap concrete and only 3 to 3.5" thick - he was an idiot. And, I didn't have the money at the time. Otherwise, I'm a former mechanic, started in the early 70s.
So I know the JT inside and out? No. But I'm a quick study, especially with pictures. Very visual person. Most of my work has been cars (from Rambler to Porsche) trucks (from Chevy Luv to power company boom trucks) and suspension of almost every type. There will be specifics that will vary, I'll have to catch up with those.

 

[Alabama Mud Machine]

DAMN! That's ridiculous. I was quoted LESS than $600 to have my 2.5" Evo Enforcer Stage 2 Plus installed on my JTR, and it's fully-adjustable w/ all 4 springs, adj. front LCA's, adjustable F&R trackbars, etc... And that price includes a 100% proper setup, all adjustments, axle alignments, AND a professional 4-wheel alignment when it's done!

 

[Renegade]

Mine isn't even a lift.
Currently - stock Overland.
Want to install - 4 Fox shocks off a JT Rubicon - LOW MILES take-offs, not even dusty.
Also will be putting Sport S max tow REAR SPRINGS in place of the stock Overland rear springs (again, Sport S max tow take-offs, low miles, not even dirty)
And MAY put stock Rubicon JT springs under the front to level it out just a tad. Take-offs, low miles, not even dirty.

So it's a simple swap, not a lift -
swap in 4 Fox shocks from JT Rubicon,
swap in rear max tow springs,
swap in front Rubicon JT springs.
No lift.
I just don't want it to sag quite as much with the trailer on it or a load in the rear.
Plus the Overland shocks have gotten really bouncy lately. They were not bad a few months ago, but it's like driving a truck with bad shocks now - turns and bumps really make it bounce and sway.

I could see the price if they were doing a lift - but it's not.
If anyone wonders - or mentions time to do the work, that sort of thing, all I'm lacking is a lift because the jerk who did my shop concrete didn't do as I asked and used cheap concrete and only 3 to 3.5" thick - he was an idiot. And, I didn't have the money at the time. Otherwise, I'm a former mechanic, started in the early 70s.
So I know the JT inside and out? No. But I'm a quick study, especially with pictures. Very visual person. Most of my work has been cars (from Rambler to Porsche) trucks (from Chevy Luv to power company boom trucks) and suspension of almost every type. There will be specifics that will vary, I'll have to catch up with those.

4 hours of labor isn’t unreasonable. Swapping OEM coils and shocks Is the same as installing a basic lift. Dealer labor rates are pretty much double what an off-road shop is likely to charge.

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