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So I dropped off my 8.5 housing off at the chevy dealership to have their mechanic put my 3.73's in. I brought it in with only the pinion, yoke, axle bearings/seals in. (Differential and misc parts in a box) My instructions were to just swap the gears and get a good pattern and I'll assemble the rest at home.
Anyways, I receive a phone call a few minutes ago with the mechanic saying he found a lot of metal in the rear end and says I should have the pinion bearings, axle bearings and seals replaced. and they want $350 more to do so!
Are they pulling my leg to get some extra $$??
I disassembled the rear end at home and the fluid looked fresh (Bought off craigslist), and had recent gears installed (Richmond 3.23's). All I'm having done is to put back the 3.73's that were in the rear before that came in a box with it!
Should I tell them I just want the gears in and to not worry about the bearings? Should I buy my own and have them installed? I'm not doing a full build of this rear, it is a budget craigslist find that is better then my open 7.5 2.73 dif.
That's a hard one - if you really didn't check it out too well then it is possible that there is metal in there.. then again - seems like you have the gut feeling that something might be up.. wish I could offer some help...
Well I was quoted $150 to set the gears, and now they come back with a price to do the bearings and it gets up to $500. I know if I was the dealership I'd be trying to convince me to make over triple the profit!
They added another hour of labor and said around 220 if i brought in the parts. They brought that up because I brought in a differential install kit with all the shims...etc
I worked at a dealership for years. The best thing you can do is go check it out or take it somewhere for a second opinion. If I've learned one thing its go with your gut. Telk them youd like to see th e damaged parts in the rear end.
__________________ Every day above ground is a good day...
220 to 500 is a big difference are the extra parts 280 or is their price 280. I'm no expert but it seems if you don't know much about the rearend it would be a good idea to change the bearings.
I had a new 9" for my build and when I got it running it was really noisey. I took it to a differantial shop and they put in new gears but not bearings because I didnt want to spend the money and hey they were new. I drove the car and guess what, it wasn't the gears it was my bearings.
if you want them to warrenty their work........ guess what.
if i patched a rear diff, it would be no garenty,but later that day..the coffee shop gossip gets outta hand how i did a poor job. NO THANKS!
__________________ A goal without a plan is a dream.
If you are worried about price take some where else for second opinion
myself I would not swap gears unless I went through the whole case
I do not care what the fluid looks like!! lot cheaper to change bearings out
now than later when everthing is trashed. buy all the parts yourself and
have a shop set up the rear. you have not lived until you cook a rear gear.
Chevy garages up here are at least $90.00 per hour
If your changing the ring and pinion you need new pinion bearings. Looking at the axles you took out and the axle bearings would have told you if you needed new axle bearings and possibly axles as well. Probably should have done that before taking the rear end to the dealer. Can you go look at them now to see if they really are bad? Dealer prices are a bit more than the prices you see on summit . Thats probably is why it seems so high.
When I got the rear it had recently had the 3.23's installed and new yukon axles. It seems like the rear was gone through recently before I picked it up based on the new parts. I guess I'm having trouble justifying paying over 500 when I went in expecting to pay 150 for a gear setup The story I got from the person I bought it from was that it was a 8.5 the shop had pulled out of a 68 Camaro to put a 12 bolt in. I bought it from a owner of a trans shop and the customer left the rear as part payment for the 12 bolt swap.
$500-600 is about average around hear to set up a diff. with all new parts and you supplying the gears. Again, if you don't feel comfortable then get a 2nd opinion. We all know how trustworthy dealers can be.
I WOULD PROBABLY CHECK OUT A GOOD TRANSMISSION SHOP IN YOUR AREA. AFTER ALL THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL THEY DO. CALL THEM AND TELL THEM OF YOUR SITUATION. I AM SURE A GOOD ONE WILL HELP YOU OUT.
I just had a local machinist from a well respected speed shop rebuild my 8.5 rear and change my gears from 3.08 to 3.73 and he only charged me $125 and that included all new bearings includeing axle bearings and seals he did it on the side and I supplied the new Richmond gears and also the mega install kit which includes all bearings even axle bearings it was $128 from summit so the parts sound a little high.Does a 68 camaro have 8.5 or do they have 8.2 rear.
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A goal without a plan is a dream.
The story I got from the person I bought it from was that it was a 8.5 the shop had pulled out of a 68 Camaro to put a 12 bolt in. I bought it from a owner of a trans shop and the customer left the rear as part payment for the 12 bolt swap.
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