4 Hours labor charged to install Springs and Struts! Options

[nitemare]

OMG. My mechanic (not dealer) just said it took 4 Hours to install all 4 springs and struts. At about $80 hourly rate - that comes to $320 for just install. I supplied the teins and kybs. WTF? I thought this takes 2 hours to do.

Also charged me 1 hour to replace spark plugs and fuel filter. Plus 1/2 hour labor to install both rear bushings. He had to order bushing from dealer at cost of $40 total.

Ive been going to this guy for years. Well, last time. I feel this is too much. Maybe Im wrong. But for a 12year old car - paying $634 is not worth it to me.

Now, I do the basics myself. Oil changes, battery replacements, filters, wipers, bulbs. I did do brakes once - but turned into a project on my old subaru. I think Im going to invest in a lift at this point.

This post has been edited by nitemare: Feb 23, 2007 - 10:41 AM

[bufferdan]

In a your garage with hand tools it can take 4hrs easily... ive done struts and springs multiple times on celica's and it usually takes about 4hrs....why? cause the stupid seized up end links on the rear can be a pain in the butt! haha. If everything goes smoothly though you can do it in about 2

This post has been edited by bufferdan: Feb 23, 2007 - 10:51 AM

[Fastbird]

That's probably a book time. I did springs (which necessitates shock removal) in my driveway in about 2 hours.

[nitemare]

Oh ok. I feel better. Im sure he is going by book time then. Originally, he told me the KYBs didnt fit the fronts. I gave him inserts. He later found out he needed to cut the boot to find the inserts. Prob got pissed off their and took charged me more time.
Ok. so I guess I didnt get hosed. Would have preferred to be charged for 2 hours instead though. Thats an extra $200 I would have saved.

[Supersprynt]

Everything is just nuts and bolts. 4 hours isnt unreasonable imo. 2 hrs to replace all 4 corners is pretty incredible. With the end links always seizing up, not to mention other bolts etc.

[nitemare]

So - total I paid for suspension: $746

Parts
$143 - Teins (ebay)
$203 - KYBs (ebay)
$40 - 2 rear bushing from dealer
Labor
$320 - 4hrs @$80/hr
$40 - .5 hrs for bushings only

Total
$746

Did not know so much $$. Car better float on air when I get home.

This post has been edited by nitemare: Feb 23, 2007 - 11:26 AM

[95CelicaST]

Man and I thought I spent a lot... I spent 550, but free labor, cause I did it with some friends.

[GTS13]

Yeah it took me and two of my friends 2 hours to do my rear springs, shocks, and sways. So for one person minus the sways I can see it taking 4 hours.

[FreddyTheOthaMea...]

Took me about 4 hours when we were first learning suspension and steering systems but not since

[uberschall]

it took me and a friend about 4 hours to install my s.techs in his garage. i'm not insinuating that you got ripped off, because i don't know what other issues he encountered with YOUR car, but if two kids drinking 40's can do it in 4 hours on jackstands in a crowded garage including seized end links, it could probably be done faster by a professional at a well-equipped shop with a lift.

all i can say is that you just have to be confident and you can do things like this. on the bright side, if anything is wrong, i'm sure they have a quality of labor policy in case anything were to be wrong, and i'd bet they did a good job.

post some pics of your lowered ride!

[nitemare]

Got car back. Ride is so low now. Maybe too low. I bottom out on almost everything. Going up the drivway, small pot hole. I hear a loud metal on metal sound. Is this what lowering your car is supposed to be like? Granted, it seems to handle better and drives now like a low sports car - but didnt realize car has issues on the slightest incline. Even changing the oil - i could barely get under the car while on the ramps.

[CelicaGT04]

Yeah man... its very hard to work on a lowered car..
I would recommend getting a "racing jack" they are lower.

I have to use the stock toyota jack first before i can get any
kind of jack under my car...

The only bad thing about lowering is getting a FG bodykit...
crack.. lol but it can be fixed...

[playr158]

ouch that sux thats why i do all my own work

30 min to remove all 4 corners suspension parts probably another hour and a half maybe to put it all back

This post has been edited by playr158: Feb 26, 2007 - 11:15 AM

[bufferdan]

Got car back. Ride is so low now. Maybe too low. I bottom out on almost everything. Going up the drivway, small pot hole. I hear a loud metal on metal sound. Is this what lowering your car is supposed to be like? Granted, it seems to handle better and drives now like a low sports car - but didnt realize car has issues on the slightest incline. Even changing the oil - i could barely get under the car while on the ramps.

Something isnt right then. What kind of struts and springs did you get? My car rides just like stock with my tein lowering springs....just sits alittle lower.

[playr158]

loud metal noise = you in trouble

[nitemare]

TEIN S-TECH Springs
KYB GR-2 shocks

When I say loud metal noise -I mean it probably is the front end of my car hitting the ramp of the driveway. Sounds like metal - when it prob is the plastic bottom scrapping ( I hope)

Well, you know it does seem to ride like stock - but much much stiffer. Maybe I was expected it to take slight bumps like my suv. I now definately have to slow down -alot - when I see bump(s) in road. Is this all normal? If not, I feel a sound as though im bottoming out. Its not a clunk sound like I had when my bushings were bad. That was like metal on metal. This is just like a sound when u have no shocks.I

If I push up/down near wheel base - should the car bounce up/down - or should there be little to no movement? Im guessing no movement.

This post has been edited by nitemare: Feb 26, 2007 - 2:57 PM

[trdproven]

Got car back. Ride is so low now. Maybe too low. I bottom out on almost everything. Going up the drivway, small pot hole. I hear a loud metal on metal sound. Is this what lowering your car is supposed to be like? Granted, it seems to handle better and drives now like a low sports car - but didnt realize car has issues on the slightest incline. Even changing the oil - i could barely get under the car while on the ramps.

Nitemare,

I think i mentioned how to take care of this problem before. You will need Toyota Spring Bumpers. They go around the stem of the shock preventing the shock from fully compressing and in long term destroying them. Here is the OEM part number: 48331-20110. You can get them from Toyotaworld from Jeff. They run for $11.30 for both front sides.

Same goes for both front left and right. I've had this bottoming out problem since I got my Intrax Springs because they are pretty low. I had the metal sound bang whenever I hit a good bump. Not anymore now that I have those bumpers. Note**If you are hearing clunks while turning, then the spring is not seated well but if you are hearing a metal bang when hitting a bump, this is your solution. Good luck.

[nitemare]

Does this require another 4 hours labor to take apart the spring and strut? Or can they just keep everything on and install like they did the rear bushings?

Can I get these for all 4 tires- Front AND back?

Wow! If these is a quick install - I will order them now. I hope my mechanic knows how to put them on.

Toyotaworld from Jeff - How do I contact him?

This post has been edited by nitemare: Feb 27, 2007 - 9:15 AM

[playr158]

go to any local toyota dealer just OEM bump stops...foam little thing
(though i was dropped 3" never had this problem)

you can do them with everything still on the car but you have to drop the suspension off the top and remove the pillow mounts inorder to slide them in. Kinda trickyr

[nitemare]

I just called dealer. Part# is good. Have to order them. They said its only for the fronts. Is their a part# for the backs too?

They said $200-$250 to install 2 fronts! 2 hours labor!

Jeez. Im not going to pay that. Let me talk to my mechanic who just put in the springs/struts last week and see if he can put them on without charging me another 2 hours labor.

[playr158]

haha that sux....just get a cheap set of tools and do it yourself....its 4 bolts

[nitemare]

OK. Remove tire - Drop Suspension? How do I do that?
Are these 4 bolts located near spring?

[playr158]

1) ALL 4 tires on the ground LOOSEN the top 3 strut tower bolts inside engine bay + the center bolt as well (don't remove them just yet

2) jack up one side & remove the tire (like step 1 make sure you loosen bolts BEFORE jacking up)

3) instert jackstand to insure stability,

4) remove the bottom 2 bolts holding in the strut to the knuckle

5) remove top 3 bolts

6) slide out strut

(this should have taken 20 min on average if you work at a slow/moderate pace)

lay the strut/coil assembly on its side on the ground the completely loosen the center nut (face it away from you it MIGHT be under very minor pressure but since you have lowering springs it shouldn't be)

7)once that is done remove top mount and install bump stop

8) reverse order from 6 to 1

[nitemare]

Really appreciate your step-by-step procedure. Doesnt sound too difficult. The car is still in the shop because of a battery draw issue when car is off. I just asked my mechanic about this one. He said he will check it out. Ill let him do it if he doesnt charge me more than 1 hour. He shouldnt charge me at all with all the money I jsut gave him to replace all 4 struts/springs. Ill see what he determines.

[trdproven]

Really appreciate your step-by-step procedure. Doesnt sound too difficult. The car is still in the shop because of a battery draw issue when car is off. I just asked my mechanic about this one. He said he will check it out. Ill let him do it if he doesnt charge me more than 1 hour. He shouldnt charge me at all with all the money I jsut gave him to replace all 4 struts/springs. Ill see what he determines.

One good advice, do not try to install them yourself if you are unsure. Loosening the center nut without compressing the springs firmly will pop out bluntly and very strongly, you could be seriously injured or worse. These springs if not held down will shoot out like a metal slingshot. Be careful.

[playr158]

Really appreciate your step-by-step procedure. Doesnt sound too difficult. The car is still in the shop because of a battery draw issue when car is off. I just asked my mechanic about this one. He said he will check it out. Ill let him do it if he doesnt charge me more than 1 hour. He shouldnt charge me at all with all the money I jsut gave him to replace all 4 struts/springs. Ill see what he determines.

One good advice, do not try to install them yourself if you are unsure. Loosening the center nut without compressing the springs firmly will pop out bluntly and very strongly, you could be seriously injured or worse. These springs if not held down will shoot out like a metal slingshot. Be careful.

I've never used a set of spring compressors on a 6gc...the nut will only pop about 1 foot away..there isn't much pressure at all....and with lowering springs there more then likely won't be much if any...

but hey better safe then sorry, use spring compressors if u feel uncomfy advanced auto rents them....

[trdproven]

Better safe than sorry, teins are drop springs but they aren't that low either. I've seen these springs pop crazy that I never wanted to go without one again. Shortcutting and working on cars don't mix. Your health ain't worth the car. Safety first.

[bufferdan]

Ive never used spring compressors on 6gc's either... even with the stock springs you can push them down by hand and unscrew the top nut.

[trdproven]

I know what you guys are saying. I'm stating safety, remember all our cars look the same but won't act the same. If that were the case, then everyone wouldn't have any problems. Not everything is made exactly the same and would react the same.

[playr158]

springs have a percent difference so small that i could take any 6gc in the world and not use spring compressors completely saftly...

that is unless you are putting your eye within 12" of the nut....but what retard is going to do that?

strut on the ground pointing away...unbolt

[Shigexile]

going back to prices... i got ripped off by my friend who installed my springs for 600$ which i pervided. Then i didn't notice that he didn't change my shocks until they blew. So i go back and tell him and he says "i'll give you a discount" and he ended up putting the shocks i bought last time and making me pay 500$... now thats rediculous... and uncool.

[Negative]

Not much of a friend. We charge $25-50 labor a wheel for lowering springs/struts depending on the car [Toyota's only] and how good of friends we are. We use a spring compressor but it's not necessary if you have experience. I would suggest Nitemare use one though.

[kamax]

going back to prices... i got ripped off by my friend who installed my springs for 600$ which i pervided. Then i didn't notice that he didn't change my shocks until they blew. So i go back and tell him and he says "i'll give you a discount" and he ended up putting the shocks i bought last time and making me pay 500$... now thats rediculous... and uncool.

wow.... you need to beat some sense into this so call friend of yours. he's charging you more than what a shop would charge you. Springs and shocks installation is pretty easy... all you need to do is have some elbow grease to remove the rusted on bolts and it's really a peice of cake. =/