$1000 for front Bilstein 5100's?

[Justin says...]

I went ahead and changed the rear shocks from stock to Bilstein 5100's. A local off-road upfitter shop wants to charge me $933 for the fronts. Does this sound like a good price?

2 Bilstein front 5100's $157ea
Install $385
Alignment $150

Also, just doing the rears raised up the back end by a good bit. If I have them level the front to match the back, should that equal roughly a 2in lift?

Sponsored

 

[OFC Ranger]

A shop has a lift rack and all the tools to do it. Why are they charging so much for an hour or less of labor.

Hell even a conservative 2 hour labor count, they almost charging $200 an hour?

 

[Langwilliams]

That's not crazy. I paid some guys with a home shop that do side jobs $300 to install mine an paid around $100 for a alignment. I think the struts were cheaper back when I had it done, like just under $300 a pair. If anything that alignment fee is a little steep.

 

[Frenchy]

That is pretty reasonable especially since some parts need to be swapped from the old struts to the new struts. Not a bad price at all

 

[airline tech]

The shop labor rate for the fronts (both) = 2.8 hours

 

[Fawnbuster]

I agree that's costly compared to what i paid during Covid . I bought mine online and had a buddy with a local shop Install the fronts, I installed the rears. U need to loosen the axle nut, not remove it, that is way too much labor intensive and might mess up some parts. If you don't loosen the nut the axle could slide apart. They will need a torque wrench with a large enough tool to re torque the nut

As for the lift, I did nothing to the rears except new shocks. On the front we did a combo lift. A 1 inch Readylift lift that has machined aluminum Plates for the top and bottom of the spring & shock assembly and then set the 5100 for (I think) the 1.5 or 1.25 inch mark. It's been a few years since I did it, including a few surgeries and sedations LOL.

if you search my posts I know I posted exactly what we decided to do . The reason for the combo lift was twofold 1 to get the lift I wanted for level and 2 was it Maintained a good ride (for me)on the road. I won't be doing any crazy offloading like jumps and bounces so I didn't need the stiffer ride. Yes the current ride quality is comfy but like a truck but not bouncy like the oem fx4 shocks, however some of that's caused by my 285 tires. Just food for thought incase your like me and mild to moderate offroading as opposed to more aggressive offroading.

 

[9zero1790]

so i over paid for mine but i was impatient. 900 bucks for the install of the front, alignment, install of rear springs.

 

[Fawnbuster]

900 total is good price

 

[Muscleford]

I am having front done in January with Fox 2.0.

Struts. $863 parts
Instal $350
Align $119
I will install rear next summer myself. I have shocks cost $360 per pair.

 

[Joeiconic]

Rates vary by location, but that quote is in the ballpark of what most of us have reported here. Around me, I can get an alignment for $100.

 

[Todd Chapin]

It also depends if its a 4x4 or 4x2. I paid 500 to have front struts and rear shocks and 1" blocks.
I was quoted as much as $1600 for installing just the front as they were estamating 6.5 hours which is rediculous.

 

[Joeiconic]

Also, I don’t recall that putting the 5100’s on the rear raised my truck at all, so you may want to double check that.

 

[Rp930]

A shop has a lift rack and all the tools to do it. Why are they charging so much for an hour or less of labor.

Hell even a conservative 2 hour labor count, they almost charging $200 an hour?

Maybe the rears. I want to see the guy that can do both fronts in under an hour.

 

[BettaRanga]

This sounds fair. Firestone/Tires Plus offer lifetime alignment on the vehicle for $200 if you want to consider doing the alignment there instead.

 

[Justin says...]

Ok thanks for the replies. Seems the consensus is its more or less fair.

Still slightly concerned now with the person who said rear 5100's shouldn't have raised it. Any idea which notch/ring I should tell the shop to set the height to for a level? Maybe I just tell them to level it and they can figure it out.

Sponsored