re-gear help

Anyone in the New Orleans area know how to set up gears, and would be willing to help? I have both sets and rebuild kits, but I don't have the tools to do it rite.
The few shops around here that woud do it with My parts want $600+ per end. That's $100+ pre hour, @%#*&% outrageous, and they say it's a 6hr job. Is that correct or am I getting ass-raped? Any suggestions or help would be great. Thanks
Front dana 30 with an arb air locker, Rear dana 44 with a powertrax no slip. new gears 4.56/1

Its not to far off for the total cost. When I was in oregon for a little while I j paid 250 for an ARB to be installed.
Andrew

Other then the 10 hour dive, there is a place in Joplin, MO that does gear set up for $250 an end last I checked. They are 4state4wdcenter and they are known for their gears, in a good way! Hmmm....do I hear a possible road trip? You can check them out at www.4state4wdcenter.com if your interested. Their number is listed on their web page.

Paul, your paying for their knowlege, schooling, lights,mortgage or rent. I'm in the same boat and I was a service manager for Lincoln Mercury. I don't know how it's done, so therefore, I have to pay for their knowledge as well. If you let "BILLY BOB" set it up, doe's he stand behind the repair IF it isn't done correctly? There are dvd's showing how, it doesn't look that hard,but....Just something to think about. By the way, our labor rate was $110 hr.

It's not that hard, the tools don't cost that much and you will do a better job than some hired knuckle dragging mechanic. You need a press,bearing splitter/puller,dial calipers and dial guage with magnet mount. Maybe 300 bucks at harbor freight and thats if you buy a big press. With the tools a moron could do it. The only hard thing is you may have to put it together and take it apart over and over till you get it in spec. I was freinds with a 4X4 shop mechanic and he would throw that stuff in and as long as it wasn't binding or a ton of backlash out the door it would go. Thats why I say I would never hire out that job. If it's your first one you need to pull the rear end to put it on a bench so you don't get wore out. You need a inch pounds tourqe wrench to set your bearing preload also. For the front you can leave it in the jeep but take this advise use Dana Spicer gears and carrier only. You can use you old bearings and shims and your initial set up will be close to dead on! No kidding. I just did a Ford 8.8 and used Ford gears and the pinion was dead on with the old pinion bearings and spacers. The backlash is set with the carrier bearing spacers. On mine it used two fat spacers on each side from the factory. I needed more back space so I made two spacer packs from the small shims in the set up kit the same thickness as the originals and moved the thinest shim from one side to the other and I was gold. You won't get you readings smack dab in the middle of spec. So just get it in spec. The dana carrier you must pull the bearing on the carrier to swap shims. Use your old shims in on a Dana carrier with Dana gears! Use Original Dana shims with new Dana carrier and Dana spicer gears. Only use new bearings if you are sure your old ones are toast. You only need the basic install kit unless you need bearings. Only use Dana Spicer parts in a Dana Spicer rear end and your set-up will be simple. Some may slightly disagree but this will keep it simple for your fist setup. Good luck and have lots of clean rags.

Well I had work done at two of the shops for other stuff and on one bill it was $47 hr x 2hr for labor. Thats a $53 jump in labor. I don't mind paying for somthig if I can't do it my self but that much of a jump in labor is wrong.
Unfortunatly I live in a townhouse and don't have space for a press or I would get out a book and do it. But...
One of the shops set up rear ends for dragsters, the other is owned by an Jeeper. There are a couple more shops I need to check out. I guess I'm in sticker shock. But if that's a fair rate two things come to mind. One I'm about to get butt slamed, Two I need to change jobs.

Some shops charge less if you pull your axels and bring them the chunk. That way you only pay for gear setup and you can check the marking paint and backlash before you put it in.

I forgot to say this is is my dd, and can't have it down for for more than a day.

What R/C pilot said....throw in taxes, workman's comp, social security, liability insurance, warranty liability, etc, etc....it's tough to keep a business profitable....any business. And when you walk into a shop carrying your own parts, you have denied the shop of making profit from those parts...no wonder a lot of shops won't accept work where you bring your own parts.

I am in HVA/C-R....ocassionally, someone will call and want us to install something they bought over the internet or the flea market or something...I will be glad to install it for them....but I will charge enough to make up for the lost profit from the lost materials sale....that may seem harsh, but thats business.....Will Denny's cook eggs and bacon that you bring in at breakfast time for cheap????

Like I said I don't mind paying, but is a $53hr jump fair just for getting my own parts. I understand it's a buisness. And they have so much work that they need change their posted labor rate to run off a client. Sorry for the sarcasm. You are trying to help thanks.

So anybody in southeast Louisiana willing to help with this. I'll get the beer and poboy's.:wave:

Nevermind I found a shop that will do it for $225 an end. Thanks for the input.