Front Axle shaft seals Labor hours? Mitchell/Alldata/Experience?

[wilcharl]

After replacing the axle shafts and hub bearings my self, my D30 front axle on my 88 XJ is leaking. I do not have time to pull everything again and am scared of yanking the carrier (heard everything from feed a shop rag in it and it will drop to fighting to get it out) more worries I have is getting the thing back in even though folks say you don't need a spreader. Long story short I am trying to get pricing and I thought the one price I got so far (500) was a bit high.

Since the axle bearings and shafts are brand new, they will come right off. I see no more then a half hour pulling them, an hour to pull the carrier and replace the seals, and another hour to button everything back up so 3 hours total x 100 an hour = 300 bucks in my eyes....

Does anyone know what the mitchel or alldata #s are for this job in labor units/

 

[bails85]

Just do it yourself man. Save the money. Axle seals will cost you about 15 bucks. Then you know it got done correctly.

 

[88_cherokee]

$100 for labor? crap we charge $65 lol

 

[Muddy Beast]

I used an old t-shirt in the gears and a screw driver in the driveshaft to pop the case out. To get it back in I line everything up the best I can and start beating on it with a rubber shot filled mallet. My case has extra preload on the sides too, so in theory it should be harder to get back in then your average case...yet it's never been too hard for me (done it twice). Last time I did my axle seals I did it in about 4-5 hours after work and into the dark, it would have been faster (and been successful) if I had a seal press tool, and a garage.

So do it yourself. Buy a seal press tool. You don't need a case spreader (though, you'll probably be cussing for a little while till you see the progress)

 

[souske]

I had excellent luck packing my carrier in a cooler under ice for a couple days. It fought me coming out, but a few taps on the carrier race with a wooden dowel, and it popped back in.

 

[lucky14]

Alldata shows 4.9 hours for outer and inner seals on front axle.

My shop's labor rate is 98.00 hour so 500 for labor isn't that far off dependant on your shops labor rate.

 

[Muddy Beast]

Alldata shows 4.9 hours for outer and inner seals on front axle.

My shop's labor rate is 98.00 hour so 500 for labor isn't that far off dependant on your shops labor rate.

Is that how shops generally quote people?

I would think a shop could do the job in 4 hours max, if nothing is rusted on, easy.

 

[RWKHausSupply]

Alldata shows 4.9 hours for outer and inner seals on front axle.

My shop's labor rate is 98.00 hour so 500 for labor isn't that far off dependant on your shops labor rate.

Outer seals?


And as for getting the carrier out.
One med sized prybar, from the diff cover surface to under a ring gear bolt and it pops right out.

As for back in, a 2lbs mini sledge is Golden in gear work, and thats all thats needed 99.9% of the time on a D30.

To install, dont waste your time with some screw style anything.
take a seal to your local autozone, orially etc, where they rent tools for free, and find a ball joint tool or such, that has a adapter that fits inside the first metal lip of the seal to drive it in. and then use that with a solid adapter (they typically come in the same set) and a jack handle (or 1.25" or smaller OD tube) and have one person hold the seal and adapters in the diff, and you stand at the end with the tube fed in from the side and use that 2lb mini sledge to bang them in. One Solid hit followed by 2-5 med hits is all thats needed typ. Just have the inside diff person watch to make sure its in deep enough yet not to deep.

Or take it to a better more hoenestly priced shop;

 

[lucky14]

Is that how shops generally quote people?

I would think a shop could do the job in 4 hours max, if nothing is rusted on, easy.

Yes- a shop uses;

Factory time guide for warranty repairs at the dealership or,

Mitchells, Alldata, Chilton, Motor time guides for non warranty work at the delaership or independent shops.

Each labor operation is based on an average time. They take master technicians and have them do a labor operation on vehicle with all hand tools they would need laid out and average the time to compelte the task.
Thats why certain time guides might be 0.1 or 0.2 or so higher than the next.

You also have to remember that there will be instances that your specific labor operation isn't listed or associated procedures are taken into account that a shop will add time to the labor guide. For instance if there is a known problem with that procedure- say for instance a bolt that always breaks in your regional area.. they might ad time to it.

so you would take the labor time guide for a inner/outter seal job (4.9) multiple by the shops labor rate ($98) = $480 in labor + tax, shop fees, and parts.

You have to remember that the labor times are not necessarily also a pure reflection of time- they are a "labor unit". Where sure a skilled tech or mechanic might be able to beat the time and do your axle seals- but you are paying for his experence, tools, facility, etc.

Flat rate is a double edged sword- he might make that 4.9 in 3.0 or less hours, but then again your rig could be all rotted together and it take him 6 hours and all you pay is 4.9 regardless