U Joints
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 200
Likes: 0
From: Tucson Az
U Joints
Got a Quote today for replacing the U Joints in the Drive Shaft only for my 81 .
The price was $235 and my question is . Is that a reasonable price. I am getting to damn old and fat to be crawling around under there so have to farm it out .
I know when I need a wrench it is going to take 20 minutes to get out from under there and back under and in that time frame I just say the hell with it.
The morale of this story is don't get old and fat.
The price was $235 and my question is . Is that a reasonable price. I am getting to damn old and fat to be crawling around under there so have to farm it out .
I know when I need a wrench it is going to take 20 minutes to get out from under there and back under and in that time frame I just say the hell with it.
The morale of this story is don't get old and fat.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,310
Likes: 1
Re: U Joints (thamzid)
I did mine myself and didn't get a quote, but for just the driveshaft U-joints, that does sound like a lot.
I can't imagine someone charging more than 2 hours labor (I think the driveshaft took me a half hour; I won't talk about how long the half-shafts took :mad ). So based on about $50/hr labor and $15 a piece for the joints, that's about $100 over.
PS -- I can relate to the too old & fat comment. I just did a flush & fill of the cooling system and after about a dozen times of getting on the ground to open & close the petcock and bending over the engine compartment to replace the thermostat (and some vacuum line I broke in the process), I was worn out.
[Modified by jerryp58, 10:07 PM 10/12/2002]
I can't imagine someone charging more than 2 hours labor (I think the driveshaft took me a half hour; I won't talk about how long the half-shafts took :mad ). So based on about $50/hr labor and $15 a piece for the joints, that's about $100 over.
PS -- I can relate to the too old & fat comment. I just did a flush & fill of the cooling system and after about a dozen times of getting on the ground to open & close the petcock and bending over the engine compartment to replace the thermostat (and some vacuum line I broke in the process), I was worn out.
[Modified by jerryp58, 10:07 PM 10/12/2002]
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 232
Likes: 0
From: Snohomish, WA. USA
Re: U Joints (thamzid)
WAY TOO MUCH!!!!!
Unless you don't mind paying someone close to $200.00 for 1/2 hour of labor. Go buy yourself a set of Brute Force U-Joints and a six pack of beer and enjoy an evening with your car. It take longer to jack up the car than it does to remove and replace the U-Joints.
Just my .02 worth
Unless you don't mind paying someone close to $200.00 for 1/2 hour of labor. Go buy yourself a set of Brute Force U-Joints and a six pack of beer and enjoy an evening with your car. It take longer to jack up the car than it does to remove and replace the U-Joints.
Just my .02 worth
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 5,714
Likes: 6
From: Silver City NM
St. Jude Donor '05-'07
Re: U Joints (thamzid)
thamzid: I can sure sympathize with the too fat and (for me) too old to fiddle with that stuff. Price sounds pretty high though. I agree that it should be around half that amount. Funny how mechanics think "rich bas**rd" when you pull in with a Vette. You can almost see the dollar signs in their eyes and hear the cash register bells ringing in their heads. I have the blissful vision of me lifting off that steel manifold and heads when I replace them with aluminum versions. Thinking about inviting a bunch of my buddies over with a case of beer as a bribe.
Dep...aka Old Geezer
[Modified by Ex-Deputy, 10:17 PM 10/12/2002]
Dep...aka Old Geezer
[Modified by Ex-Deputy, 10:17 PM 10/12/2002]
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,826
Likes: 0
From: Why Drive When you can ride
Re: U Joints (vette69)
WAY TOO MUCH!!!!!
Unless you don't mind paying someone close to $200.00 for 1/2 hour of labor. Go buy yourself a set of Brute Force U-Joints and a six pack of beer and enjoy an evening with your car. It take longer to jack up the car than it does to remove and replace the U-Joints.
Just my .02 worth
Unless you don't mind paying someone close to $200.00 for 1/2 hour of labor. Go buy yourself a set of Brute Force U-Joints and a six pack of beer and enjoy an evening with your car. It take longer to jack up the car than it does to remove and replace the U-Joints.
Just my .02 worth
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Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 17,102
Likes: 7
From: Fair Oaks, OK
Re: U Joints (thamzid)
Got a Price of $99 and this includes Parts & Labor so guess he has my business. It is a Drive Shaft specialty shop so it should be done right.
you got a better deal this time.
I think a lot of shops see a Corvette pulling in and think... "Corvette... BIG
SPENDER!!!" I know there are times that you get what you pay for, but at
the same time, if we keep going to places that overcharge just because its
a vette, we're only fueling the fire.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,310
Likes: 1
Re: U Joints (Dwayne 76)
Dwayne 76, in my case (and I know I've read others echo this), the driveshaft was a piece of cake compared to the half shafts.
If $230 had been the price for both half shafts (labor & parts), I would have said that was very reasonable.
If $230 had been the price for both half shafts (labor & parts), I would have said that was very reasonable.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 200
Likes: 0
From: Tucson Az
Re: U Joints (jerryp58)
My last reply to this thread. It was not the U Joints after all but something in the Rear End making the Clunking Noise when you let off the Gas and then hit it again. Will change the fliud and put in bottle of additive hopefully this will solve the problem. Doubt it but What the Hey.
Anyhow in this endeavor I did fine a HONEST shop in Tucson, Az .
Simmons Driveline at the corner of Ajo and Country Club He checked everything all out and lubed the U joints and charged me a very reasonable price .
He does not do any Major work on Vettes but if you need somethng else I would Highly recommend him .
On changing the fluid do you just suck the old out and put in the new ??
2 bottles and 1 bottle of additive. I will get the juice form the Chevy dealer.
Anyhow in this endeavor I did fine a HONEST shop in Tucson, Az .
Simmons Driveline at the corner of Ajo and Country Club He checked everything all out and lubed the U joints and charged me a very reasonable price .
He does not do any Major work on Vettes but if you need somethng else I would Highly recommend him .
On changing the fluid do you just suck the old out and put in the new ??
2 bottles and 1 bottle of additive. I will get the juice form the Chevy dealer.
Pro
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 726
Likes: 0
From: Petaluma CA
Re: U Joints (thamzid)
Just paid 250 out the door for ujoints on one half shaft. But I had no time and I knew they would do it right. Don't know parts cost...
Chevy dealer here gets $104/hour shop time and their reputation is not good.
I would do my own driveshaft. Age 55, 6'1", 230 lbs, not too bright.
:cheers:
Chevy dealer here gets $104/hour shop time and their reputation is not good.
I would do my own driveshaft. Age 55, 6'1", 230 lbs, not too bright.
:cheers:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 7,739
Likes: 630
From: Unreconstructed, South Carolina
Re: U Joints (thamzid)
I've done plenty of em w/ just a hammer & socket/torch ... as many w/ a press too. Time permitting, nowadays I pull shafts ... I buy ujoints ... take em all to a DS shop & have them R&R ujoints ... If they bend a shaft they bought it.
