Dealer wants $350 to install 5100's--front only!

[tacobill]

Hi all, pretty new here and have enjoyed all that I've learned so far. Going to buy a set (front only) of Bilsteins and the dealer wants 4 hours labor to install. This does not count the alignment.

Like to go somewhere else but a little leery of tire shops. Any suggestions as to who you'd trust--other than yourself? We have a great Discount Tire shop locally, but other than that not sure.

 

[brockeverly]

Not far off considering that most dealers want around $700 for a full lift install, and the rear takes 1/4 of the time total.

I laugh most times that I hear that people do not trust shops to do work as simple as this. There really is not much to it to mess up. It is not like they are rebuilding a transmission and have to worry about tolerances, etc. If a typical shade tree mechanic can do it, any shop "idiot" can do it as well, so anyone qualified enough to work at a legit shop can do it in half the time.

Here is my take on the subject. If you are worried, pay the extra money and have the dealer do it. Why? Because then Toyota is responsible. Very rarely, in my experience, are dealerships so bad that they will mess up something as simple as a shock install.

 

[motioneffects]

$350 doesn't sound too bad especially at a dealership. If you think thats expensive, you shouldn't be messing around with cars unless you can do the work yourself.

 

[Bourbonator]

or you can rent a coil-spring compressor, jack up the truck, and do it yourself. The first time I did it on my tundra, I wasn't prepared, didn't have the right tools, and didn't have any instructions. It took me about 2 hours for the drivers side and about 45 minutes for the passenger side.

 

[Will733]

Shop around...
It's an easy job so just find a reputable shop that will get it done for $150. That includes alignment too.

 

[tacobill]

Thanks......I don't mind getting my hands dirty, but this I would rather not attempt as I've never done it. Less adventurous than I used to be :banana:

 

[Ramzey28]

I paid 240 at the dealership and bought online for 199.00, alignment was free because I did tires at the sametime.

 

[28fiend]

I didn't even realize a dealership would do such mods for you. Figured aftermarket installs weren't really something they did.

 

[echowl]

Hi all, pretty new here and have enjoyed all that I've learned so far. Going to buy a set (front only) of Bilsteins and the dealer wants 4 hours labor to install. This does not count the alignment.

Like to go somewhere else but a little leery of tire shops. Any suggestions as to who you'd trust--other than yourself? We have a great Discount Tire shop locally, but other than that not sure.

not too bad, that is dealer, not shop, I am in canada, and just got front and rear installed at toyota dealer, they charged 4 hours labour and with alignment, get 10% off, total 600 including tax.

that is canada, everything is fxxxk expensive

 

[Jono.ful]

I didn't even realize a dealership would do such mods for you. Figured aftermarket installs weren't really something they did.

they will often demand that they do it, otherwise they threaten to void the warranty:ybrick:

 

[echowl]

they will often demand that they do it, otherwise they threaten to void the warranty:ybrick:

I am afraid of void the warranty, so I got dealer doing this :lookout: even I know it will be couple huandred bucks expensive than other shop.

 

[Will733]

I am afraid of void the warranty, so I got dealer doing this :lookout: even I know it will be couple huandred bucks expensive than other shop.

It can't void a warranty unless the shop that installed it really sucks and screwed it up enough to cause some problems with something that needs
repair.

 

[limamike]

Not far off considering that most dealers want around $700 for a full lift install, and the rear takes 1/4 of the time total.

I laugh most times that I hear that people do not trust shops to do work as simple as this. There really is not much to it to mess up. It is not like they are rebuilding a transmission and have to worry about tolerances, etc. If a typical shade tree mechanic can do it, any shop "idiot" can do it as well, so anyone qualified enough to work at a legit shop can do it in half the time.

Here is my take on the subject. If you are worried, pay the extra money and have the dealer do it. Why? Because then Toyota is responsible. Very rarely, in my experience, are dealerships so bad that they will mess up something as simple as a shock install.

Trust me, there's a LOT they can mess-up.

 

[ToyoTech]

Trust me, there's a LOT they can mess-up.

abs wires, brake lines, loose nuts and bolts. incorrectly install the shocks to the strut tower (top mount of strut). loose lug nuts. poor alignments aka set the toe and let it go.

had a highlander come in that was worked on at a body shop. replaced some rear suspension parts. not sure how long they drove it but was towed in with one of the rear lower arms missing a bolt and the wheel toed into the body

$350 isnt to bad. dealer i work for would charge 1.5 hr per side plus 1 hr for alignment. the spring compressor we have sucks and dangerous lol

 

[alc9020]

When it's time for shocks I was going to give this a try.

Tacoma Coil Over Shock Disassembly without a Spring Compressor - YouTube

 

[ToyoTech]

When it's time for shocks I was going to give this a try.

Tacoma Coil Over Shock Disassembly without a Spring Compressor - YouTube

that works haha. when i lowered my cousins evo, the rented spring compressor didnt fit in the coil springs. i had a bag of a billion zip ties so i zip tie the coil spring a few hundred times (didnt count) took the top nut off and it worked. started to cut a few zip ties and out of no where all the zip ties failed and shoot everywhere. lucky the spring wasnt compressed that much. on the next 3 coils, i wore my motorcycle helmet and covered my nuts before cutting the zip ties. with the tacoma, i would just rent a compressor

 

[1000MPH]

Man...you can't just use zip ties, you gotta use zip ties and duct tape.

 

[ToyoTech]

Man...you can't just use zip ties, you gotta use zip ties and duct tape.

haha well i know now for next time but i have gorilla tape. better than duct imo