How many hours for a front end rebuild
07-01-2013, 01:51 AM
#1
2nd Gear
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How many hours for a front end rebuild
I am going to have my front suspension rebuilt...bought the kit but lost the place where I was gonna work on the car so now I need to have it done...
What would I expect to pay an experienced corvette specialist to replace all my front end bushings, blast and paint the control arms and knuckles etc...including replace calipers and rubber brake lines... labor seems to be around 90 to 100 per hour...how many hours should I expect to be charged if the shop is reasonable?
I have a 71 convertible. I kinda figure it's a one-day job for a guy that has a lift , the right tools and experience....
What would I expect to pay an experienced corvette specialist to replace all my front end bushings, blast and paint the control arms and knuckles etc...including replace calipers and rubber brake lines... labor seems to be around 90 to 100 per hour...how many hours should I expect to be charged if the shop is reasonable?
I have a 71 convertible. I kinda figure it's a one-day job for a guy that has a lift , the right tools and experience....
07-01-2013, 07:52 AM
#3
Le Mans Master
Really hard to say but a real round number in my area would be to pay someone for the work which i would never do for a host of reasons would be:
Brakes-Calipers, pads, rubber hoses, bleeding-you providing all the parts-$400-500. No parts-they provide everything-$1,200-1,500.
Suspension-Upper and lower control arm bushings/sway bar bushings/paint control arms-$1,500. Bushings are cheap-All labor.
If you are removing the control arms definitely do Tie rods, Idler arm, upper and lower ball joints, maybe front springs, and shocks. Everything has to be disconneccted to do control arm bushings. I would replace everything if anything is not new or recently replaced.Parts are cheap!! Labor is NOT.
Brakes-Calipers, pads, rubber hoses, bleeding-you providing all the parts-$400-500. No parts-they provide everything-$1,200-1,500.
Suspension-Upper and lower control arm bushings/sway bar bushings/paint control arms-$1,500. Bushings are cheap-All labor.
If you are removing the control arms definitely do Tie rods, Idler arm, upper and lower ball joints, maybe front springs, and shocks. Everything has to be disconneccted to do control arm bushings. I would replace everything if anything is not new or recently replaced.Parts are cheap!! Labor is NOT.
07-01-2013, 12:54 PM
#4
Team Owner
Just guessing.... but I wouldn't be shocked with a total bill of $1000 (give or take). There is a LOT of labor in doing the bushings. The old ones don't come out easily, or it would be a simpler task.
07-01-2013, 01:09 PM
#5
Drifting
Took my time with mine. Had it apart for a little over 2 weeks.
I had some stubborn parts, but probably a 20 hr job. This was my first time.
Here is my build link.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...h-project.html
I had some stubborn parts, but probably a 20 hr job. This was my first time.
Here is my build link.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...h-project.html
07-01-2013, 01:21 PM
#6
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...how many hours should I expect to be charged if the shop is reasonable?...
...I kinda figure it's a one-day job for a guy that has a lift , the right tools and experience....
07-01-2013, 01:44 PM
#7
I would bet 2 days 16 hours x $100/hr =$1,600
07-01-2013, 02:04 PM
#8
Le Mans Master
I've got to say after completing one side it takes some time.
Just swapping parts doesn't take long but degreasing, sanding, striping and painting takes some time.
I was quoted $1000 just to replace the bushings so add many hours to prepping the arms and spindle for paint.
Just swapping parts doesn't take long but degreasing, sanding, striping and painting takes some time.
I was quoted $1000 just to replace the bushings so add many hours to prepping the arms and spindle for paint.
07-01-2013, 02:09 PM
#9
Le Mans Master
according to Mitchell labor times, which is what we use here at work:
upper control arm bushings are 1.3hrs a side
Lowers are 1.8 per side
sway bar bushings are 0.6 for the pair, links are .07 for the pair
calipers are 0.8 each, hoses are 0.6 each.
add about 2 hours if you are replacing the ball joints too. there may be some overlap, but considering the age of the car I doubt it. I would double most of those times to deal with rust and leave room in case something breaks and needs to be drilled, tapped, heated, etc. and bleeding the brakes properly (we all know how fun that can be sometimes)
and add what ever time to prep and paint the control arms. I would guess this would be a few hours also.
so yeah, about 16hrs, plus the painting time.
I would plan on leaving your car at the shop for at least a week.
upper control arm bushings are 1.3hrs a side
Lowers are 1.8 per side
sway bar bushings are 0.6 for the pair, links are .07 for the pair
calipers are 0.8 each, hoses are 0.6 each.
add about 2 hours if you are replacing the ball joints too. there may be some overlap, but considering the age of the car I doubt it. I would double most of those times to deal with rust and leave room in case something breaks and needs to be drilled, tapped, heated, etc. and bleeding the brakes properly (we all know how fun that can be sometimes)
and add what ever time to prep and paint the control arms. I would guess this would be a few hours also.
so yeah, about 16hrs, plus the painting time.
I would plan on leaving your car at the shop for at least a week.
07-01-2013, 02:33 PM
#10
Drifting
Yep time adds up let alone I, mechanic, would add a little extra to the book rate as the older the car the more likly something will be rusted/broke/etc... that causes delays and makes me lose time.
07-01-2013, 03:24 PM
#11
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according to Mitchell labor times, which is what we use here at work:
upper control arm bushings are 1.3hrs a side
Lowers are 1.8 per side
sway bar bushings are 0.6 for the pair, links are .07 for the pair
calipers are 0.8 each, hoses are 0.6 each.
add about 2 hours if you are replacing the ball joints too. there may be some overlap, but considering the age of the car I doubt it. I would double most of those times to deal with rust and leave room in case something breaks and needs to be drilled, tapped, heated, etc. and bleeding the brakes properly (we all know how fun that can be sometimes)
and add what ever time to prep and paint the control arms. I would guess this would be a few hours also.
so yeah, about 16hrs, plus the painting time.
I would plan on leaving your car at the shop for at least a week.
upper control arm bushings are 1.3hrs a side
Lowers are 1.8 per side
sway bar bushings are 0.6 for the pair, links are .07 for the pair
calipers are 0.8 each, hoses are 0.6 each.
add about 2 hours if you are replacing the ball joints too. there may be some overlap, but considering the age of the car I doubt it. I would double most of those times to deal with rust and leave room in case something breaks and needs to be drilled, tapped, heated, etc. and bleeding the brakes properly (we all know how fun that can be sometimes)
and add what ever time to prep and paint the control arms. I would guess this would be a few hours also.
so yeah, about 16hrs, plus the painting time.
I would plan on leaving your car at the shop for at least a week.
Also make sure that you and the shop have a very clear understanding as to what happens if something unexpected comes up along the way. Some shops will call, some shops will stick to the estimate and try to make up the cost somewhere else (read:cheaper parts), and some shops will go ahead and finish the job and increase the bill.
Good luck!
07-01-2013, 03:26 PM
#12
Le Mans Master
Most mechanics I know will add somewhere around 25% to book times for anything older than about 25 years. This varies from shop to shop so make sure you get a written estimate.
Also make sure that you and the shop have a very clear understanding as to what happens if something unexpected comes up along the way. Some shops will call, some shops will stick to the estimate and try to make up the cost somewhere else (read:cheaper parts), and some shops will go ahead and finish the job and increase the bill.
Good luck!
Also make sure that you and the shop have a very clear understanding as to what happens if something unexpected comes up along the way. Some shops will call, some shops will stick to the estimate and try to make up the cost somewhere else (read:cheaper parts), and some shops will go ahead and finish the job and increase the bill.
Good luck!
exactly, that's why he needs to call around
07-02-2013, 03:22 AM
#13
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Thats kind of what I figured
Thanks for the replies everyone
Ok.....so I was quoted:
shop one: 1000 including blast and paint parts and alignment..
shop two: 1500 same thing
shop three: 1500 no alignment
shop one was bigger, more mechanics, bigger parts dept and lots of nice corvettes all over the place --sounds like a winner
I forgot to ask about painting the springs...if the control arms come out then the springs should be cake right?
Ok.....so I was quoted:
shop one: 1000 including blast and paint parts and alignment..
shop two: 1500 same thing
shop three: 1500 no alignment
shop one was bigger, more mechanics, bigger parts dept and lots of nice corvettes all over the place --sounds like a winner
I forgot to ask about painting the springs...if the control arms come out then the springs should be cake right?
