Muffler Shop wants 6 hours labor to install axle back mufflers?
12-06-2015, 08:19 PM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
Muffler Shop wants 6 hours labor to install axle back mufflers?
I went down to my local Meineke muffler shop today (Little Elm, TX) to have my used NPP mufflers installed. Based on other posts I have read here, I am expecting to pay between $75-$125, and it would take about an hour.
The guys there lifted the car and look at it, and come back to me saying that ALLDATA estimates it will take 6 hours to do the job, and that they will need to lower the rear suspension to do it, then it will need an alignment after it was done.
Is that true??
2012 base LT3 w/automatic
The guys there lifted the car and look at it, and come back to me saying that ALLDATA estimates it will take 6 hours to do the job, and that they will need to lower the rear suspension to do it, then it will need an alignment after it was done.
Is that true??
2012 base LT3 w/automatic
12-06-2015, 08:27 PM
#2
Race Director
Member Since: Mar 2011
Location: SW Florida
Posts: 13,256
Received 3,090 Likes
on
2,078 Posts
2021 C6 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Not true at all ....
All that needs to be done is the rear sway bar needs to be dropped down (10 minute job max), and to make it easier, the intermediate exhaust pipe assembly (between the end of the exhaust manifolds and the pipes on the end of the mufflers) should be removed. Removing and replacing this intermediate pipe takes maybe 30 minutes, but saves time and trouble when removing and replacing the axle-back mufflers.
Total labor if the car is up on a rack is maybe 2.0 hours.
No alignment needs to be done. Lowering the rear sway bar changes nothing in the car's front or rear suspension alignment.
.
All that needs to be done is the rear sway bar needs to be dropped down (10 minute job max), and to make it easier, the intermediate exhaust pipe assembly (between the end of the exhaust manifolds and the pipes on the end of the mufflers) should be removed. Removing and replacing this intermediate pipe takes maybe 30 minutes, but saves time and trouble when removing and replacing the axle-back mufflers.
Total labor if the car is up on a rack is maybe 2.0 hours.
No alignment needs to be done. Lowering the rear sway bar changes nothing in the car's front or rear suspension alignment.
.
Last edited by Turbo6TA; 12-07-2015 at 08:14 AM.
The following users liked this post:
SpeedUp (12-06-2015)
12-06-2015, 08:34 PM
#4
It has never took the muffler guy here more than an hour to change mine out including him answering the phone in that time as he has no secretary, No dropping sway bar or anything,
12-06-2015, 08:40 PM
#5
Race Director
Member Since: Mar 2011
Location: SW Florida
Posts: 13,256
Received 3,090 Likes
on
2,078 Posts
2021 C6 of the Year Finalist - Modified
12-06-2015, 08:49 PM
#6
Instructor
I went down to my local Meineke muffler shop today (Little Elm, TX) to have my used NPP mufflers installed. Based on other posts I have read here, I am expecting to pay between $75-$125, and it would take about an hour.
The guys there lifted the car and look at it, and come back to me saying that ALLDATA estimates it will take 6 hours to do the job, and that they will need to lower the rear suspension to do it, then it will need an alignment after it was done.
Is that true??
2012 base LT3 w/automatic
The guys there lifted the car and look at it, and come back to me saying that ALLDATA estimates it will take 6 hours to do the job, and that they will need to lower the rear suspension to do it, then it will need an alignment after it was done.
Is that true??
2012 base LT3 w/automatic
12-06-2015, 10:05 PM
#7
Le Mans Master
I agree I had mine done at Midas, the guy struggled until I pointed out that he had to drop the sway bar and put the auto trans in neutral. 1 hour later and 75.00 bucks I was on my way home .
Was not worth my time to put it up on ramps and try and wrestle those things out
Dave
Was not worth my time to put it up on ramps and try and wrestle those things out
Dave
Last edited by Dcasole; 12-06-2015 at 10:06 PM.
12-06-2015, 10:07 PM
#8
6 hours labor is crazy talk.
12-06-2015, 10:12 PM
#9
8th Gear
Member Since: Mar 2005
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I went down to my local Meineke muffler shop today (Little Elm, TX) to have my used NPP mufflers installed. Based on other posts I have read here, I am expecting to pay between $75-$125, and it would take about an hour.
The guys there lifted the car and look at it, and come back to me saying that ALLDATA estimates it will take 6 hours to do the job, and that they will need to lower the rear suspension to do it, then it will need an alignment after it was done.
Is that true??
2012 base LT3 w/automatic
The guys there lifted the car and look at it, and come back to me saying that ALLDATA estimates it will take 6 hours to do the job, and that they will need to lower the rear suspension to do it, then it will need an alignment after it was done.
Is that true??
2012 base LT3 w/automatic
12-07-2015, 07:19 AM
#10
Le Mans Master
Friend of mine has a lift. We put my corsa Axle backs on in about 1 hour. The key is just being able to get it high enough off the ground the rotate the pipes in/out. I imagine that it could be a little more difficult to get over the axles with just on jack stands. We had the car about 2.5 feet off the ground or so. So it was easy to still reach bolts but high enough to be able to drop the exhaust out. Other than that the most difficult part is adjusting the pipes to where you want them and not having them move when tightening the bolts.
We dropped the sway bar, slide the exhaust over the axles (just be careful of any wiring) and was good to go. Easier than I thought it would be. We also removed the h-pipe (or x-pipe depending on what you have in there) to make it easier to move things around. it's only on there by a couple hanger bolts and bolts up at the headers, so it's very simple and straight forward.
It's pretty cool to know someone with a lift in their garage that is able to help with some of this stuff, though.
6 hours for axle back is crazy talk.
We dropped the sway bar, slide the exhaust over the axles (just be careful of any wiring) and was good to go. Easier than I thought it would be. We also removed the h-pipe (or x-pipe depending on what you have in there) to make it easier to move things around. it's only on there by a couple hanger bolts and bolts up at the headers, so it's very simple and straight forward.
It's pretty cool to know someone with a lift in their garage that is able to help with some of this stuff, though.
6 hours for axle back is crazy talk.
12-07-2015, 02:55 PM
#13
Drifting
Thread Starter
12-07-2015, 02:57 PM
#14
Team Owner
Member Since: Mar 2004
Location: Oklahoma City OK
Posts: 58,266
Received 1,680 Likes
on
1,302 Posts
C6 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Nope, local muffler shop charged me $125.00, I got to stay with the car and no suspension was dropped for the install.
12-07-2015, 03:00 PM
#15
Drifting
I always prefer a local independent for this kind of work.
The big corporate shops often don't have the GOOD experienced employees to install aftermarket and custom systems. You want someone that will make sure the tips are lined up, that will tweak a factory bend to make it all look and work better.
As mentioned above RUN - time to find another shop.
The big corporate shops often don't have the GOOD experienced employees to install aftermarket and custom systems. You want someone that will make sure the tips are lined up, that will tweak a factory bend to make it all look and work better.
As mentioned above RUN - time to find another shop.
12-07-2015, 03:08 PM
#16
Drifting
Member Since: Jul 2011
Location: Boca Raton Florida
Posts: 1,534
Likes: 0
Received 270 Likes
on
199 Posts
I will tell you why all data shows 6 hours. The author starts the job , thinks about what is best, reads the shop manual, by 10 am he has to go for coffee break. As he is doing the job he writes down every step and takes pictures. By noon it is complete but the notes are not. So he goes to lunch for an hour, and this one is 1.5 hours as the service was slow, he comes back and re arranges his notes for the next 1.5 hours. Here is your 6. The problem is that the dealers work out of that stupid times when they quote, they finish the job in one hour but technician gets 6. Some of those mechanics make 6 digit incomes. The sad thing is that your job is rushed so they can take on another to make more money, you just paid for 6 hours but got a hours worth of crappy performance.
12-07-2015, 04:11 PM
#18
A little over 45 mins and $100 bucks. No suspension parts removed. It's not hard to do if you can get the car WAY up off the floor. I messed with it up on jack stands for about 30 mins before I took it to the muffler shop.
12-07-2015, 04:20 PM
#19
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Jan 2006
Location: Down south in Dixie
Posts: 6,801
Received 2,639 Likes
on
1,702 Posts
I agree I had mine done at Midas, the guy struggled until I pointed out that he had to drop the sway bar and put the auto trans in neutral. 1 hour later and 75.00 bucks I was on my way home .
Was not worth my time to put it up on ramps and try and wrestle those things out
Dave
Was not worth my time to put it up on ramps and try and wrestle those things out
Dave
OP, they are either crazy, pr don't want to do the job. Check elsewhere. Good luck.
12-07-2015, 06:30 PM
#20
Race Director
Member Since: Mar 2011
Location: SW Florida
Posts: 13,256
Received 3,090 Likes
on
2,078 Posts
2021 C6 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Dropping the sway bar involves removing 4 bolts, and the sway bar just falls down about 6" .... 10 minute job