I got a price today to replace my rear leaf springs on my 95 Cheroke

$690 Installed

$380 for the pair of springs + 6.25% tax
$290 Labor

I don't have the tools or time to do this job.

Is this a decent price?
They need to be replaced badly

 

Too high... where are you located?

 

I take it your getting them replaced with stock parts?? Is there a specific reason for this? If you need to replace them, get an entire lift kit! I just payed $670 for a Rustys 3" lift kit with included 2-front coil springs, 2-complete rear leaf packs, 4-new shocks and a steering stabilizer. Well worth the money!!! Just my opinion. Good Luck!!

 

That's a good price for the spring, about the same as my Standen brand couple years ago, made in Alberta, Canada. The labour cost is good too. Our shop rate is $65 per hour so they are pricing your for about 4.5 hours. About right as the removal is when stuck bolts can slow you down. The final bolt in is pretty straight forward. Do they include the new hardware?
If your bolts and u bolts are in real good shape you can reuse them, what if they are pooched or need to be cut off. I would use grade 8 minimum and here the 9/16 u bolts with tall nuts run me $10 each incl. tax (delta spring, Breslau, Ontario stocks the blanks) made while I wait.
Hence I think you were quoted a fair price. Friendly pre discussion of some what if details prior to the work can keep everybody happy.

 

That price that I got includes u bolts but no shakles; if they need to be replaced it will cost a lot extra. I think I might go for it. I sure the ride quality will improve.
By the way I live in the Boston area.

 

I'm in the Boston area. Everything is high here in MA

 

How close to Boston? I'm wondering because I am considering the same repair job in Mansfield. Well, similar job; I plan on installing a set of helpers along with new springs to get my 95 Cherokee sport ready to tow a camper cross country.

 

Research the company you choose. I've heard horror stories about "4x4" shops that have a hard time with the most-likely busted weld nuts inside the shackle bracket (I forget its real name. The pocket where the shackle sits) and end up butchering the frame trying to get to it. I'm sure the shops in your area are used to rust though

 

id happily pay that labor

20yrs Northeast

 

I did the popular Dorman springs (bushing pre-installed), 2 new Dorman shackles with bolts (2 bolts each and bushings installed), new U-bolts, and spring plates for about $360 in parts. Decent shackles are surprisingly expensive. The spring plates weren't necessary to replace either, I just wanted to get rid of the old rusty ones.

I think your quote was fair, provided they do good work. Because we can expect their parts prices to be nearly double what the independent buyer will pay by looking around on the internet. Then tack on the time for labor (I think book rate is about 2 hours per side).

Even with good tools, and a lot of research on problems and techniques, and kinda clean vehicle with low miles, my leaf springs were an "all day affair" to remove. Putting the new ones in took about 10 minutes per side.

If you let them have the job, make sure to expressly forbid the cutting into your frame should their be any bolt problems. Then go research (google) what to do for stuck XJ leaf spring bolts. So that when they call, you can go down and show them, or tell them what you authorize.

So many yahoos will try to cut through the frame. Then find out the welded nut isn't where they think it is. Then cut more.

 

Ugh. Dreading it. Saving it for the Fall when it's at least not 90* outside. Already started applying pb blaster and saying my prayers though...

 

BewbJeep,

I think it is just one of those jobs that if you jump right into without sufficient tools or ideas, you'll make a bunch of spur of the moment, frustrated, and tired decisions that make everything worse.

The fact that you are reading up about is a good sign that you will do fine.

I used kroil (a penetrating oil quite superior to pb blaster), and ultimately, I have to tell you that I don't think it made a bit of difference. What really holds those bolts in is a seriously generous amount of factory red loctite. Covering nearly the entire threaded portion of the bolts (did I mention that the bolts are coarse threaded, and long!).

So without a doubt, the number one tool during the job was HEAT. Normally, you would heat whatever surrounds a bolt in hopes that it will expand and break rust bonds. However, in this case you want the heat to help soften the factory loctite. So you can heat the bolt whichever way you can to get as much heat around the weld nuts that are holding them in.

It was obvious enough, that when I applied heat, I could move the bolts, and as the bolt cooled off, I could no longer move it (unless I wanted to break something).

I would agree doing it when it is not 90+ would be a big plus, because it can be a bit of a brutal job getting them out.

Things I found most useful:
1. Heat (MAP gas, not propane)
2. 1/2 breaker bar (18" and 24" if possible)
3. 3-4' Cheater pipe
4. A large tie-rod end pickle fork (good for getting the bolts out of stuck sleeves).
5. Anti-seize compound (for reinstall).
6. 4" angle grinder (just in case).

At least 2, if not 4 new leaf eye bolts. You never know how many you'll save when taking them out. I lost 2. Luckily the shackles I bought came with 2 bolts each were direct replacements for the eye bolts. So I had just enough.

(these weren't the only tools of course, but they were the most used).

 

bewbjeep! hahaha. I feel like a bewb with some of the mistakes I make...

This is the first time I've read about the red loctite and that definitely changes the method of attack. I have all the tools you've listed except map gas. I appreciate the help and very useful information

 

Ha, just noticed that. It wasn't supposed to be funny (I'm not that funny). It was just a typo.

I did a video about my springs. It wasn't really a how-to, just a short chronicle of what I encountered. Its been viewed a lot though, so there must be quite a few folks out there thinking about it.

Notice in the beginning I said "I have not been successful so far". That is because I started the job the weekend prior, and chickened out. I just thought there was NO WAY I was going get through the job intact, so I buttoned it up and regrouped (it was seriously depressing). I watched about 100 more videos and articles, and then went in a little more prepared the following weekend.

 

I figured it was a typo since N is so close to B on the keyboard. A very funny mistake

I'm at work right now and YouTube is blocked but I'll definitely check it out.

It's weird how we get depressed when we can't (or think we can't) do something on the Jeeps