Bearing Replacement

timinator · **Joined:** Tue Jun 06, 2006 8:34 am **Posts:** 9

Noticable humming noise coming from front right of my '02 Liberty, 82K. My mechanic who I've been using for years and I think I trust, says the left and right bearings need replacement. Here's the shocker, $400.00 each! Not knowing much about front ends, why so much? :shock:

Any info would be appreciated
Thanks

myjeepwalks · **Posted:** Wed Aug 13, 2008 9:54 pm

$400 each???? I got mine from the dealer for $203 each with the abs sensor included!!!!!!! Your mechanic is a rip off.

this is where ive been getting my parts. they are 10min from my work.

http://www.cherryhilltriplexparts.com/

Guest · **Posted:** Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:38 pm

www.performancepeddler.com carries them for around $65 if you don't have ABS.

$400 is because you're paying parts AND labor. Mechanics gotta eat too.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:43 pm

You will need a E14 socket to replace the front unit bearings,oh and a 35mm socket also.

myjeepwalks · **Posted:** Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:12 pm

ThunderbirdJunkie wrote:

www.performancepeddler.com carries them for around $65 if you don't have ABS.

$400 is because you're paying parts AND labor. Mechanics gotta eat too.

I understand that I used to be one. But do the math assuming he has abs bearings are $200 each. $400 for 1.5-2hrs labor at the most is ridiculous. Severe overcharging if you ask me. That's why i fix my own junk. :wink:

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:42 pm

myjeepwalks wrote:

ThunderbirdJunkie wrote:

www.performancepeddler.com carries them for around $65 if you don't have ABS.

$400 is because you're paying parts AND labor. Mechanics gotta eat too.

I understand that I used to be one. But do the math assuming he has abs bearings are $200 each. $400 for 1.5-2hrs labor at the most is ridiculous. Severe overcharging if you ask me. That's why i fix my own junk. :wink:

If the part is $200 and 2 hours of labor,$400 perside is not in anyway overcharging.Depending on what part of the counrty you live in the labor rate is $75-$125 per hour.

DryBones · **Posted:** Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:44 pm

$200 an hour does seem a bit steep :shock:

They probably have a set price per side not actually based on the real time to do the work. my local Firestone tried to sell me wiperblades once and I asked them how much and they quoted me the price of the blades plus $15 labor! :shock:

I don't go there much any more, only for state inspections. I also had my old Asto van in the dealership for some repairs and they charged me per repair not the actual time in the shop, something about job "units" for each repair. Even though they had a huge sign in the service area stating their "hourly" rates. I asked them if they charged $75 an hour and you had my van for 3 hours than how come the labor was almost $500? That's when I got the stuttering,stammering,couldn't look me in the eye explaination about job units :evil:

I don't go there any more either. :wink:

Check your receipt next time you get some repairs done in a shop and see if they actually break down the time for repair or do it by the job itself.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:47 pm

DryBones wrote:

$200 an hour does seem a bit steep :shock:

UUMMMMM....................

$200 for the unit bearing and $200 for 2 hours labor(with the average of $100 per hour labor rate) = $400,then times by two since there are 2 unit bearings that is $400 for parts and 4 hours of labor which equals $800 + tax and shop supplies.

DryBones · **Posted:** Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:53 pm

assuming 2 hours per side, but that hasn't been clearly stated. Does it really take 2 hours to replace 1 bearing? For me all day probably but for the "expert" how long should it take?

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 14, 2008 9:01 pm

DryBones wrote:

assuming 2 hours per side, but that hasn't been clearly stated. Does it really take 2 hours to replace 1 bearing? For me all day probably but for the "expert" how long should it take?

By the book it is almost 2 hours per side,and by the book is how you are charged,you will not be charged by how long it actually takes.I could do both sides in less then a hour but will still get paid for 4 hours and you will pay 4 hours.Almost every shop in the USA goes by the Mitchell labor guide,that is the average it takes to do a certian job,but special tools and lifts make that same job with someone who knows what to do much less time consuming thus allowing tech's that get paid flat rate to actually make a living to buy those very expensive special tools to do those jobs.

Plus if ABS equipted it adds .2 hours,wheel locks it adds .1 hours,and so on and so on.I love those fully decked vehicles,they pay the most in labor time from all the techno gismo's that add to the labor time.

DryBones · **Posted:** Thu Aug 14, 2008 9:05 pm

I had no idea their was actually a guide book for repair work. so if you were good you could really do 8 hours work and get paid for what the book says should take 16? I knew dealerships were doing this but I had no idea EVERYBODY was doing this. Why do they even bother quoting hourly rates at shops any more?

oh well, live and learn. Troy, Thanks for all the lessons today.

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Aug 14, 2008 9:35 pm

Somedays you do get paid for 16 hours of work in 8 hours time, but then I had days where the job was suppose to take 3 hours but it took 6 or 7 most days you beat the rabbit, but then others.....Thats why I do it as a hobby now :wink:

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 14, 2008 10:09 pm

tommudd wrote:

Somedays you do get paid for 16 hours of work in 8 hours time, but then I had days where the job was suppose to take 3 hours but it took 6 or 7 most days you beat the rabbit, but then others.....Thats why I do it as a hobby now :wink:

Yep you are correct,Flat rate can be very good or be very bad.If that job pays 4 hours,that's what you get paid no matter if it takes you 1 hour or 10 hours.

myjeepwalks · **Posted:** Thu Aug 14, 2008 10:48 pm

tjkj2002 wrote:

myjeepwalks wrote:

ThunderbirdJunkie wrote:

www.performancepeddler.com carries them for around $65 if you don't have ABS.

$400 is because you're paying parts AND labor. Mechanics gotta eat too.

I understand that I used to be one. But do the math assuming he has abs bearings are $200 each. $400 for 1.5-2hrs labor at the most is ridiculous. Severe overcharging if you ask me. That's why i fix my own junk. :wink:

If the part is $200 and 2 hours of labor,$400 perside is not in anyway overcharging.Depending on what part of the counrty you live in the labor rate is $75-$125 per hour.

Absolutely right on the labor rates depending on the area. I've dealt with dealers in san fran and nyc that are $150+. I'm too lazy to fire up my work laptop with the mitchell labor guide but i dont think these bearings pay more than 1hr per side at the most. All we know is it's $400 per side. The shop could be getting the bearings from the dealer, paying msrp which i think is like $290ea., then marking the parts up and additional xx%. The labor could only be $75. Either way $800 for 2 front hub and bearing assemblies is way more than i'd ever pay. Someone who doesn't or didn't work in the automotive industry wouldn't really know any better.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 14, 2008 10:56 pm

myjeepwalks wrote:

tjkj2002 wrote:

myjeepwalks wrote:

ThunderbirdJunkie wrote:

www.performancepeddler.com carries them for around $65 if you don't have ABS.

$400 is because you're paying parts AND labor. Mechanics gotta eat too.

I understand that I used to be one. But do the math assuming he has abs bearings are $200 each. $400 for 1.5-2hrs labor at the most is ridiculous. Severe overcharging if you ask me. That's why i fix my own junk. :wink:

If the part is $200 and 2 hours of labor,$400 perside is not in anyway overcharging.Depending on what part of the counrty you live in the labor rate is $75-$125 per hour.

Absolutely right on the labor rates depending on the area. I've dealt with dealers in san fran and nyc that are $150+. I'm too lazy to fire up my work laptop with the mitchell labor guide but i dont think these bearings pay more than 1hr per side at the most. All we know is it's $400 per side. The shop could be getting the bearings from the dealer, paying msrp which i think is like $290ea., then marking the parts up and additional xx%. The labor could only be $75. Either way $800 for 2 front hub and bearing assemblies is way more than i'd ever pay. Someone who doesn't or didn't work in the automotive industry wouldn't really know any better.

If I have time I will check the labor tomorrow at work.

Cacher123 · **Posted:** Fri Aug 15, 2008 12:23 am

One of mine went... Dlr quoted me almost 4 bills for the part, NAPA had it for around $270. Dlr labor over 2 bills, Autozone around 125. With ABS sensor. So I ended up saving about 200 total.

Bearing Replacement

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