Cost of installing a Detroit TrueTrac?

Video Guy · **Posted:** Mon Apr 09, 2007 1:30 pm

My father works for Eaton, and he may be able to get an employee discount on Detroit TrueTrac 912A553 limited-slip differential for my rear axle. Street price is around $475-500. How much can I expect to pay a good shop to install this part? (How many labor hours?) Will a dealership do it, or will they only install a Trac-Lok differential? Are there typically any hidden costs for lube, installation kits, etc.?

I want the TrueTrac because of its low-maintenance, gear-based design, and good road manners, because I don't wheel very hard or very often. I've heard nothing bad about this LSD. This is what Eaton recommends for me.

Thanks,

T.J.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 09, 2007 1:37 pm

Well it really depends on the area,I've generally seen install prices from $200-$400.It really depends on the labor rate in your area,since you are only swapping the carrier and not the gears to it shouldn't be all that bad.Yes you will get charged for shop supplies and lube(unless you bring your own gear oil).I'd stay away from the dealer for this,find a independent gear/tranny shop with a good name and cheak the prices they charge.

Guest · **Posted:** Mon Apr 09, 2007 2:01 pm

I thought the truetrac replaced the whole carrier?

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 09, 2007 2:09 pm

ThunderbirdJunkie wrote:

I thought the truetrac replaced the whole carrier?

It does,but you still got to put the ring gear on it from the factory carrier and new bearings(if the old ones are not any good anymore).

Guest · **Posted:** Mon Apr 09, 2007 2:11 pm

then what do you do about the tone ring that goes around the stock carrier, i thought that was why KJ's can't use a locker or diff that replaces the whole carrier? or am i confused about something else entirely?

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Mon Apr 09, 2007 2:14 pm

$475-500? Wow! Expensive LSD!

I'd pay the extra $200 just to get the ARB locker....and do the install myself (well, ask a few fellow LOST members to sit back, drink some beverages, watch, point their finger here and there, and pretend to help). :twisted:

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 09, 2007 2:20 pm

ThunderbirdJunkie wrote:

then what do you do about the tone ring that goes around the stock carrier, i thought that was why KJ's can't use a locker or diff that replaces the whole carrier? or am i confused about something else entirely?

The tone ring also gets transfered to the LSD carrier to,the ring gear for our 8.25 is thinner due to the tone ring.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Mon Apr 09, 2007 2:21 pm

The Trutrac has an indent for the tone ring.
I had a local shop that quoted 125 for the install - I ended up doing it myself - which isn't too bad if you have the special tool to adjust the bearings.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 09, 2007 2:23 pm

Tokyojoe wrote:

$475-500? Wow! Expensive LSD!

I'd pay the extra $200 just to get the ARB locker....and do the install myself (well, ask a few fellow LOST members to sit back, drink some beverages, watch, point their finger here and there, and pretend to help). :twisted:

Then you got to add in the price of the compressor,about another $150-$250 depending on the compressor :wink:

.I'd be up to drinking beer and pointing my finger pretending to help :lol:

!

Video Guy · **Posted:** Mon Apr 09, 2007 3:55 pm

ATXKJ wrote:

The Trutrac has an indent for the tone ring.
I had a local shop that quoted 125 for the install - I ended up doing it myself - which isn't too bad if you have the special tool to adjust the bearings.

$125? I could live with that. Once my dad gets back to me with a price, I'll start asking around.

Thanks, everyone.

I hope Eaton gives my dad a good deal. They better, considering I can grab one from 4 Wheel Parts for $422 + free shipping. I'm hoping for $350 or better. Fingers crossed.

elephantrider · **Posted:** Mon Apr 09, 2007 4:04 pm

ATXKJ wrote:

The Trutrac has an indent for the tone ring.
I had a local shop that quoted 125 for the install - I ended up doing it myself - which isn't too bad if you have the special tool to adjust the bearings.

you wanna help a fellow kj'r out with the install ?

wendell · **Posted:** Tue Apr 10, 2007 5:25 am

The truetrac is a good choice even if you did do some serious offroading, it's the next best thing to a full locker.Actually, it can be fooled into acting like a locker even if you get one wheel jacked off the ground by appling a little brake presure. This will cause both wheels to pull together even if one of them is off the ground. It's a very sturdy unit and works flawlessly on and off the road, It's an awesone device only equaled by the torson which is also gear driven. When I had my truetrac installed in the ranger allmost 2 years ago, the shop charged me 250.00 + tax. That included installation kit and royal purple synthetic gear lub. I had gotten the truetrac on sale for 360.00 at rieder racing.

Video Guy · **Posted:** Tue Apr 10, 2007 9:41 am

wendell wrote:

The truetrac is a good choice even if you did do some serious offroading, it's the next best thing to a full locker.Actually, it can be fooled into acting like a locker even if you get one wheel jacked off the ground by appling a little brake presure. This will cause both wheels to pull together even if one of them is off the ground. It's a very sturdy unit and works flawlessly on and off the road, It's an awesone device only equaled by the torson which is also gear driven. When I had my truetrac installed in the ranger allmost 2 years ago, the shop charged me 250.00 + tax. That included installation kit and royal purple synthetic gear lub. I had gotten the truetrac on sale for 360.00 at rieder racing.

$360??? Man, that's a steal. My dad says Eaton has discontinued employee pricing. :evil:

What's going on with corporations these days?

I'll just have to keep my eyes peeled.

Kniggit · **Posted:** Tue Apr 10, 2007 12:45 pm

They have had to cut margins way back to keep stuff from going to China. Imagine if you were Chrysler or any other auto manufacturer. If you had to chose between a $10 American part or a $9 Chinese, Korean or other foreign part that was going to go into 200,000 vehicles, how much money did you just save? The reason that these "discounts" are disappearing is that people will shop for the cheapest option that fits a need. I would say that less then 25% of all consumers are concerned with quality. Cars, trucks, homes, basically anything is disposable anymore, everybody moves, upgrades or changes what they have about once every 5 years, so why spend the extra money? Try to justify to yourself why you would pay a company thats been in business for 50 years $85 an hour vs a 2 year old company $60 both equal in all things except experience. now expand that to a world economy.

K

Cost of installing a Detroit TrueTrac?

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