I want to make sure I got the best price and did the right thing, so here is my story. Let me know what you think.

Yesterday started of just needing new seals, bearings and retainers for the both axles for $480. Once i got there the guy test drove the 4runner and said with those tires I would upgrade the gears too.

Oh yeah I am running the following:
2000 4runner
V6 3.4L
Automatic
2wd (stock gear ratio 3.72)
32 11.5 r 15 (stock tires 28 in)
2 inch body lift
2.5 inch suspension lift

Ok so I said I am kind of strapped for cash right now but I know I wanted to get the gears done sooner or later and i know it would cost me less to do it now but still its a lot of money to just do upgrades because i want them. The guy understood and continued to do the seals and bearings. once he started to get it apart he saw pretty good size metal shavings in the gear lube. Said that the bearings on the pinion looked like the cause of the metal shavings. and that to replace those now I might as well do the gears also. He quoted me at $950 for everything out the door. So I said go for it I mean to save me money in the future I might as well get it done now. So once that took the 3rd member out and took it apart they showed me the bearings from the pinion and yep there it was plan as day. Worn down and shavings all over the place. So I am pretty happy with the gearing to the 4.56 ratio. and the price wasn't bad at all, although out a few hundred more then i wanted to spend yesterday, I am happy to have the power back.

 

Seems like a deal to me.

 

I'm looking at close to $500 per axle right now for parts/labor to regear.

 

I just regeared for $220, but we are comparing apples to oranges. Mine were fairly easy to work on. No weird electronics and stuff on it.

With everything in your story, I think you got a deal. You could have paid the $480, and ended up having to pay again later to get it regeared.

 

nice deal man lucky only having to get one gear set

 

$950 is reasonable. May I suggest 4.88s instead of 4.56s? The price will be the same, and there will be a much more noticeable difference. 4.88s will still work fine with 32s but if you ever go to 33s, you'll be better off. IMO, with 4.56s the difference might be a little disappointing for the $$.

 

ughhhhh $950!!!!!

Way too much for a regear, way way too much. Reasonable price for 2 diffs, but for just 1.........

Gears = 150ish
Install = 170ish
Labor = 75-100
Oil = 20ish

 

Who is going to do several hours of labor for $75-$100?

His price included new axle seals (3 per side!) , bearings, and retainers which was $480 installed. Thats a good price IMHO. Dodge wanted over $700 just to do two seals in the front end of my Ram!!

 

lets figure alldate time for front ring and pinion 7.8 hours, rear probly 5.0 hours. good ring and pinion set $150, bearing set up kit another $100, thats 250 in parts. usually shops charge a flat 250 install per end. no axle seals included. $950 is pretty decent.
of course thats if you want it done right, im sure "joe smuckatellis rip and tear auto" might do you a better deal on labor. but parts are what they are no matter who's buying them, hell theres virtually no markup on gears anyways.

 

I agree, but I think he's getting axle seals and new bearings for that price too. which doesn't sound bad to me.

 

V6 setup:
Gears $135
Install kit $129
Solid pinion spacer $19
Labor if the 3rd is pulled: $150

$433

Then add in the rest, and that should give you a decent price. You could pull the shafts yourself and take them