I got a quote to install the t-case I just bought and I was surprised at what I heard. My ex is sitting at a shop and the guy quoted me 325 to install a manual shift t-case I supplied.

Anyone know what the book time is for this replacement? It looks like he is quoting me 4 hrs. I think for 325 I could replace it myself. What tools are required for this replacement?

do it yourself anyway. get more satisfaction out of it.

swapping out a t-case is easy... all you need to do it is a basic socket set to replace the stock t-case. However you will need a 30mm socket to bolt in the pivot for the shift linkage but you could probabaly get away with using an adjustable wrench.

Anyone have an idea of what the book rate is on time for this swap? I need to buy some big jacks and stands so I will use this repair to start filling my garage with the needed equipment. I now have 3 Explorers and I want to start doing the reapirs myself to save money and gain the knowledge.

Its only 24F warmer here in Nor Cal than in Alaska right now (40F here, 16F in Alaska).

Of course that will change when the sun comes up here;)

Sorry for the off topic, but I just checked Alaskan Jack's temp link

$325 can but some nice tools.

Everbody needs more tools.

Well my new T-case just came in on the oversea barge this morning. I still don't know how long this should take to replace. Can someone give me an estimate of time so I can plan for it. If its like 4 hrs then I may have to wait until the weekend.

I always double the time a shop quotes me for jobs I do myself. You never know, and you may want to go in for a beer or something halfway through. They are charging you over $80 per hour. That's pretty steep, evn for higher Alaskan prices.

Just go and buy the tools and do it yourself. It's more fun and afterwards you get to keep the tools! :D

According to our labor guide at my dealership labor for the install is 2.6hrs at our rate of $76 and hour that would cost ya including tax about $215, thats installed at my Ford Dealership. So $325 is quite a bit! :D

Proof that independent garages are not cheaper than the dealer, they just make you think they are by charging a lower hourly rate but more hours!

Ah yes this is what I was looking for. 2.6 hrs Crap that's like $125 for a shop rate. I know that they will have 2.5 pints or is it qts of fluid to put in. But I mean come on. Just for kicks I'm going to call the dealership and get a quote and then call the shop back and say WTH is going on.

Might just be there way of saying "I don't want to mess with it".

I think it took me about 3 hours to swap my t-case... and most of that was getting the driveshaft out and scraping off the old gasket. its a pretty easy job. Though it did take me a bit longer to get the shift linkage in but the one i got wasnt the right one and i had to modify it to work. as long as you have the proper shift linkage it should go in easily.

I have to swap the shift linkage from the broken one to this new one. Is this going to cause me any problems?

Swapping the Shift Linkages shouldnt be a problem.