steel-and-fire

I just got a quote for what it would take to tackle my rear end (the wagon's). Wanted to run it by you guys to see if this was high or average nowadays.

I have a 1989 Buick Electra Estate, GM 8.5 10 bolt, supposedly with a 2.93 open differential.
The plan would be to change the gears to 3.42, as well as upgrade to a gear operated Eaton Detroit Truetrac.
One foreseeable problem is the splines. Apparently, GM used 28 splines up until 88 or early 89, before changing to 30 spline onward. My 1989 vehicle sits in the grey area, so I cannot accurately confirm whether I have 28 or 30 splines.
What would be a rough estimate for the rear end if I in fact have 30 splines?
If it is 28, what would be the estimate with the inclusion of upgrading the axles to 30 spline?

Response:
We could do the upgrades that you are looking for in the $2800 range. That would include new carrier, ring and pinion, all seals , fluid, and bearings.

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks guys.

76olds

Most shops in my area change upwards of $1500. for the listed above rear end. His $2800. is parts included, I think that's fair since the cost of doing business has changed in 2017.
I'n Canada anyway!

RetroRanger

I got a complete rebuilt 8.5 3:42 posi repainted and ready to bolt in shipped to me for about 1500 a couple years ago from another member on here. The $2800 seems high to me. I would contact Monzaz on this site and see if he can help.

Fun71

It looks as if that $2800 price does not include new axle shafts, so I have to agree that it sounds high.


Here's a list or part prices from Summit Racing. You may be able to find lower prices if you looked around.

Eaton Truetrac = $440
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/d...a556/overview/

Ring and Pinion gears = $220
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/m...5342/overview/

Installation kits (many varieties) = $100 +/-

So parts would be about $750 plus whatever axle bearings and seals cost for your vehicle. That leaves around $2k for labor in the quote you got.

83hurstguy

$2800 is way steep. I priced out a brand new Moser 12 bolt for an A-body the other day... that's a brand new stronger housing, 33 spline axles, truetrac diff, powdercoated, gears set up and delivered... it was $3000.

Talk to Brian Trick (507Olds). He's very reasonable and knows what he's doing, builds a lot of 8.5 10 bolts.

I'm rebuilding my O-type rear now... I have around $1500 into new gears, bearings, seals, moser axles, and posi rebuild (Brian rebuilt and tuned it), I'm doing the setup myself. The gear was not cheap because it needed to be milled 0.100" to work with the original carrier. If you add $500 for what most shops charge to setup gears and assemble the rear, that's $2000. I believe most 10 bolt rebuilds are less than $1500.

steel-and-fire

Thanks for the responses. I was thinking at most 2k, it is New York City, but then who knows, everything is going up these days and maybe that was the new normal. Yet, that is more than my entire brand new 2004r with install was a few years ago.

Guess I'll shop around a bit more. Appreciate the help.

monzaz

Do your home work and you really should find out what spline you have.
The wagon axles will be more money as they are 1.618 bearing diameter same as a full size 1/2 ton truck. EVEN the 28 spline wagon axles were 1.618 bearing diameter. WAGON rears were just a bit more heavy duty than sedans.

You can PM me for prices too. Sometimes I get Summit Budget table parts I can discount and will save you quite a bit.

Jim
J D

GEARMAN69

JD can answer this one but does the later B body wagon rear like 93 Roadmaster wagon bolt up to the square style 89 Wagon ? My Dad had a TBI 5.7 powered 92-93 Roadmaster and it had a 3.23 30 spline posi in it. High mileage and it worked fine. The old Auburn was tight. One of the reasons I suggest is these Roadie wagons often have the towing package and they seems to have made quite a few. If you want a 3.42 8.5 30 spl but can settle with a 3.23 a trip to a local yard might get you one cheap that that not need a rebuild and run it

midnightleadfoot

This is incorrect..
You list prices as you buy the part.. a shop has overhead..
The price they pay for the part will have at least a 50-70% markup to the customer.. That true track is 650-700.00 r/p 350.00 , intall kit 170.00+/-
Labor is a lot lower..
He is in New York, overhead is not the same as bubba doing this as side work in his garage..


is that 220.00 r/p a good set or the Made in China sets?
I'd do a junkyard crawl for an axle being in n.y. there should be no shortage of b body taxi's in yards..
If he isn't going to tow, or load up the wagon, it do fine.. and the cop/taxi has disc brakes.. win win

Fun71

I was showing what it would cost if he bought them himself, then he could have those parts installed using the cash he saved.

He already posted what the shop would charge, so I don't know why you went off in that direction.

One of the reviews on the site said they are made in Italy.

midnightleadfoot

Not many shops are installing your parts..
he posted the cost of it done, a whole axle, core and all. Most shops know the chances are good that they are replacing the axles because of wear at the bearing.. What they let go for a normal d/d job, isn't the same as a persons pride and joy.. like a person adding a posi and gears.. The daily that they pulled the axle to do a seal and see wear gets an axle saver sleeve , or bearing..
Sure you can take an axle open it up, dump parts in it and call it good..
I've done it.. but when you buy an axle it's cleaned, blasted, painted, new seals, axles checked and repaired/replaced, etc..
Depends what you want.. up in n.y. a shop core gone through and ready to bolt in, is 2800.00 .
And you could get a shop to dump a posi and gears in set it, lube it and send it down the road.. for less that 2800.00 Still be 1500.00 ish..
Or junkyard crawl and for 150.00-300.00 get a drop in..


I'd if it was me, hit the local show/cruise, as I'm sure there is a guy known locally that does good rear end work on the side that be cheaper than a shop..


He is in n.y. the yards should be stacked with b body's cruisers and taxi's with rears to give up.. with a posi, and disc brakes and maybe better gear ratio.. ..

Fun71

You need to carefully re-read his first post. He did not say that price was for a rearend exchange, and he also did not say that price included new axle shafts.

Gary M

I just paid about 1800 for a new Eaton posi, bearings and new 3.42 gears. In St. Louis at a reputable differential rebuilder. Install, removal not included into car.

midnightleadfoot

Did they
clean the housing?
blast housing?
paint housing?


labor rates and business cost in N.Y.. are nuts..
And why threads like this no matter if it's a car or home thing go south, as some are in areas that the labor rate/cost is much lower that the o/p area..
An Area with a low cost of living the labor rate is going to be lower..
N.Y. shop has to factor in, working on rusty parts and the time and cost of dealing with that..
Funny story, When I was at a dealership we got a new tech from the west coast, Never had to deal with rusty stuck bolts/etc.. laughed at us when we'd say that job will take 1.8h flagged and he'd say he does it in 0.9h and we'd say not here, he didn't understand until a week in.. and had snapped off nuts bolts.. cause, hitting it with rust buster, and waiting was not needed, or a gas wrench, etc.. he learned, he wasn't in cali no more.. and rust is a royal pain.. good times..


2800 is high to me, but because I'd do it myself.. but I did get quite a shock when I went to price out machine work.. for my engine.. as it's been 20 years since the last time , and wow..


Again I'd hit the local shows and ask around, as I'm sure there is a guy that does this type thing that the cruise/show crowd uses.


A stroll through a few junk yards can bring you gold.. just last fall I got a g-body 10 bolt 8.5" rear from the you pick it, cost 75.00


at 2800 I could never have it done.. or I'd be saving for a good while..
Hope it works out for the o/p..

Gary M

They did clean the housing, not sure if it was blasted or tanked. They were going to paint it but I asked them not to.

steel-and-fire

Figured I'd return to this as a I talked to another shop. They quoted me closer to $2000, which included new axles, posi, gears, bearings, etc. And I know for sure it is 30 spline.

I did price out the numbers on Summit and came to around $1,200 in brand new parts. Think their labor rate is 95 an hour, throw in a parts markup, its a much better number than $2800. Should mention both places are transmission / differential shops with good reputations.

The shop also had a second option at $2500 of a completely brand new housing, built to spec, with three year warranty from another source (shipping bumped the price on this option).

Considering the summer is half over, I'm probably going to shelf it until early spring and just focus on the jobs I can do myself. I think the tired 106K mile 307 wouldn't mind waiting a bit.

midnightleadfoot

Always good to have options

76olds

Sounds like a good decision to me. Keep Monzaz in mind, I purchased my Posi and gears from him ( Shipped to Canada) you just can't beat his prices, he has also made a lot of us guys happy here with his parts over the years.

cdrod

X2 on Monzaz!

I bought a Truetrack, R&P, and a bearing install kit thinking I would tackle this myself, but in the end, decided to have a local shop (Pyle Bros.) do the install. The whole thing cost me $1,165 using my corporate 10-bolt and the stock axles back in 2014.