Average cost (including labor) for SOA ?

[sandrat62]

Since my 40 had a spring over when I bought it, I never took into consideration of what the cost involved. I'm posting this request for my friend who has a 1971 fj40 and has been quoted anywhere from 3,000.00 for everything ( turning the housing, labor) to the outragious quote of 7,000.00 !!!? What gives? Anyone in the know who owns a shop and does these lifts please give me some insight . I would really like to know what a fair price would be. Thanks- Matt

 

[yotawheeler]

well....i have never had this priced out at a shop but a buddy of mine who i have spoken to about doing it says it costs about $1000 for parts and other odds and ends that are needed....including rebuilding both axles. but time is money and i dont really know how much time would be involved...hope it helps

 

[projektdotnet]

Parts alone can be $1k+ if it's done properly...labor can get high for 2 main reasons
1. There is a decent liability on the shop if you're injured (not in all states)
2. Some of it is a flat out PITA

I did mine with the help of some friends and love it...mine also spent 2 months at that shop when I kept forgetting parts :whoops:

 

[TRESSEH]

Most Of The Nj Shops Will Not Touch A Frame Due To Ins. Reasons. I Would Think That Would Be The Case In Most States.

 

[woooody]

Hi

The cost involved should be anywhere from 2500 to 5K. It really depends on a number of factors.

First and foremost -- new or junkyard parts? That is a big difference between the 1200 job at home, and the 5 K job professionally.

There's more to it than a simple cut and turn to do it correctly. This is a very controversial subject.

There's a guy here in Sonoma, Gary "Mudrak" Kardum that has done numerous SOA's. (www.mudrak.com) When Gary did mine, we also did the following:

Cut and turn
Rebuild front axle (gaskets, bearings, etc).
Hy Steer arms
1 ton Tie rods and ends
Saginaw Power Steering
OME 2 1/2 springs (new bushings, Ubolts, etc)
Frame re-enforcements (plates for the steering box, and plates for pseenger side frame)

We also did the Sm420 conversion, so there were new driveshafts as well.

Oh, and you need to factor in the cost of tires.

To me, if you go SOA, you need to have power steering as well.

Here's some of Gary's customer comments. You may recognize a few of the names:
http://www.mudrak.com/customers.html

 

[atoyot]

If you do it "right" it will cost a few thousand. If you do a "cheap" job or the vehicle is only used on trails than the cost may be lower. I have a stock FJ40 and would love a SOA but the cost is huge for me.

Tires-$450-$700? (my '31's would look silly and be tippy)
wheels-$200-500?
front discs to stop the big tires $250-500 (used)
power steering to turn the big tires $300-?
new shocks $200-?
brake lines-
Shock towers
welding by a professional on the axles (cut/turn, perches and steering $200-?
u-bolts $50-?
axle rebuild parts
perches
bushings

Shackle reversal is optional and debatable.

I'm sure I am missing some things.
I figure at the bare minimum doing it yourself would cost $2000

 

[atoyot]

OME 2 1/2 springs

What size tires you running?

 

[woooody]

What size tires you running?

36 x 14.50 x 15 -- But I run heavy. Fully loaded for a week on Rubicon, I have about 3" of rear clearance. Full family cage, top rack, etc.

 

[nuclearlemon]

i'd guess minimum of 3k....up to about 6k. depends on who does it, what the market is, if any parts are supplied by you, how reputable the shop is, how good of a job is done, model of some parts (like shocks, brake lines), etc

 

[camcruiser13]

find someone close by who would bye willing to help you, make a new friend and learn some why your at it

under 1k, if no ps is done

 

[JJS]

I believe I should be able to it for under $500. I also have most of the parts, and can do most of the work. I will need to have some light machine work done. I'm doing a low SOA that will allow me to clear 36x12.5 or Q78 tires with some trimming. This will all come after my PS is done, of course. I finally did my front discs inexpensively due to the fact that I got a great deal on the parts.

 

[woooody]

I believe I should be able to it for under $500. I also have most of the parts, and can do most of the work. I will need to have some light machine work done. I'm doing a low SOA that will allow me to clear 36x12.5 or Q78 tires with some trimming. This will all come after my PS is done, of course. I finally did my front discs inexpensively due to the fact that I got a great deal on the parts.

What does your SOA consist of?

Cheapest I've seen just for a cut and turn is $250

You need to replace knuckle seals/trunion bearings etc - $100 for the kit.

Spring perches?

New shocks?

What are you doing for the $500?

Even in Andre's article for Trails, he low balled it at $1200. I just don't see it occuring for $500

 

[rusty_tlc]

I believe I should be able to it for under $500. I also have most of the parts, and can do most of the work. I will need to have some light machine work done. I'm doing a low SOA that will allow me to clear 36x12.5 or Q78 tires with some trimming. This will all come after my PS is done, of course. I finally did my front discs inexpensively due to the fact that I got a great deal on the parts.

Re-tubing the drivelines will eat up half of that.

 

[Mark W]

Shocks will take the rest.


Mark...

 

[JJS]

What does your SOA consist of?

Cheapest I've seen just for a cut and turn is $250

You need to replace knuckle seals/trunion bearings etc - $100 for the kit.

Spring perches?

New shocks?

What are you doing for the $500?

Even in Andre's article for Trails, he low balled it at $1200. I just don't see it occuring for $500

I have all the axle parts. I also have the spring perches and the new shocks. I think the reason for the lowball number is that I didn't factor in all the parts I already have. I also didn't factor in the PS conversion, as I was going to do it anyway. I already cut and turned a housing. I received a lot of parts from the previous owner of the rolling chassis, since he had planned an SOA before running into hard times. This price won't apply to most who do the conversion obviously.

 

[nuclearlemon]

What does your SOA consist of?

Cheapest I've seen just for a cut and turn is $250

You need to replace knuckle seals/trunion bearings etc - $100 for the kit.

Spring perches?

New shocks?

What are you doing for the $500?

Even in Andre's article for Trails, he low balled it at $1200. I just don't see it occuring for $500

brake lines, reuse old ones and add leftover ones you have laying around from another axle, spring perches from dodge about $12, cut n turn do yourself, knuckle kit $100, ubolts $50, crossover arm, build your own, tires - used $120, cheap shocks $100, retube driveshaft yourself....looking pretty cheap to me.

depends on how competant you are

 

[woooody]

I have all the axle parts. I also have the spring perches and the new shocks. I think the reason for the lowball number is that I didn't factor in all the parts I already have. I also didn't factor in the PS conversion, as I was going to do it anyway. I already cut and turned a housing. I received a lot of parts from the previous owner of the rolling chassis, since he had planned an SOA before running into hard times. This price won't apply to most who do the conversion obviously.

It won't apply to anyone.

The posters question -- Avg cost including labor. Not, Well, I've bought everything else, I just havbe to assemble it.

Geez. Give the guy a solid number.

Again, what would the $500 be spent on?


Tell you what -- I'll bring you a 75 fj40. Tell me what you would want to do a SOA.

 

[camcruiser13]

depends on how competant you are

BINGO

 

[JJS]

It won't apply to anyone.

The posters question -- Avg cost including labor. Not, Well, I've bought everything else, I just havbe to assemble it.

Geez. Give the guy a solid number.

Again, what would the $500 be spent on?


Tell you what -- I'll bring you a 75 fj40. Tell me what you would want to do a SOA.

Okay. Point taken. But I stick by the idea that it can be done fairly inexpensively and definitely safe with some ingenuity.

 

[Mark W]

Absolutely it can. But when you are paying someone to do it for you that is an entirely different proposition.


Mark...