Cost to replace alternator on 2004 LX? (1 Viewer)

[CharlieH]

Hello every one. Can anyone give me a ballpark on what cost I'd be looking at to replace the alternator? It's staring to make a bit of noise like a mid range hum and my local mechanic is recommending replacement to the tune of $728.

I don't know but that seems high to me. Is this something a novice could do? I'm not afraid to get dirty but have zero experience with something like this.

Thank you for your comments and thoughts.

Charlie

 

[BigRogers79]

FWIW - I recommend doing it yourself. The more you know about your truck the better. Alternators are pretty easy to remove/replace. If nervous about the install find someone local to give you a hand. You'll save quite a bit of cash, more than likely over half of what you have been quoted, and you will learn something about your truck.

Read through this - the 6th reply is a step by step instructions: Alternator Replacement

 

[CharlieH]

FWIW - I recommend doing it yourself. The more you know about your truck the better. Alternators are pretty easy to remove/replace. If nervous about the install find someone local to give you a hand. You'll save quite a bit of cash, more than likely over half of what you have been quoted, and you will learn something about your truck.

Read through this - the 6th reply is a step by step instructions: Alternator Replacement

Thank you. I'm looking at that thread now.

 

[suprarx7nut]

I had my 99 LC alternator replaced on a road trip at Sears for around $500. I would never have paid that, but I was desperate and 1000 miles from home. $750+ seems excessive.

 

[Battleship]

I think @BigRogers79 is probably right. I just did the front half of a TB job and the PS pump and the alternator are surprisingly easy to get to and take off.

 

[nissanh]

Make sure to get an OEM alternator.
This is for a 04 LC: Price is with free shipping.
2004 Toyota Land Cruiser Parts - Camelback Toyota Parts - Genuine OEM Parts - Free Shipping

 

[SARguy]

Make sure to get an OEM alternator.
This is for a 04 LC: Price is with free shipping.
2004 Toyota Land Cruiser Parts - Camelback Toyota Parts - Genuine OEM Parts - Free Shipping

Off topic here, but I have ordered numerous parts from camelback and they have always charged me shipping. Is there something I am missing? like a MUD discount?

 

[camino70]

FWIW - I recommend doing it yourself. The more you know about your truck the better. Alternators are pretty easy to remove/replace. If nervous about the install find someone local to give you a hand. You'll save quite a bit of cash, more than likely over half of what you have been quoted, and you will learn something about your truck.

Read through this - the 6th reply is a step by step instructions: Alternator Replacement

Where in Georgia are you Charlie?

 

[nissanh]

Shipping is free when the total is above $150. Also, use TWpartz to receive 3% additional discount (TacomaWorldpartz).

 

[HiFiGuy]

I bought a reman Toyota OEM alternator for about $300, and paid my local indy $100 to install it. So about $400 all in.

 

[gatormark91]

Denso reman is a Denso reman... Buying it from the dealer is just giving them money for no reason. I got the Bosch reman from Rock Auto for $97. It looked nice, we will see if it lasts. I would not get a local parts house reman, though.

Alt is a bit of a pain (literally, made my back hurt!), because you have to work on it from underside. Pull the driver's side fender liner and you can get to the back of the alt from the wheel well ( I did not do this, but heard it makes it easier). You will need to remove the serp belt and undo the P/S pump bolts from the front. I found you got more room to drop the alt out the bottom if you drain the radiator and removed the lower hose. Some folks report they did it without doing that, I could not get enough room on mine. Other than that, it is all hand tools, and a few connections that are done more by feel than by sight. The biggest PITA for me was the plastic clip that holds the wiring harness to the alt, I just couldn't get a good angle on it to squeeze and unclip it.

 

[Spike555]

Denso 210-0607 Remanufactured Super Class Alternator https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0027RSOWU/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_tai_aNGPzbC8V4Z27

There you go. This is the one I bought.
I am a decent shade tree mechanic and I'd pay to have it done next time. Total PIA. Why they put the alternator under the engine where it's going to get sprayed with water and dirt and road salt and grime and everything else I have no idea.

 

[TxNative00]

I agree with all these posts. It's similar for all shop work. The cost of parts is usually pretty low compared to labor. I recently had my front transfer case bearing and seal replaced at around $800. I admit, they also fixed a fuel sender for me, but the labor costs were around $650. I thought that was way on the high side considering it's a relatively easy fix.

If you can, I say do some heavy YouTube watching and forum searching and do the work yourself. Use the rest of the money on something more useful like a mount for your flame thrower.

 

[hoser]

Denso reman is a Denso reman... Buying it from the dealer is just giving them money for no reason. I got the Bosch reman from Rock Auto for $97.

Denso reman is NOT a Denso reman. Unfortunately, I can't tell you who has the best reman's either. Remanufactured alternators are a commodity. I think even Denso USA will substitute locally remanufactured for ones from Japan from time to time.

From Spike555's link: "
Note: Denso partners with other manufacturers to supply the parts your car was originally built with. This product is in a Denso package, however the part may have been manufactured by an independent Denso supplier."

 

[HiFiGuy]

I spoke to some (which means more than one ) reliable forum sponsors about the alternator, who all told me "Toyota new" or "Toyota reman", do not buy Denso reman or other if you can avoid it. You guys might have great luck with your other stuff, I hope you do, but I am not taking the chance for the little extra money that the real Toyota reman costs vs the other stuff. I'd rather only spend the labor money once, knowing the alternator I put in is solid for a long time.

Support Camelback Toyota out west, or Lakeland Toyota (FL), and buy from them online. Good prices, good service.

 

[badlander]

You can order all of the parts needed to rebuild your alternator yourself from Toyota parts houses. That's what I did. Very easy to do. 99 times out of a hundred the only thing wrong with them is the brushes are worn down and start looking contact. Order the parts ahead of time so you have them on hand when you need them. Not that expensive even with new bearings included. Forget buying a remain. I bought one from AutoZone and it only lasted 6 months. I pulled the end cover just to take a look at it and the slip rings were so small in diameter I could not believe my eyes. It should have been scrapped but instead I ended up with it. I took it back to AutoZone and they could not even get a replacement for it. They did give me my money back as a result but that's when I went ahead and rebuilt my original unit myself. Plus, it's such a pain to pull and replace it you do not want to have to do it every 6 months or even every year for that matter. Do it once yourself and be done withit for the next 150k plus miles.

 

[gatormark91]

You can order all of the parts needed to rebuild your alternator yourself from Toyota parts houses. That's what I did. Very easy to do. 99 times out of a hundred the only thing wrong with them is the brushes are worn down and start looking contact. Order the parts ahead of time so you have them on hand when you need them. Not that expensive even with new bearings included. Forget buying a remain. I bought one from AutoZone and it only lasted 6 months. I pulled the end cover just to take a look at it and the slip rings were so small in diameter I could not believe my eyes. It should have been scrapped but instead I ended up with it. I took it back to AutoZone and they could not even get a replacement for it. They did give me my money back as a result but that's when I went ahead and rebuilt my original unit myself. Plus, it's such a pain to pull and replace it you do not want to have to do it every 6 months or even every year for that matter. Do it once yourself and be done withit for the next 150k plus miles.

Parts house remanufacturers pretty much open the case, clean it up, and fix what is wrong or out-of spec. If the bearings look good, they usually don't replace them.

Myself, I am comfortable with the Bosch I bought. I've worked in parts places, and the Bosch looked better than anything I ever saw come out of the box working at any of them. It was hard for me to tell it from new. Even the packaging felt high-quality. I don't hold to the "buy it from Toyota or it sucks" mantra. As long as you buy GOOD parts, you won't have issues, IMHO. It's when you buy stuff because it's cheap that you get issues.

I've been working on cars for almost 30 years now, so I'm pretty set in my ways on that. But I'll see if the Bosch was a good choice in the long run.

 

[abuck99]

Denso reman is NOT a Denso reman. Unfortunately, I can't tell you who has the best reman's either. Remanufactured alternators are a commodity. I think even Denso USA will substitute locally remanufactured for ones from Japan from time to time.

From Spike555's link: "
Note: Denso partners with other manufacturers to supply the parts your car was originally built with. This product is in a Denso package, however the part may have been manufactured by an independent Denso supplier."

Hard to trust or confirm who actually reman'd their alternator.


Is there a common parts list posted somewhere for rebuilding the alternator? I didn't see it in the 100 series FAQ.
Heres the schematic- but whats really needed? If you've done it please post the parts you used.

 

[nissanh]

Just to let all know, my toyota car still has the OEM alternator at 270 K miles. It recently received a new brush kit from toyota. 4RUnner has 210K miles with factory alternator and the cruiser 230K miles with factory alternator. Just replace the part with OEM part and it will continue to run. Any reman is junk. Find a good used OEM part, these will outlast any reman part.

 

[vman07]

I'd also be really interested in a write up on how to rebuild the alternator and what that entails. I've "rebuilt" a starter by swapping in new contacts, that was pretty easy...