Labor upgrading to Bilstein 5100

[rudyb]

My factory shocks/struts are making a lot of squeaking noises and I've read a ton of good things about the Bilstein 5100 so I bought a pair on Amazon. I don't really feel like doing the work myself, but most shops around NW OKC are quoting me around $600-$700 to swap them out for me. This seems way to extreme to replace some shocks so I haven't got them replaced yet. Am I crazy? Is the job really that hard and worth $600, or do I need to man up and get some tools to compress the springs and do it myself? I put a leveling kit on so I've had these half way apart before and I didn't think it was that difficult. Any suggestions of a competitive mechanic in the area is also welcome! Thanks

 

Edit: Truck is a 2016 Silverado 1500 4x4

Edited May 6, 2019 by rudyb

[CamGTP]

Those are crazy prices, something must be being missed in the questions you have and the answers they are given.

 

If all you need them to do is swap the strut body, that should be a labor rate charge only. They should not be quoting you labor and parts for this replacement. Assuming you are just giving them the struts.

 

Or they are quoting you labor for both sides, plus additional labor to replace the struts with your parts but even that is absurd for pricing. I highly doubt it's 3 hours labor to remove a strut, more like 1-1.5 hours per side for R&R but I don't have the GM labor rate in my hands.

 

 

 

This is going back a few years but if we took in something like this at my old job, we'd charge just a flat labor rate to swap the strut body and nothing else. It was maybe $80-100 or about 1 hour of labor to do something that took a tech 20 minutes with a wall mounted spring compressor and a impact gun.

 

 

What I'd do is remove the struts and just ask them what the swap cost is, so they can't get you for any extra labor charge because they are already off the vehicle. I wouldn't suggest the normal spring compressors for doing it yourself. These trucks springs are super beefy and the springs compressors you buy at the parts store will bend the rods as you tighten the bolts down, it's pretty scary and if something goes wrong it won't be good.

Edited May 6, 2019 by CamGTP

[CombsL83]

Replacing both the rears should take less than an hour total time. The fronts might take 3 hours total if they are slow. Also check if they quoted an alignment in that price since the truck will need one afterwards.

[Tx_operator87]

I put the RHA bilsteins with a top spacer on my 15 and changed the rear block to a 2" and they charged me 225 for labor. I did the rear bilsteins myself, literally took 10 minutes, you don't even need to jack the truck up for the rears

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[Ironman24]

I tried to do mine and my spring compressor wouldn't work for it. So I called up a local Mavis Tire shop (NJ)  They charged me $289 to pull the old struts, swap the springs and install the new struts. 

[Ozer]

I paid a shop $325 to swap it and align the fronts after. So yeah, those prices are too high.

[Jacoby]

I did my struts a few weeks back and it was a pain in the ass.  I had to get a shop to swap the springs and all that and it just sucked.  The rear shocks take 10 minutes per side if not less.

[4weight]

The shop I go to quoted me 320 labor plus 100 for alignment.  4 wheel parts quoted about the same at 415.00 total with alignment.  I am doing the rears.  

[D01SS]

4 Wheel Parts charged me $400 for labor and alignment for my fronts . I did my rears, took all of 20 minutes to swap out. 

[Lsgun1]

You can always pull the struts yourself and then bring them to a shop so they can use the good spring compressor on them, then just reinstall yourself.

[Sierra Dan]

36 minutes ago, Lsgun1 said:

You can always pull the struts yourself and then bring them to a shop so they can use the good spring compressor on them, then just reinstall yourself.

This is my recommendation 

[rudyb]

Thanks for input and replies. I kept checking and finally found a shop for about half of what everyone else was quoting and they included the alignment which is neat. They had a slow morning so it’s in the bay now. www.jandttruck.com for anyone that’s stumbles on this thread later. 

[jimbofoxman]

On 5/6/2019 at 10:55 AM, Lsgun1 said:

You can always pull the struts yourself and then bring them to a shop so they can use the good spring compressor on them, then just reinstall yourself.

That's what the guy did here in this video.  Talked about renting a spring compressor but then shows him taking them to a shop and swapping them out.   Otherwise did it all himself.  Been debating getting a set on my 15 Z71.  Talked briefly with the shop that always worked on my 1999 and he's saying just do a 2" Zone, but I don't want that much lift.  Thought about doing a 1" or 1.5" motofab.  Still trying to read through all the ins and outs of a insert vs bilsteins (or eibachs)
 

 

[country_09]

I pulled em myself and had a shock swap the struts. $40 total and took 2 1/2 hours for everything

[rudyb]

I considering pulling everything myself and having a shop do the swap, but I'm slow, didn't have a shop lined out that would take care of me, and didn't want to burn an entire Saturday. Thanks for the video. Can confirm, Bilstein 5100 is the way to go. My '16 no longer rides like a horse drawn carriage. I'm super happy with it! The shop took care of labor and alignment for $304, which is acceptable for me. I do not recommend the any leveling spacers. The shop told me that my struts were most likely making noise and damaged due to being over extended. I had the MotoFab 1.5" installed and I had them remove it. Plus, the ride is just incredibly better! FYI the Bilstein 5100 settings you can choose close to 1.5" is either 1.26" or 1.85". I went with the 1.85". I could do the rears myself, but I didn't plan on swapping them unless you all have info that says it's worth it. I'm about to head over to the Bilstein shocks thread and start reading.