Recommendations for shop for lockers and re-gearing in Northern VA region?

[Tuthmose]

Greetings all,

Long-time lurker, first time poster here.

I have just purchased a 2011 Tundra CrewMax 5.7L 4wd, with the intent to do some off-road suspension upgrades for off-road and overlanding. The first part of my plan is to install ARB lockers front and rear and re-gear to 4:88 Nitro Gears at the same time. (A King/Deaver suspension will come later). The previous owner already installed larger tires (315/70/17s), and it is clear from the shift patterns that the re-gearing and lockers have got to take priority.

I live in Northwest VA, and am trying to find a reputable and fairly priced shop in the general area (Northern VA/Eastern WV/Western MD/Washington DC) to install the lockers and gears. So far the only really reputable shop came back with a whopping $9,300 estimate! That's about 1/3 higher than I had expected (or can afford), so I'm looking for other options. Does anybody have any suggestions on a competent area shop to look into for this work?

Thanks!
-Ron

 

[bkg]

That’s a crazy number. Try East Coast Gear Supply (EGCS). I had them build and ship 4.88 diffs for my tacoma for less than $2k (no ARB’s). Installed, shipped back my old diffs, received core charge back. Super simple.

No idea if the do Tundra’s but well worth checking.

Doesn’t look like they build 3rds for the 2007+ Tundra. But they have all the parts. F&R gear sets, install kits and lockers add up to about $3400-3500 in parts.

$6k of install labor seems insane.

 

[Tuthmose]

Their quote breaks down to about $5K of parts (which, although on the high side, isn't too unreasonable - lockers, pump, gears, master install kits, fluids, etc,), but even so, that $4K of labor seems way too high.

My problem is, although I can do a lot of work myself, differentials aren't on that list. This, at least, I want professionally done. The cost of screwing up is too high. But so too is $4k of labor.

Sadly, East Coast Gears is too far from me to be feasible as a shop. I will need to keep looking . . .

 

[DiploStrat]

See what Carl has to say.

https://hightechautoandtruck.com

 

[Tuthmose]

Thank you - I just fired off an email. I'll report back what he says, if for no other reason than to ensure that future people have some kind of benchmark to gauge this work by.

 

[moose545]

Greetings all,

Long-time lurker, first time poster here.

I have just purchased a 2011 Tundra CrewMax 5.7L 4wd, with the intent to do some off-road suspension upgrades for off-road and overlanding. The first part of my plan is to install ARB lockers front and rear and re-gear to 4:88 Nitro Gears at the same time. (A King/Deaver suspension will come later). The previous owner already installed larger tires (315/70/17s), and it is clear from the shift patterns that the re-gearing and lockers have got to take priority.

I live in Northwest VA, and am trying to find a reputable and fairly priced shop in the general area (Northern VA/Eastern WV/Western MD/Washington DC) to install the lockers and gears. So far the only really reputable shop came back with a whopping $9,300 estimate! That's about 1/3 higher than I had expected (or can afford), so I'm looking for other options. Does anybody have any suggestions on a competent area shop to look into for this work?

Thanks!
-Ron

Hey man, local to the Dulles area, shoot me a DM, I know a guy with a friend that runs a shop in Chantilly and I have a feeler out to for you, waiting to hear back but he does Tundra stuff mainly.... stay tuned