Daystar Lift

Discussion in 'Daystar' started by Priscilla, May 23, 2017.

  1. Priscilla

    Priscilla New Member

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    I'm going to be getting the Daystar lift installed next week and just wanted to know if what I'm paying is reasonable. I was quoted $540 for the labor and alignment this is going to be done at 4 wheel parts here in Texas. They have never done a lift for the Renegade yet so I'm nervous they may not know what they are doing.
     
  2. MFlores757

    MFlores757 Member

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    We usually charge $75 for a front & rear alignment at or shop (I live in VA), so that leaves about ~$450-475 for the lift. I don't know what 4WP's labor rate is but I can see 4-5hrs labor being reasonable for the very first time. About how long it took me since I wasn't sure where everything went and I wanted to make sure it was done right. I've seen some people on here talk about 8, 10, even 12hrs+ to do their own at home.


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  3. Priscilla

    Priscilla New Member

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    They told me that it would be around 6 hrs. That is because this is their first time lifting a jeep. I'm hesitant since they have never done one before but there isn't many options around here to get a lift installed. I called a local truck customization shop and he quoted me $600 for the labor. I felt like 4WP's warranty would be better if anything needed to be fixed.
     
  4. MFlores757

    MFlores757 Member

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    6hrs for $450-475 ain't bad to me. $80/hr. My dealership charges $135/hr. I wouldn't be that worried about them not knowing what they're doing since they are specifically a 4WD shop. Our lift is basically a body lift kit since it's a unibody truck. I'm sure they've done countless body lifts on other trucks before. Take a bolt out, put a spacer in the gap, install a longer bolt, repeat. The instructions say to put loc-tite on all the bolts but I would also mention to them wanting to come back in a week or two to have all the bolts retorqued just to be sure. Other than that, it's a relatively simple, straight forward kit.


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  5. Priscilla

    Priscilla New Member

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    Okay thanks for the information! I will for sure let them know about coming back in to have the bolts retorqued.
     
  6. mica

    mica Member

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    That's rich. They're charging you more money because they don't know what they're doing. And this is their explanation.
     
  7. Priscilla

    Priscilla New Member

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    Yea that's why I went with four wheel parts not much cheaper at $540. There isn't any shops closer unless I drive like an hour or so away.
     
  8. MFlores757

    MFlores757 Member

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    This isn't unusual in a shop. Nowhere in the instructions does it list an estimated completion time. You have nothing definitive to go off when quoting a price. So you take what you can look up in a labor guide (removal of all 4 struts) and add to it from there. You also have to factor in that not all pieces are going to just fit in easily. I know on mine I fought like hell getting the rear subframe low enough to squeeze he spacers in and I also had to drill out 3 of the 4 spacer holes because the bolts in the kit wouldn't fit. I've seen multiple people say it took them over 10hrs to do theirs so I don't see how 6 is unreasonable. Ive yet to see anyone say theirs was less than 4. You figure each strut is gonna be listed for around an hour, that's 4hrs + sway bar end links 0.5hr front & rear (1hr total) + lowering the rear sub frame, installing relocation brackets for the EVAP canister (which is a giant pain), installing the new rear trailing arm brackets, and cutting the Trailhawk skid plates (removing to trim if necessary). So it's not hard to see how 6hrs doesn't seem bad for a shop quote.
     
    Last edited: May 26, 2017
  9. mica

    mica Member

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    Well, sure. But, he/she had another shop that charged less that didn't claim to not know how to do it. It's a no brainer.
     
  10. MFlores757

    MFlores757 Member

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    They charged a whopping $60 less ha. That happens with every single business that gives price quotes. I've worked for Chevy for 14yrs so I have no clue how to put a water pump on a Honda Civic. Couldn't tell you at all how long it takes or what I have to do. Doesn't mean I can't replace a water pump on a Honda Civic.


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  11. ourrallycar12

    ourrallycar12 Member

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    In a shop with a lift and the right equipment, 4-5 hours plus up to 100 or so for a good alignment is not bad. I am an experienced tech and I did mine in that amount of time. The rear alignment will take them a bit since you replace the rear trailing arm mount w the lift and the holes are slotted. Check the alignment report after (ask for it) and make sure the rear toe and thrust line are correct.


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  12. Priscilla

    Priscilla New Member

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    I had the lift done Tuesday. I love that way it looks and came out. But one issue I'm noticing is a popping noise coming from the front left wheel area. This morning as I was driving into work it started to make almost a grinding sound. I plan to take it back to four wheel parts tomorrow. Any ideas what it could be? I know they used the camber bolts to help with alignment.
     
  13. MFlores757

    MFlores757 Member

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    The only thing you do in the left front is put a spacer on top of the strut and replace the sway bar end links. I do know people were having trouble with the sway bar end link nuts coming loose but I can't imagine that would happen in 24hrs unless they just never tightened them in the first place. The strut bolts would be my only guess without hearing the noise myself. Is it a loud popping/knocking or something really faint? Mine did have an exhaust groan type of noise from under the truck on low speed acceleration right after I lifted it but it went away after a couple of days and I haven't heard it the last month or so.


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  14. Priscilla

    Priscilla New Member

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    It's a loud popping noise that only happens when the front wheels are being compressed. It first happened yesterday as I was going down a ramp in this parking garage and it has increased since that time. The grinding is only happening at lower speeds when I'm going 20mph or less at least that I notice that just started today. Four wheel parts told me to bring it in ASAP so I took tomorrow off to see if I could get this fixed.
     
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  15. Rednewt

    Rednewt Member

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    As far as the Trailhawk w/ daystar lift goes, for your grinding noise, check the driveshaft rubbing on the catalytic converter... No joke. Happened to me. You will see obvious rubbing along the drive shaft.
     
  16. Priscilla

    Priscilla New Member

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    Hey thanks for the tip. That doesn't sound good at all. My turned out to be bad sway bars from Daystar. Now I'm waiting for them to ship new ones to 4 wheel parts.
     
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  17. bmamalis

    bmamalis Member

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    I spoke with Daystar last week about these kinds of issues and they said the Moog parts fixed those problems. Did you not get the correct parts or were the Moog ones bad too?
     
  18. Priscilla

    Priscilla New Member

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    It was an old kit so four wheel parts didn't know. They shipped the Moog ones asap and my lift has since been fixed and no more popping.
     
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