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240 Hours to swap out a rear axle assembly

BeaverMeat

Active member
Joined
Aug 8, 2020
Location
Vancouver Island
Got a quote to swap axles on my 240... seemed a bit steep. From my calculations they are telling me it?s a 7 hour job.

How long does it actually take? I?m thinking he?s going to charge me to disconnect/empty/bleed the brake lines instead of just unbolting the bracket
 
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Isn’t that attached to the axle tube by a bracket with a single bolt? Unbolt and zip-tie it up along with the calibers?

No they're bolted up under the body, it's the hard lines running out the axle tubes that need to be released from Volvo's strange rendition of a hose clamp dealio.

But yea hang up the calipers with some wire and don't open the brake system.
 
I'd count on it taking me a few hours and then add some "padding" to the quote with another few hours to cover my ass on anything unexpected.

Are you bringing them your junk?
 
2 hours to take off, 2 hours to put back on. They are padding hours of course. Just pay the man if you're not willing do it.
 
I'd count on it taking me a few hours and then add some "padding" to the quote with another few hours to cover my ass on anything unexpected.

Are you bringing them your junk?

:nod:

Like rotten lower trailing arm bushings.

Or dropping the axle with the brake lines attached and ripping the flex hoses apart.
 
I have pulled a 240 axle in less than 45 minutes more than once. The 4 hour estimate is reasonable if all the fasteners come apart easily. An east coast car could take a couple days to swap the axle and replace all the parts the sawzall was used on.
 
I pulled the Volvo axle and replaced it with a Ford 8.8 on my back in the driveway, you only need 2 jack stands. And a floor jack to lift it into place. The biggest PITA is the parking brake cables.

:e-shrug: Some people aren?t car guys.
 
I’m not mechanically inclined and have done this on a very crusty car on the street in NYC in about 10 hours. Is this legal? No. Is it possible? Yes.

Agreed that a more experienced mechanic could probably do this in 4 hours, but there are plenty of pitfalls along the way. Seized hardware, trailing arm bushing follies, etc.

If you’re not up for rolling around in filth on the side of the road all day, I’d pay the man.
 
lol.

Yeah. I’m bent over the barrel on this one... they did say the rust and bushings aren’t too bad. All the bushings were replaced a few years ago by the previous owner. The car only has 80,000 miles on it.

The custom 3” exhaust has to be dropped down to lower the axle. I’m thinking that’s where the extra time comes in... after this I have to pay an other guy to fix the exhaust leaks.

At least I saved money refurbishing the axle myself.
 
In some of the parking lots of AutoZone near me their are "mechanics" that hang out with all of their tools working on peoples cars. These guys are very busy. Heck, just the other day an engine was delivered to the parking lot. They did a motor swap right in the lot.
 
lol.

Yeah. I?m bent over the barrel on this one... they did say the rust and bushings aren?t too bad. All the bushings were replaced a few years ago by the previous owner. The car only has 80,000 miles on it.

The custom 3? exhaust has to be dropped down to lower the axle. I?m thinking that?s where the extra time comes in... after this I have to pay an other guy to fix the exhaust leaks.

At least I saved money refurbishing the axle myself.

Not saying this is the correct thing to do, but if you were to do the swap on jack stands you?d probably get the exhaust clearance you need just by unhooking the rubber hangers. Then you?ll need a buddy to help you lift the rear end over the exhaust.

Again, this is a headache if you don?t have the space. But if you?re also strapped for cash and want to suffer for a day, it?s doable.
 
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