Advice on Estimate for Cylinder Rebuild

[hawkeye08]

Are you talking to owner of business? If not, you might make some notes and get in touch with owner. Sometimes these small shops can be intimidating and make demands, but if they agreed to call you before getting into it, then perhaps suggest that they split the labor (I would be wanting to take the cylinders home as is (making sure to get all the pieces) without them putting more labor in the mix). Obviously we don't have the other side of the story, but paying them some labor for disassembly seems right, just not as much as they are claiming.

I have a nephew that offered to go with me if I ever needed him (6'4", well built) to just stand next to me while I have a discussion... he told me that it surprised him how an extra person (especially a big one) helps with the discussion, LOL

 

[mroberts3]

Hawkeye08,
Thanks. I'm thinking this might be the way to go. Live and learn. Is your nephew available for rent?

 

[merlynr]

My friend had a couple loader rams rebuilt and they had to cut the welds to get it apart. Maybe this is that kind. Otherwise they are easy to disassemble. On a side note I had a ram from a John Deere large riding mower power steering and it cost $230 because they had to cut a weld and put in seals and reweld but a new one was over $300. The ram was only maybe 10" long.

 

[JRobyn]

The prices don't seem TOO out of line, but the bad parts are that they spent that much on disassembly without your approval first, AND that the expensive re-chrome is needed. At a minimum, in your shoes, I'd politely express to the OWNER your displeasure at the high disassembly cost and insist on an explanation of exactly what was so difficult and costly. That MIGHT prompt some re-pricing of that part.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Hawkeye08,
Thanks. I'm thinking this might be the way to go. Live and learn. Is your nephew available for rent?

I'm big, and in the neighborhood, lol

 

[PILOON]

6-7 years ago I had a bad gash in a loader cylinder. Other than leaking it was still OK.
Took it to my local hydraulic shop hoping that they had a quick cure for the gash, but no.
They completely rebuilt that cylinder, all new kit and machined a new shaft, threaded one end, chromed it and changed a short hose that I was too lazy to remove.
They even painted the cylinder body !

The bill, materials and labor was $165.00 (Cdn)

OK the cylinder was a 26" 'tilt' so not much metal was needed. LOL.

I think your shop is planning on retiring real soon!

 

[mroberts3]

Merlyn,

Thanks. When I dropped them off he said that would be worst case, but the estimate he described over the phone didn't mention it. I spoke to a local mechanic shop owner today and he said I should have asked him first. He did business with this company in the past and they did the same thing to him. He said their labor rates make no sense. He suspects its during the time business is slow for their family company. He told me 7 hours of labor at $85/hr was crazy. He thought 2 hours was sufficient for putting them back together.

 

[mroberts3]

JRobyn,

Thanks, I will definitely investigate some. There was some reluctance to breaking down the total cost.

 

[mroberts3]

buckeyefarmer,

What time can I pick you up tomorrow? I'll buy lunch!

 

[mroberts3]

PILOON,

Thanks, that sounds like the opposite of my experience. Good to hear places like that exist. I hope I can resolve this soon.