I guess you can count me in as someone who wonders why you stay away from Ford dealers. My local dealership installed 4.10's and a traction-lok carrier in my '93 5.0L Tbird - reasonable price and excellent work. They also installed the 4.30's in my '03 Mach 1 - again, reasonable price and excellent work. They also installed the 4.10's, racing converter, Vortech supercharger, driveshaft loops, BMR rear tunnel brace, etc. in my '07 GT - once again, reasonable price and excellent work.

I trust there are plenty of other competent Ford dealer service departments out there that offer reasonable pricing, back their work, and install it right the first time. Don't always get all three at "performance" shops. I've had the local "performance" shops in my area do plenty of work for me over the last 25+ years I've been hot rodding my cars. Some are great, some are bad, most charge as much - or more - than the Ford dealer.

 

I agree Brian. I went to the dealership to have it done, but they would not do it. So I asked around two salesman, the service manager, and the general manager and they all reommended one serviceman that worked there. He charged me $300 cash, and I got all the parts through the dealership and he installed and it has been perfect ever since. I don't think that in my area I could have found a better mechanic. No telling how many gears he's installed, but I'm sure he's seen quite a few more 8.8" rear ends than any local speed shop would have. To be honest, I trust speed shops less than a Ford mechanic with 20 years experience.

Gary

 

Gears are in and quiet as can be. Tomorrow my Brenspeed tuner w/tunes arrives. Can't wait!

 

Awesome news, Steve! I'm assuming that you aren't driving it much until you can tune it for the gear ratio change? You aren't going to recognize your car after the tune! It'll be a whole new animal.

 

I'm driving it hard at the moment, got to get that low budget gas out and fill 'r up with high octane juice for when my tuner arrives tonight.

 

That sounds more accurate. 700-800 for gears and the install.

 

$199.95 for the G-410-A part number right? Let's say $39.00 for 3 bottles of Royal Purple 75w140? Okay now the FULL installation kit for the 8.8" including bearings, $80-120? On the LOW end of things, we're already around $330 in parts.

Now let's take a look at the labor. A decent shop will charge 350-500 depending on how often they do it (familiarity = quicker, less labor in hours). So now you have anywhere between $680-830 depending on where you have it done.

I think the above is a fair estimate. Hey, if you can get it done next door at Bada Bing Auto for $400 dollars with parts and it doesn't make noise, and holds up... tell Tony we're looking for another tech!

Chris Rose
Tillman Speed Inc.
www.TillmanSpeed.com
610-497-5776

 

I truly got what I paid for. A great job, 3yr/50,000mi warranty on parts and labor. And it's as quiet as a church mouse, the gears that is.
And OMG, with the custom tune it's frick'n unbeleivable. I just ran it out of cheap gas (87) and I'm heading out to put in high octane and the race-ready tune. Got to go!!!!!!!!!

 

Steve, aren't you glad your friends here reassured you that gears and a tune would transform you GT?!?! It's amazing how much those two changes make in these S197 GT's. I've never had a car respond as well to a tune as my '07 GT did.

On a side note, I went to get a new 08 GT automatic for a friend yesterday from a dealership 80 miles away from the dealership I work at. I couldn't believe how slow it felt compared to mine. The throttle lag, the slow shifting, etc. Made me really appreciate the gears, tune, stall converter, and supercharger. Very nice car, none-the-less, and my friend will mod this one like all the other Mustangs he's owned before, but it reminded me just how much of a difference a couple easy mods make.