AAMCO Transmissions

[tan's2002kjlimited]

tan's2002kjlimited wrote:

Dropped it off at AAMCO. A couple of times of trans slip on these last few weeks of sub zero mornings,
and a funny vibration when I pulled it into 4W Hi yesterday. I've no idea of previous sevice, and figured it was due anyway.
I hope they don't bend me over, or at least give me a reach around!
​

Checked in on the KJ today. Small seal leak rear shaft at the trans case. Front shaft is the problem. Seems the joint (CV?) at the transfer case is bad, or so they say.
I won't know how bad untill they pull it down and check tomorrow. Anybody have any guesses as to how much I'm going to get copulated for?
In the mean time, it's $40 a day for a rental. It might just be a good day for a motorcycle ride, at least Saturday (my weekend to work).

 

[J-Thompson]

front shafts go out ,often it would seem
I would never let Aamco work on my pile
the national chain places have always left a bad taste in my mouth
out side of the goodyear place my wife likes I do it all local

Now I have posted this before and not sure if you saw it but the short version is this
for the same money that you will spend on replacing the shaft you have now you can have a shaft with U-joints
all you need to do is find an XJ with the same T-case in a junk yard
pull the yokes and drive shaft
get new seals for your KJ
install yokes
have D/S cut to length
no more failing CV

 

[JeepJeepster]

If you pay over $450-500 for the front drive-shaft then they gave you a shaft..

Not sure about the leak since idk what area youre talking about.

 

[ShafferNY]

I took our Taurus to AAMCO in South Burlington, VT to have the transmission rebuilt. They told us it would cost $1200 for a complete rebuild.

Since the car was worth it I decided to have it done. It had high milage, but was in great shape otherwise.

After they rebuilt it, I got it home and fluid started pouring out of it. I took it right back.

They said they couldn't find anything wrong and gave it back to me. When I got it home for the second time the same thing happened. At that point I decided to do some investigating myself. When I crawled under the car I could see fluid was pouring out of the passenger's side half shaft seal.

When I took it back for the third time I told them what the problem was and they fixed it right away. At that point they stated to me that they only replace what's bad in the transmission and they do not do a "rebuild". I suspect this is to keep themselves in business. It's a great way to keep customers coming back if you only fix one thing at a time.

Needless to say. I got screwed.

I believe each AAMCO is individually owned and operated, just because I had one bad experience doesn't mean they're all bad though.

 

[tan's2002kjlimited]

Well, "thank you sir, may I have another?"
$150 parts and labor to replace the transmission seal at the front of the rear driveshaft.

$600 parts and labor to rebuild and balace the front driveshaft.
They had to send it out to the driveshaft place.
For a total of $750 & tax on parts, and 5 days time and rental charges.
I really hate it when they have you by the short hairs
and there's nothing you can do about it.

I keep telling myself "I love my KJ, I love my KJ".

 

[mikes07kj]

AA BEND OVER MCO, heard way to many bad stories about them.(blarg)

 

[J-Thompson]

$600 parts and labor to rebuild and balace the front driveshaft.
They had to send it out to the driveshaft place.
For a total of $750 & tax on parts, and 5 days time and rental charges.
I really hate it when they have you by the short hairs
and there's nothing you can do about it.

I keep telling myself "I love my KJ, I love my KJ".

all I can say is WOW
that is a butt load of money for that job
consider what I am saying to do with the U-joint conversion
Yokes ,NEW, will be under $150 +seals, I am betting under $100 from a junk yard
drive shaft from an XJ or TJ I think the ZJ shaft will work also
can be picked up in the $20-$50 range
length adjusted and balanced >$150
U-joints run about $15 each ,X3
that would have been an up grade to a better set up for under $400
now that does not include labor which will probably put you in the same $600 if you had to pay ,still an upgrade

 

[Dave]

I do not like all those "chain" places. AAMCO.....MIDAS.....JIFFY LUBE......etc, etc. I was ripped off before and will never go back. You need to find a good independant shop for things you can't do yourself I guess. Either that or stock up on 5 gallon buckets of vaseline.......

During this last cold spell I had a leak in my front axle seal on the drivers side. I had to take it in as it was 5 degrees out and I was not going to touch it for sure. They charged me $21.50 for the seal and $180 or so labor ....so a little over $200 with tax. I just bent over and paid it because it was just so cold out.

Dave

 

[tjkj2002]

I do not like all those "chain" places. AAMCO.....MIDAS.....JIFFY LUBE......etc, etc. I was ripped off before and will never go back. You need to find a good independant shop for things you can't do yourself I guess. Either that or stock up on 5 gallon buckets of vaseline.......

During this last cold spell I had a leak in my front axle seal on the drivers side. I had to take it in as it was 5 degrees out and I was not going to touch it for sure. They charged me $21.50 for the seal and $180 or so labor ....so a little over $200 with tax. I just bent over and paid it because it was just so cold out.

Dave

$180 for labor for changing a front diff output seal is about right since you have to remove the knuckle,CV shaft,and if lifted you might need to remove the strut assembly.

 

[yellocoyote]

During this last cold spell I had a leak in my front axle seal on the drivers side. I had to take it in as it was 5 degrees out and I was not going to touch it for sure. They charged me $21.50 for the seal and $180 or so labor ....so a little over $200 with tax. I just bent over and paid it because it was just so cold out.

Dave

I have to do the same thing with mine (only passenger side) soon. Leak discovered yesterday. I do have access to the warehouse that I work for... good because it's heated, clean, and has more space that my garage. Although it's a PITA to change, I'm hoping to only have to pay for the seal.

 

[Dave]

I have to do the same thing with mine (only passenger side) soon. Leak discovered yesterday. I do have access to the warehouse that I work for... good because it's heated, clean, and has more space that my garage. Although it's a PITA to change, I'm hoping to only have to pay for the seal.

You know, I made a mistake in my post. It was the passengers side axle seal that was replaced on mine and not the drivers side. I was in and out of there in 2 hours so I think the actual job time was 1 1/2 hours or less. Course that was a professional shop with a lift, etc. So probably a 2 hour job at the most and you can probably get the seal for under $20. The "mark up" price for the seal on my bill was $21.50 so the actual "over the counter" price for the seal should be a little less.

Dave

 

[yellocoyote]

You know, I made a mistake in my post. It was the passengers side axle seal that was replaced on mine and not the drivers side. I was in and out of there in 2 hours so I think the actual job time was 1 1/2 hours or less. Course that was a professional shop with a lift, etc. So probably a 2 hour job at the most and you can probably get the seal for under $20. The "mark up" price for the seal on my bill was $21.50 so the actual "over the counter" price for the seal should be a little less.

Dave

It's time consuming. Had to do nearly the same procedure when I swapped the CV's in October. Especially painful because the strut assembly has to be removed to get the CV's out.