How much should bellows change cost? Central CA

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littlebunker

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I am hoping to get my bellows changed. Everywhere I've been reading when I was considering going I/O (forums, articles, etc) has said things like, "you will have to do regular maintenance. Things like having your bellows replaced will cost about $150 plus parts at a mechanic or about $200 for the kit and a few hours of your time, so factor that in" and whatever. And that was pretty consistent, so I figured I'd budget for like $200 for the kit and $200 for a mechanic and be fine.

I recently ordered a transom kit and have been calling shops in my area (central CA?stockton) to see how much they would charge for labor to put the kit on. I've been getting quotes of $600-800 just for labor, and I already spent $200 for the kit.

Is this normal? Should I keep calling (i've called like 10 shops and they've all been around the same price) or am I just stuck and for some reason prices are just super high over here?

Or is there some other option that I'm just missing?

Thank you
 

tpenfield

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Could be their rate for installing someone else's parts . . . Not sure, but if you called around again and asked the same question leaving out the aspect about having your own parts, and get a 'parts & labor' price, that may tell the story.
 

muskyfins

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If you've called 10 shops and all gave the same answer...........well.......that's your answer.

Around here (Chicago north subrubs). Bellows and gimbal bearings go together as a job for most shops. It's usually $600-800 for the whole job parts and labor. So im my opionon that's a little high.
 

Scott Danforth

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$600-700 for bellows and gimble bearing with alignment down here in FL. total kit is $150 and about 3-4 hours of your time.
 

Bondo

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Ayuh,..... P a y for Labor,..??..??......

Changin' out the bellows, without doin' the shift cable or gimbel bearin', is probably a 4 to 8 hour job, dependin' on the condition of the drive when ya start,....

Doin' the job Right, with the shift cable, 'n bearin', I figure an 8 hour day, possibly more, again dependin' on the condition of the drive,....

Some days it's alot shorter,....
Other days are 2 days long,....
 

TyeeMan

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Yep, have the job done properly. Replacing one bellows is a small part of the entire job that should be done. Depending on your set up, replace the driveshaft and exhaust bellows, shift cable, check/replace gimbal bearing, do an engine alignment and you might as well round it out and have them replace the sea water pump as well. That way you know everything has been checked and you are for most part 100% good to go.

I have a Mercruiser/Alpha one Gen II set up. I had all that work done, all parts were OEM Mercruiser parts per my wish, I was out the door for just under $900.00. Oh, and they had to replace one engine mounts as one was seized. In Minnesota. . . .

Man it really feels good knowing all that stuff is new/properly adjusted and ready to go.
 

Jarcher3

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Good info to know here!! im looking to get this done in the off season and 600 would be nice.... would love to be able to do this myself but i dont have the space.

When asking to replace the bellows should i tell the shop to check the gimbal, do an alignment or is that Standard operating procedure? why replace the shift cable? is that something that needs to be replaced every other year?
 

Bondo

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why replace the shift cable? is that something that needs to be replaced every other year?

Ayuh,.... Like the bellows, the cable has an expected service life of 5 to 8 years,....

If the bellows are bad, the lower cable is close to dead too,....
 

BurtAllen

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Also if someone ever did this themselves one extremely important thing you should remember if you remove the gimbal housing is be extremely careful pulling that housing forward.

Above the shift cable bellow close to the top right of the driveshaft bellow there is a plastic fitting going through the transom which supplies gear lube to the drive through a small hose that’s connected to the back of the gimbal housing.

If you pull to hard or move it too much if it’s been in saltwater a lot or just really old it will break.
Aaannnddd 9/10 times you will have to pull the whole engine out of the boat. Unless you’re extremely lucky and have enough room to get down behind the engine you’re pulling it out.

I usually cut the hose in half drain the gear lube out of the gear lube monitor and very lightly as well carefully use a razor blade and gently gently cut the hose in the same line always cut downward about a inch and half. Don’t move the blade back and forth. Do that until the hose is free. Also don’t press down hard while cutting it just lightly run the blade and let it do the work until you feel or see the plastic of the fitting so you don’t cut it up real bad or break it.

Attach the new gear lube hose to the gimbal housing you removed and after you get it back in the gimble ring and all the bellows are secure is when you slide it back to the bulkhead fitting.
When you slide some new hose on use a small amount of lubricant on the gear lube bulkhead fitting and bend the the hose some to get it as straight as you can with the fitting and lightly rotate the house back and forth gently gently gently pushing up on the hose.
Take a zip tie and some needle nose to grab the part of the zip tie that makes the nose when you pull it and help with it to secure the hose. The zip tie doesn’t not have to be pulled extremely tight just slightly slightly past “snug”
Use those pliers to help keep from pulling the fitting towards you breaking it. Kind of a push feeling in one hand and pull effect in the other.

Hopefully this helps some poor soul from having a broken $12 dollar fitting costing them 3k-4k.
Generally with really bad corrosion from salt water it may be slightly more because things always seem to break whenever you start taking things loose on the engine side.
 

airshot

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You live in Ca......you should know everything costs more in Ca......lol
 
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