Charged for removal of Accessories!

[Scottyt]

G'Day,

Lux went in for a new clutch today. Got a phone call about 8am. I being charged $110 labour to remove my side rails and bash plates. Not covered under Toyota Warrenty. Is this normal?

Scotty:x

[TOMUCH]

Scotty, Why do they need to remove these items? I would ask to speak to the manager.. dont let them sucker you in.. tell them that if these items have to be removed, then they would have had to remove the standard side rails anyway. So it should not cost any more... Still cant see why they have to remove them in the first place.. Cheers TOMUCH

[Scottyt]

Hey TOMUCH,

What's involved in the removal of a clutch? I'm assuming they drop the gerabox etc. If they do the bash plates will have to be removed and the side steps as they bolt to the gearbox brace. Am I thinking right?

[TOMUCH]

Personaly, I remove the engine to do a clutch... having said that, I mainly work on the dreaded Land Rovers in my line of work.. I have just had a look at mine, for the tranny X member/side rails, they have to remove those bolts anyway... and the car came with bash plates, you just have an extra one right?.. not much extra. If the car was still drivable, I personally would take it home and remove them myself.. but is that is not feasable, I would still argue that its a warranty job and as such you should not be made to pay. Ask to speak to the manager... Cheers TOMUCH

[Scottyt]

Cheers Mark!

I've already spoke with them and raised the exact same issues. Told them not to put the bash plates back on as they spilt oil over the front one last service and I want to clean and fit myself.

Scotty

[Hilux Max]

scotty, they would remove the bashplates, remove the tailshaft, the gearbox crossmenber, the transfer case, then disconnet all lingkages and wiring, drain the gearbox, then remove it backwards off the vehicle and get to the clutch and pressure plate.

tomuch, removing the engine on these hiluxs for the gearbox is overkill and not necessary, cant speak for landrovers thou.

[TOMUCH]

Thanks Mmaaxx, I kinda figured that might be the case, but charging extra for what they would essentialy have to do anyway is not right in my book.. not to mention the inconvienience of having to be without a car for however long it takes to replace the clutch. YEah, Land Rovers, in and out in four hours with a clutch replacement (Best time) average about 6 hours. very easy. Cheers TOMUCH

[Scottyt]

Thanks mmaaxx! It's all good. Love to know if there is going to be an upgrade on the crap clutch! I can see myself forking out some dollars after this one shit's itself and I'm out of warrenty.

Thanks to both of you for your help, much appreciated.

Scotty

[Hilux Max]

yeah I heard the facelift will get an upgraded clutch, in my thinking if your trucks pretty much standard, and you havent got big tyres or haul big loads then stay with the one that toyota provides.

If mine was a manual, I would wait till the factory clutch shits itself (maybe even help it along before warantee is out...i.e. fry it abit ) and id personally go for a name brand clutch like Exedy or something like that that you know will last.

money well spent on a good clutch if you ask me.

[Macca]

If the clutch was a decent item to start with they would not need to remove any accesories at all.
They did mine with no cost to me and I had my home mede step/brush bars on and FUG.
Macca

[4Hilux]

Hi Scotty - fitted the ARB siderails to my ute last week. My exact thoughts @ the time, were that the whole assembly has to be removed again in order to do a clutch, or any gearbox work...........:o :o

[Hilux Max]

come to think of it, yeah they would need to remove it because the ARB side rails bolt onto the gearbox crossmember so to remove the crossmember they would need to remove the side steps.

maybe for anyone else in this predicament in the future remove the sidesteps and bashplates first.

but then again, toyota should fix it no matter what accessories are on the vehicle. its part of the job.

[Scottyt]

I agree Macca!

All done before 12!
4Lux, they only had to remove one side!

Cheers Scotty

[bdlavis]

Fairs fair. Toyota dealers only get paid warranty book times from Toyota which is for standard vehicles. Example, R&R gearbox 4.5hrs. If you put aftermarket stuff on and it takes longer the Toyota dealer needs to recover their labour time.

[4Hilux]

Hi Scotty - makes sense, as once 1 side is removed, the x-member would then be able to be slid out sideways that way, once the gearbox mount has its bolts removed. Hope that makes sense.......

[Scottyt]

Hey 4hilux,

Yes mate it all makes sense. Any takers on ya ute?

I paid for the labour to remove accessories. $110.

Scotty

[woodstok]

scotty, my clutch was done a while back under warranty. i have tjm steel winch bar and steps. they removed the side steps to take out the crossmember and it didnt cost me a thing.

[jason]

My ten cents. Why can't they put bolts back in to hold the bars once the cross member is out? Wouldn't need to remove the bars then!!!