That's an awfully open ended question. First what year truck? Where are you? How many hours has it taken others to do this install? Is there a lot of custom fabrication or are there kits available? Who is going to provide the IRS? Who is going to do the install? Are they a pro shop, what type builds are they noted for? How many TB IRS have they done (If they are doing a first time install it's going to take them 2-3x as long as a shop who has done several and worked out the details)? What is their labor rate? Why don't you ask a couple shops for an estimate? I would GUESS that it might range from 3 - 8 K in labor.

 

Here is the kit for TBird IRS into Ford truck: Team321 LLC Ford Truck Independent Rear Suspension (321)960-5945 dheld@cfl.rr.com

 

Reading thru the installation instructions for the IRS kit, I would say the adapter manufacturer's estimate of 2-4 hrs installation time is very optimistic since it supposes that the original rear end, bed, wire's, brake lines, exhaust, etc has already been removed, the truck is already leveled and secured on a frame lift, the IRS is stripped of springs, the adapter plates attached to the IRS and the unit leveled on a roll around cart. If the installing shop must remove the rear axle (likely in place to transport and move the truck around) and do the other prep work on the truck (less bed removal) and rear assembly, shorten and install the coil springs, replumb and bleed the rear brakes (needed to move the truck out of the install shop and onto a trailer) that my installation time estimate for a competent 2+ man shop doing the installation for the first time would be more realistically like 8-10 hrs. from roll in to roll out. Assuming a 100.00/hr shop labor charge that would be 800. - 1000.00.
Of course you could do all the prep work yourself ready for welding in your own shop and call in a welder. My time estimate for a welder would be 2-3 hrs at whatever rate come to you welders charge in your area.

 

I wish that I would of researched this a little better when I was building my truck. Even if it costs 800-1000 to have someone do a turn key installation that's not to bad for what you are getting. I know where I cam buy a complete Mark VIII rear end assembly for $400.00, another 400 for the kit and lets say another 400 for misc, brake pads, rotors, cv boots and whatever. That puts you at $2200 for everything installed. When I put the 9" solid axle in the 48 I paid 100 for the used housing 350 for the center section, 100 for bearings and seals, 500 for disc brake kit, 100 for shocks and 400 for springs. So i have 1550 in parts. I did all the labor myself but if I would of hired the labor out I would of been into it for about the same money as if I would of installed the IRS setup. I guess that I have to keep this in mind if I build another truck.

 

Did you install the TBird front suspension?? If so, the rear would be a snap.

 

I agree with Ross.

 

I installed mine then had a good friend who is an excellent welder come finish the welding. If I can do it, you sure can.

 

What part of CA are you in???

 

There are lots of rod/fabrication shops up North from you in the Sac area. If you get a hold of Team321 they can give you an estimate of the number of hours it would take...then you could match that up with the labor rate in your area.

 

I put a 95 T bird IRS in my 55 f100 a while back so maybe I can shed some light on your question.

I initially looked at the kit from team 321 but decided against it for several reasons, 1. I don't like to hack into a frame unless I absolutely have to and the 321 kit required notching the frame for the rear mount and 2. I really hated the front K mounts with the kit because they extend outward from the frame over 6 inches per side to align with the forward IRS mounts.

So I spent one day measuring and making cardboard templates for my own mounts.

Another day cutting and welding the actual mounts together.

Then it took me another full day to align and tack weld the four mounts/ upper spring pads to the frame.

Had I gone with the 321 system I would have been done but because of my desire to tuck the front K frame mounts under the frame I spent another 2 to 3 days cutting the IRS mounts off, shortening them, and splicing them back on.

So plugging an IRS into your truck is not a huge job, I guess it just depends on what you want and how you want it to look like at the end of the day.

Another way of putting the T bird unit in a truck (if you want it really slammed) is to box the frame, cut the K frame mounts off and slip the K frame into the boxed frame and weld it in solid. I have seen a local truck who has this system and it is almost dragging the running boards on flat ground which is lower than I am looking for. I think there are several guys on this forum who have done it this way so use the search function if your interested.

You can also look on my 55 thread to see how I did mine if it helps you decide how you want it.

 

Hey Gary....I just got caught up going thru your build thread (again!) and now that I'm out of time I'll just ask you this instead of searching for it. I've seen several posts lately about the CV installs and they all say it must be narrowed to fit. I didn't see anything in your thread about you doing this or did I miss something? Is the narrowing just for the F1's?
Thanks......still an awesome thread...lol.

 

I fabricated the boxing plates from 1/8 plate, all it took was a cardboard template, a electric cutoff saw, and a little time. Much cheaper than buying them and took less than an hour to make.

Hey Wayne, The 04 CV front end is 1 inch wider per side than my original straight axel front end so I plan on using high offset wheels to pull the tires back inside the fenders. After measuring the offset of the original steel wheels I figure that I will have the same track width as stock. The 55 frame is 34 inches wide (if I remember right) and correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the earlier F1 frame 32 inches wide? If so I can see a fitment issue involved in keeping the tires under the fenders.

I am pretty sure that some body has figured out a way to narrow the aluminum cross member of the later CV front ends but it would take a lot of work to build a precision holding fixture to hold things true while you cut out a chunk of the center section, then they would have to be a top notch aluminum welder to splice everything back together.

The older CV's had an all steel front end which could be cut out and spliced in easier (I think) than the all aluminum bolt in units like I have.

 

Thanks Gary. I was just curious. I'm pretty sure when the day comes for me to sell what I have and start ground up I'll be doing another '55. There are several benefits in my opinion. After making a million plans and even getting a complete mustang EFI drivetrain I've decided after much time discussing it here that my current truck is too nice and original to hack up or even modify lightly.

 

Did rodder44 get booted off? or did he delete his own posts?

 

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