Suspension Spring Repair Shop

Pickup and van owners, contractors with work trucks, trailer owners, farms and local repair shops that sublet spring work.

Paid per job: parts plus labor, usually quoted per axle or per spring. Repeat work from local garages and fleets helps fill the bays.

• Mechanical knowledge of suspension systems
• Comfortable with heavy parts and shop tools
• Honest quoting and customer service

• Check whether your state requires auto repair shop registration or a license
• Garage liability and garagekeepers insurance, plus workers' compensation once you hire
• Spring compressors and heavy loads are dangerous, so use proper training and safety gear
• Rules for storing and disposing of used oil, solvents and scrap metal, check with your state environmental agency
• Check your local zoning, city or county business license and sales tax registration for parts

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around $25,000 to $80,000, depending on the bay you rent, your tools and equipment, and how much parts stock you carry. Plan on at least 35 hours a week to run it.

Check whether your state requires auto repair shop registration or a license. Also check garage liability and garagekeepers insurance, workers' compensation once you hire, local zoning, city or county business license, sales tax registration, and rules for storing and disposing of used oil, solvents and scrap metal.

Monthly revenue is typically around $8,000 to $35,000 by estimate, depending on your location, the mix of leaf and coil spring jobs, and whether local garages sublet work to you. These are estimates, not guarantees.