More tranny talk

[frankendat]

Thanks to the wealth of knowledge that is Ratsun, I have been able to obtain leads on 2wd 71C truck transmissions. The most economical and time saving route would be slam in the new trans and run it. But, I would like some "insurance" that the transmission will not crap out quickly. I contacted multiple shops (local and internet quotes) some wouldn't touch it, the ones that would, estimated between $1500 and $2000 to rebuild. With a little luck it wouldn't "need" a rebuild, but even if it did, how is that price justifiable? If I remove the transmission drop it off at the shop, pick up and reinstall the transmission, then even at $100hr it shouldn't take more than a day.

Paid mechanics, please school me on this. What is said by the "shop time" books for this job?

[datzenmike]

If I owned and ran a transmission shop and someone came in with a 40 years old transmission that I didn't want to waste my time on I would quote a ridiculous price to make them go away. That's all it was. Bearing and synchro kits are about $130. 

 

For $12 get a new 62mm counter bearing and replace the old one. Take a chance.

[frankendat]

On 4/2/2023 at 6:06 PM, datzenmike said:

If I owned and ran a transmission shop and someone came in with a 40 years old transmission that I didn't want to waste my time on I would quote a ridiculous price to make them go away. That's all it was. Bearing and synchro kits are about $130. 

 

For $12 get a new 62mm counter bearing and replace the old one. Take a chance.

Your council is sound. From the internet (therefore, suspect) to rebuild a 5 speed manual transmission (not including removal, re-install, or clutch work) should require 6hrs. At $100 an hour that's $600, +parts, as you noted $150 will cover parts, so $750 retail. Usually, I look at retail as the high number for a negotiation, but with shops quoting double that to start, I'm dumbfounded. I had two local shops say they weren't interested. I guess I should be glad that the economy is not as bad as the media claims. I pay in cash, will take a handshake for a receipt and no one wants to deal. Maybe it is old age, $100 an hour seems like a lot of money to me, but I know a guy who charges his high end clients that for sprinkler repair. Whatcha gonna do

[bottomwatcher]

Pull the front and back housing and give a look over with pics on here. If it is turning smooth without a blown out countershaft bearing you are probably fine. Fresh countershaft bearings and roll it. Countershaft bearings that fail are at the end of the shaft and easy to change. Otherwise not much goes wrong with these. Yes $100 an hour for mechanical service is the norm. German cars $200 and boats somewhere in between. If you can fix things you won't go hungry.

[datzenmike]

My '68 510 didn't have a windshield washer squirter. Turns out you twist the wiper switch but maybe the original owner didn't know this and it was seized. However it was nut and bolted together and I took it apart like a watch and cleaned it and it worked! Look at washers now and they are riveted or crimped together, unfixible, only implacable. No one fixes stuff, mechanics like to replace with nice clean parts so their hands stay clean.

[frankendat]

2 hours ago, bottomwatcher said:

Pull the front and back housing and give a look over with pics on here. If it is turning smooth without a blown out countershaft bearing you are probably fine. Fresh countershaft bearings and roll it. Countershaft bearings that fail are at the end of the shaft and easy to change. Otherwise not much goes wrong with these. Yes $100 an hour for mechanical service is the norm. German cars $200 and boats somewhere in between. If you can fix things you won't go hungry.

I thought $100hr was steep, but I would probable pay it and bitch. I didn't get a bid, assuming the 6hr figure was right, under $200 an hr.

[Ranman72]

around here shop rates are 150/200 an hour 

an rv place i went to near Pismo beach was 250 an hour with a 30 min minimum 

[bananahamuck]

I know a guy that will rebuild for $450. Total .. problem is he’s about 40 miles from coast .. good deal if close ,,  kinda messes up the budget if you live way out in the dingleberries . 

 

Sad thing ,, He was $300. Just  2 years ago . 

Edited April 5, 2023 by bananahamuck

[datzenmike]

It's not him. The work is the same but the money is worth/less today and it buys him less so his price goes up. It's just the way things are. It's still a good deal for under $600. My house isn't worth $500,000 today, it didn't increase it's worth, it just takes money that is now 1/5th it's value 25 years ago. 

 

What were your cranberries worth 25 years ago?

[bananahamuck]

On 4/5/2023 at 6:17 AM, datzenmike said:

It's not him. The work is the same but the money is worth/less today and it buys him less so his price goes up. It's just the way things are. It's still a good deal for under $600. My house isn't worth $500,000 today, it didn't increase it's worth, it just takes money that is now 1/5th it's value 25 years ago. 

 

What were your cranberries worth 25 years ago?

 

There was a time not long ago 12 acres of clean , good producing property could make you money enough to almost live without any other job..  bottom fell out like 12(?) years ago 

 

Right now ,, unless you have new “super” producing berry vines .  Or very large bog . it would be more fiscally responsible to leave them out in the bog every fall .  

[frankendat]

On 4/5/2023 at 1:04 AM, bananahamuck said:

I know a guy that will rebuild for $450. Total .. problem is he’s about 40 miles from coast .. good deal if close ,,  kinda messes up the budget if you live way out in the dingleberries . 

 

Sad thing ,, He was $300. Just  2 years ago . 

 

On 4/5/2023 at 7:17 AM, datzenmike said:

It's not him. The work is the same but the money is worth/less today and it buys him less so his price goes up. It's just the way things are. It's still a good deal for under $600. My house isn't worth $500,000 today, it didn't increase it's worth, it just takes money that is now 1/5th it's value 25 years ago. 

 

What were your cranberries worth 25 years ago?

We are on the same page or really close. I thought either rebuild mine or take mine as core, around $500 all in. I was even willing to throw in an extra core 71B to sweeten the pot. I would go to $600 for a shop and a warranty $400-$450 on a handshake. I haven't found recommended backyard transmission mechanics and the big shops are quoting over $1000-$1500, some even refuse to do it.