Reconditioned Gearboxes

[ToothbrushMan]

We all know this can be fraught with so many deep black holes.

If one was considering having a gearbox stripped and built back up (new bearings, check and renew any worn syncros, oil seals, needle rollers and the actual gears etc) what would be your approach short of reading any online reviews?

Presumably any reputable reconditioner would give at least some kind of warranty? Should it be 12 months minimum? My view is that if a rebuilt box works perfectly after a couple of weeks chances are it will last the average life of the car so youd never need to claim.

Are there any checks that can be made when you collect your rebuilt box?

Would you pay cash (to get it all done slightly cheaper perhaps) or would you only consider paying with a credit card - has anybody been told their nice clean gearbox has been fully reconditioned only to find that once its in the car it performs well below par and has successfully claimed the money back on their credit card for "faulty goods" after the company turned you away for some spurious reason?

I have heard stories of dodgy so called gearbox specialists just taking your old box off you, waiting 4 or 5 days (to pad out the implied labour charges) then steam cleaning the outside and charging you £500 for the privilege. The box hasnt even seen a work bench!

Any tips and hints would be very useful not just to me but I dare say a fair few other PHers....

Any companies PH'er's should stay well clear of and why?

[Krikkit]

Reputation would be my suggestion (I know it's not helpful), have an ask around in the community for your car and see if there's a specialist.

I'm assuming you couldn't do the work personally? I've done a couple, and they're pretty easy if you've got a press and decent puller.

[CAPP0]

It does rather depend on what you need - do you need a 4-speed manual for a 1970s classic, or an 8-speed auto from a 5 year old prestige vehicle? This would significantly alter my approach?

[thatdude]

When the auto box on my wifes old golf was rebuilt, it came with a 12-month warranty on the work done and the parts - which proved useful, because the 'box continued to give faults, going back seven times before it was fully sorted (01M transmissions apparently are not very good) - the place the work was done was fine with taking the car back and the bloke was genuinly concerned as to why the fault wasnt being sorted. I'm not sure what checks you could carry out afterwards, but maybe a fluid change after 6 months would be an idea if its not too difficult - bits of metal flake etc could indicate an issue

Edited by thatdude on Wednesday 15th January 11:00

[D1bram]

Had my Alfa 159 'box rebuilt couple of months back, it cost me around £1400 but that included him taking it off the car too.

Seemed to a decent enough job and warrantied it for 12 months or 12k miles.

[jamoor]

1 year and 10k seems the norm.

Which car is it?

[ToothbrushMan]

No, its not a Classic car, but the type of gearbox doesnt fit the particular points I wanted to cover here.

If we concentrate on one specific make, model, year and type the thread could end up excluding more people than it might help hence I want to keep this very non-specific in terms of what box you have/had.

A more generic approach when having any box rebuilt is what I am looking for here. What would be on your list of "basics" to consider.

[Spangles]

Another thing to consider, I needed a Renault gearbox rebuilt, teeth missing from the diff. A reputable company were charging £650, Renault sold me a brand new one for £750.

[exceed]

These guys are top notch, even repaired my DC5's gearbox when it went bang:

(taken straight from Yell)

Midlands Automatic Transmissions Ltd

Unit 1, A1-M1 Business Centre Garrard Way, Kettering, Northamptonshire, NN16 8TD

Tel: [phone]

[Rich1973]

If you are in the East midlands, i can recommend a place where I had my gearbox rebuilt.
Used him on the recommendation of my trusted mechanics and he did a top job

[ToothbrushMan]

On the recommendation front then, does anybody have experience with DMD Transmissions, Bilston, West Midlands? They also sell repalcement bearing kits for transmissions under the name of Fast Track Bearings.

£750 new from Renault - that sounds good and with Renault warranty too I presume?

I could get a "recon" box from the manufacturer (FIAT) - cost £2,200 with the VAT excluding delivery!
Even then I have heard horror stories of manufacturer recon boxes whining after a few weeks so sometimes recon falls on its arris.

[thatdude]

After the palaver I went through, I wouldnt take on a recon box, maybe the fault wasnt really fixed despite a full rebuild (auto boxes with their electrics and valve bodies are mega complex

is that £750 for a full 'box rebuild? Assuming a manual 'box here. My brother was concerened about his civic 'box and did some research, was quoted prices of around £600 - £700 for a 'box rebuild so £750 is probably about right

[jamoor]

try
http://www.drivertransmissions.co.uk/

[andy-xr]

I've always gambled with scrapper gearboxes for under £100. When the clutch went on my Rover 25 it knackered half the gearbox as well, so was easier to just put a replacement (non recon) gearbox in with a new clutch, ,I think the whole thing was done for under £200, which if it went tits I'd spend again to fix it

[deadmau5]

When the 3rd gear synchro went on my car, I started looking for reconditioned gearboxes. I found a company on eBay that offered reconditioned gearboxes and took your gear box in part exchange. When I told him the synchro was gone he said he didn't want my box. I think he offered three months warranty and it was £450 fitted.

It seems to me is that his business model was based on taking a punt on used gearboxes and hoping they don't break within three months.

In the end I got a box from eBay for £75. I've not fitted it yet so it may be a duffer!

[9mm]

Despite the name AutoEurope I think these people only do manual boxes and clutches but I can highly recommend them (as a paying customer, no other connection):

http://www.crawleygearboxrepairs.co.uk/

What's more, if they recommend an auto box specialist they wouldn't do it lightly.