Quality auto tranny rebuild kit?

Lucky Jeff · Jan 26, 2011

Does anyone know either a good place to buy, or what brand to get for a rebuild? It's for my ZJ, she's in need of some love.

tomsbrokeagain · Jan 26, 2011

Every auto that I have rebuilt on the cheap will need torn down first to not waste money with unneeded parts.

I get a kit from the local trans shop in Monroe, Snohomish Trans.

Lucky Jeff · Jan 26, 2011

tomsbrokeagain said:
Every auto that I have rebuilt on the cheap will need torn down first to not waste money with unneeded parts.

I get a kit from the local trans shop in Monroe, Snohomish Trans.

I have a spare transmission. I was just hoping to bring that to the guy and the parts to speed things up a little.. Plus I wasn't sure who's parts he would use.

tomsbrokeagain · Jan 26, 2011

Lucky Jeff said:
I have a spare transmission. I was just hoping to bring that to the guy and the parts to speed things up a little.. Plus I wasn't sure who's parts he would use.

For reference the last trans I did was a 4l60e. The only thing it really needed was a reverse input bell($50 new). I had the trans apart so I did frictions and seals($200). If you only need seals you can get some $50-$70 kit (includes filter). I also did a reman converter ($200). I list all this as I like to put new parts in when viable but they are not really needed. I have also done th350 case swaps and just used a seal kit $30 and had great luck.

I figured you were looking for the cheapest route at first but there is a difference in rebuilds, cheap vs built trans.

I looked at kits from some great places but passed as they went all out on the parts and would cost more in parts than to get a shop to rebuild the trans.

I guess the point is that it is not always necessary to blow a wad of $$$ to get an auto up to par:awesomework:

Glenn · Jan 26, 2011

http://www.transtar1.com/

mcbadwish · Jan 26, 2011

Yeah either transtar or seatac trans

Lucky Jeff · Jan 26, 2011

the other trans would slip out of gear and go nowhere. So I just wanted to start out with a fresh, reasonably well built trans, not just a "freshen up" kind of thing.

Thanks for the input Glenn and MC. I will look into those :awesomework:

tomsbrokeagain said:
For reference the last trans I did was a 4l60e. The only thing it really needed was a reverse input bell($50 new). I had the trans apart so I did frictions and seals($200). If you only need seals you can get some $50-$70 kit (includes filter). I also did a reman converter ($200). I list all this as I like to put new parts in when viable but they are not really needed. I have also done th350 case swaps and just used a seal kit $30 and had great luck.

I figured you were looking for the cheapest route at first but there is a difference in rebuilds, cheap vs built trans.

I looked at kits from some great places but passed as they went all out on the parts and would cost more in parts than to get a shop to rebuild the trans.

I guess the point is that it is not always necessary to blow a wad of $$$ to get an auto up to par:awesomework:

zukkev · Jan 27, 2011

Another vote for Seatac Trans....But the chances are pretty good that if you're taking it to a builder he's buying from the same place....
Why buy your own parts? If it's put together with 'your' parts, and one of 'your' parts fail, 'you're' on the hook for the labor to repair it again (not the builder's fault it failed); If he supplies the parts, you have a much better leg to stand on should something fail prematurely....:;

tomsbrokeagain · Jan 27, 2011

zukkev said:
Another vote for Seatac Trans....But the chances are pretty good that if you're taking it to a builder he's buying from the same place....
Why buy your own parts? If it's put together with 'your' parts, and one of 'your' parts fail, 'you're' on the hook for the labor to repair it again (not the builder's fault it failed); If he supplies the parts, you have a much better leg to stand on should something fail prematurely....:;

Very, very true:awesomework:

All the auto's I have done were all for myself or close friends.

All rebuilds from a shop, I demand a good warrantt and do whatever to get it when I pay the price.

tomsbrokeagain · Jan 27, 2011

Lucky Jeff said:
Thanks for the input Glenn and MC. I will look into those :awesomework:

Sorry, I am just not much help on the original question:booo:

Lucky Jeff · Jan 27, 2011

tomsbrokeagain said:
Sorry, I am just not much help on the original question:booo:

no, your response was just fine. I didn't clarify myself very well in the original post. I understand your side.

My main worry was the fact that This was a friend of a friend. I've met the guy a few times and he tried to convince me that he could build an awesome tranny that could hold up to any power a diesel could make. I've learned over the years that very few can.. But when it comes to gassers, it's not near as tough. So the only thing I was worried about were the parts he might use, not necessarily the install. The quote he gave me to do it was very cheap (and like I said, it's a friend of a friend and he knows I don't have a hell of a lot to spend). So I was just trying to make sure it wasn't cheap parts going into the tranny.

zukkev · Jan 27, 2011

As long as he knows the ins and outs of the tranny, and you trust him...

Lucky Jeff · Jan 27, 2011

zukkev said:
As long as he knows the ins and outs of the tranny, and you trust him...

heh, well. I trust my friend, so I suppose I should trust him.

skinny_pedal · Jan 27, 2011

Majority of the builders use Seatac trans. Thats where we get our stuff.

Pat · Jan 27, 2011

I would be more concerned with the technician than the parts. The quality of the trans rebuild comes from surgical cleanliness and a meticulous attention to detail.

You could get the best parts money can buy and have your trans fail from a single cotton fiber clogging a valve.

Or you can go 200,000 miles on parts store parts if it was done right.

junkyard jim · Jan 29, 2011

skinny_pedal said:
Majority of the builders use Seatac trans. Thats where we get our stuff.

Just had them do my '03 E250.

Which trans? 42RE? (4.0) or V8? If it's a 4.0L, I would swap in an AW4 from a '91ish up XJ rather than deal with the crap that is 42RE. Even swapping in a 727 from a Grand Wagoneer would be better (just not for highway speeds)

Lucky Jeff · Jan 29, 2011

junkyard jim said:
Just had them do my '03 E250.

Which trans? 42RE? (4.0) or V8? If it's a 4.0L, I would swap in an AW4 from a '91ish up XJ rather than deal with the crap that is 42RE. Even swapping in a 727 from a Grand Wagoneer would be better (just not for highway speeds)

well, seeing that I will be commuting from Bonney Lake to Everett every day soon. I am in need of freeway speeds :redneck: