Please read and make suggestions re my tranny rebuild options

[PhoenixGTS]

My brother-in-law is in the high performance automatic transmission business and found out one of his ex-employees is now a manual trans guy with lots of Viper experience. The guy has a rebuilt (stock configuration) Viper trans already done and could do the removal/replacement next week. Here are my options:

1) standard configuration installed = $2,000 total.
2) Rockland Standard Gear 0.80:1 5th and 0.62:1 6th added installed for and additional $1,000 for a total of $3,000.
3) they will install a flywheel and clutch for free since they will already have the car apart.

So obviously I have a great deal going, but here are my questions.

A) it does not seem to me that the shorter 5th and 6th are worth $1,000. Agree?
B) I have always wanted a light flywheel so that is a no brainer to do now, but should I replace my 3,000 mile old stock clutch at the same time? Looks like Roe has the stock clutch parts for under $300 so maybe that is a no brainer also.

What would you guys suggest?

 

[Martin D]

Do the gear change and the flywheel. Leave the clutch.

imho.

Regards,

 

[CHAD]

A) You are looking to sell your wheels to fix your car. Why on earth would you spend extra money on different OD gearing?

B) What do you expect to get from a flywheel? Come on!

C) Replace a 3k mile clutch why? Again, come on!

Unless you have money to burn, just fix the car. And 2k to fix your trans does not sound like a "family" price either. Shop around.

Chad

 

[99 R/T 10]

Dude, you're getting screwed! Gotta love the family connections

 

[MadMaxx]

2K to rebuilt a T56? Sheesh man, you can basicly get a new one for that money. There are several reman units that are under 2K, and do not require core charges.

The OD gear change is a waste of money. The clutch change is a waste of money. Hell, the whole deal sounds like a waste of money to me

 

[PhoenixGTS]

A) You are looking to sell your wheels to fix your car. Why on earth would you spend extra money on different OD gearing?

B) What do you expect to get from a flywheel? Come on!

C) Replace a 3k mile clutch why? Again, come on!

Unless you have money to burn, just fix the car. And 2k to fix your trans does not sound like a "family" price either. Shop around.

Chad

A) Yeah that is a no brainer. The different 5th and 6th are a no go (said that in my post). I have the money, I just had a goal of not spending a ton on the car so selling the bling to get a tranny and drag radials out of the deal sounds good to me.

B) Liked the feel of quicker revs from light flywheel on previous car and thought it made sense to do it now since the install was free.

C) I have no experience with Vipers so 3k/10k has no meaning to me. If clutches only last 10k miles then it would sense to me to spend $300 on a new one now. I have since learned that a clutch should last 15k miles so looks like the current one is a keeper.

The other shop in town that rebuilds Viper transmissions charges $2,400 just for the tranny rebuild not installed which is what I am finding in other parts of the country. This is $2k installed on super short notice by a guy who has done them before. Lot of $$$ to me, but looks like a decent deal.

 

[MadMaxx]

This isn't a lambo dude, clutches last longer than 10K
You can abuse the hell out of the clutch and it should still last longer than 15K. I daily drove my car, and clocked almost 40K miles before it was sold. Stock clutch.

 

[MadMaxx]

Also, shop around for replacement clutches. Save a hundred easily.

 

[Jay Herbert]

Get the upgraded gear, have heard much good about it.... but I'd sure check Rockland standards prices first... While you are talking to them, ask them what their customers are saying about the gear. They are a certified Tremec rebuilder, and the best. I think that they upgrade to forged shift forks as part their rebuild as well:

http://www.rocklandstandardgear.com/dodge.html

I would not be surprised to see their price is lower too..... Like they say, "The call is free."

(TOLL FREE)
CALL 1-877-RSG-GEAR (1-877-774-4327)
FAX 1-877-RSG-FAX IT (1-877-774-3294)
OR CALL OUR MAIN NUMBER
1-845-753-2005

 

[Maverick The Electrician]

Almost all the rebuilt transmissions I have driven have been notchy and hard to break in to shift smooth. I would keep the stock one as long as you can.

 

[PhoenixGTS]

Rockland quotes $2,400 for the rebuild with their shorter fifth and sixth gears. Plus you have to get the 135 pound tranny out and ship it across the country where turn around is a week so earliest I could have tranny in the car would probably be January 15th or later. My guy here in phoenix is quoting $2,550 for a tranny with the Rockland gears, but only $1,550 for the tranny in stock configuration (with the updated shift fork), plus he wants $450 for for the install which he can do in two days immediately. Now remember it would be much better to have someone 10 miles away that you can go and harass if there is a problem, and could probably get to eat the re-install if the tranny has to come back out, than dealing with someone on the other side of the continent. But in any event, find me someone who can get me a rebuilt Viper tranny, installed in my car in Phoenix by next Wednesday for under $2,000 and I will be glad to talk to them. Come on all you guys saying I am getting ripped off. Heck find me a loose rebuilt for under $1,550. Who ya got.

 

[Cudaman]

I had EXTREMELY bad luck with Rockland ...their rebuilt tranny went 60 miles and it broke.....the whole time it was driven EASY. I was breaking in a new clutch. They did rebuild it at N/C although I had to ship there at my cost, they returned ship at N/C. I had to pay someone to install it twice. The rebuilt went bad too, first time I shifted into 6 gear it locked into 6th.

Their tranny rebuild cost me over $6,800. I got fed up with them, bought a used tranny from Hennesssey (never had ANY problems with it). I put the used tranny in and got the Rockland rebuilt properly and have never had any problems since then.


Cudaman

 

[PhoenixGTS]

Cudaman your story is exactly why I would pay a little extra to have a local work on it. After all, I am an attorney and I can sue people in AZ but not in NY!

I see none of the smack talkers above have come up with a rebuild for less than $1,550. Looks like I'll be moving forward. Now the question is, flywheel or no flywheel? And BTW, I re-looked in the service records and the clutch has 4,900 miles on it.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

If the rebuild is $1550 and you keep the core, that doesn't seem bad. With core exchange, that seems pretty typical.

If you keep the core, you can sell it on eBay. I've seen "bad" T-56's go for $600 or more.

I had 55,000 miles on an OEM clutch, like you, replaced it when repairing the transmission, and it was fine.

A lighter flywheel will change the clutch-engaged rear braking dynamics - it allow greater rear wheel rotation deceleration rates. The rear brakes have less rotational inertia to overcome.

 

[PhoenixGTS]

If the rebuild is $1550 and you keep the core, that doesn't seem bad. With core exchange, that seems pretty typical.

A lighter flywheel will change the clutch-engaged rear braking dynamics - it allow greater rear wheel rotation deceleration rates. The rear brakes have less rotational inertia to overcome.

The $1,550 is giving them the broken core back. You and I know my car could use some more rear balance in the brakes. I loved a lighter flywheel I had in a previous car, and figure with the traction problems of a Viper it makes sense.

 

[Jim Wilson]

Hey Michael, do you know what is damaged in your transmission? Perhaps it would be an option to fix it instead of replacing it?

I have a T-56 repair manual in .pdf format around here somewhere (I think it's at work) if your interested in looking at it I could send it to you.

Good luck and Happy New Year!

Jim

 

[PhoenixGTS]

Hey Michael, do you know what is damaged in your transmission? Perhaps it would be an option to fix it instead of replacing it?

I have a T-56 repair manual in .pdf format around here somewhere (I think it's at work) if your interested in looking at it I could send it to you.

Good luck and Happy New Year!

Jim

A guy puts a lift in his garage and he thinks he can fix anything! It started as a second gear synchro related rattle and at that point it sounded to my untrained ear like a "repair" might have been an option. But now the tranny sounds like it is full of rocks. Something has broken and is floating around in there. I am not even sure if I could drive to the tranny shop so I might just have it towed on a flatbed to be safe. For a nanosecond I thought about hitting you up to take it out, but honestly that is too much work to mooch and definitely too much work to risk improperly repairing it on our own. Might hit you up on the differential though!!

 

[Jeff Torrey]

I had a local tranny shop pull, rebuild and install my original tranny for $1800. All original Dodge Parts supplied by Woodhouse. Don't bother calling anyone else, dealers are not authorized to sell tranny parts, ***** did me a favor. Parts are big money, I think the parts were about $1200.00. I have 20,000 miles on the rebuild, no issues.
The tranny shop was very accomodating. They have one lift dedicated to antique and classic cars. It took about 10 days to get it all sorted out. Once the car was on the lift it never left it... until the tranny went back in. There was some Tooling involved (Miller Tool).

 

[Jim Wilson]

Hey Michael, do you know what is damaged in your transmission? Perhaps it would be an option to fix it instead of replacing it?

I have a T-56 repair manual in .pdf format around here somewhere (I think it's at work) if your interested in looking at it I could send it to you.

Good luck and Happy New Year!

Jim

A guy puts a lift in his garage and he thinks he can fix anything! It started as a second gear synchro related rattle and at that point it sounded to my untrained ear like a "repair" might have been an option. But now the tranny sounds like it is full of rocks. Something has broken and is floating around in there. I am not even sure if I could drive to the tranny shop so I might just have it towed on a flatbed to be safe. For a nanosecond I thought about hitting you up to take it out, but honestly that is too much work to mooch and definitely too much work to risk improperly repairing it on our own. Might hit you up on the differential though!!

Sure, I can fix ANYTHING, I just want to screw it up the first time on your car before I try it on mine. And of course you would have to sign an agreement never to sue me!

As far as "mooch" goes.......you wouldn't be because I'd give you a smokin deal for the install. $449.99 verses the $450.00 you will be spending!

Seriously though, I wouldn't want to get into tearing it apart either, R&R is the way to go in my opinion. And, I'd likely go for the aluminum flywheel as well.

BTW, I just installed the B&M shifter (from below instead of via the cockpit)
and it works great; much cleaner shifts.

 

[PhoenixGTS]

Hey Michael, do you know what is damaged in your transmission?

UPDATE: lesson learned = if your tranny blows, take the already rebuilt tranny the shop has in inventory or buy a another new/used tranny to put in, then give your tranny as a core and run like heck. Talked to the guy rebuilding my tranny today (biggest shop in the Southwest) and he tells me the main input cluster is toast. Chunks of gears are laying in the bottom of the tranny and the input shaft is injured along with non-involved gears. If I would have used this as a core I would have been long gone by the time they opened it and found the big damage, but now we learn that the main clusters are on national back order and cost $800+ which is not considered a standard part of a rebuilt. Good news is the shop is smart and has a line on a used cluster which they will buy and include in the already quoted price. But like I said, if your tranny starts to sound like a box of rocks, get a known good one and use yours as a core and high tail it out of there. And to think they offered to put the ROckland 5th and 6th in the rebuild they already had done then have me bring the car down . . . oh well, hindsight is 20-20.

 

[VPRTKMIKE]

I just got back a trans for a customer he sent it to G-FORCE inPa I will try to get the number. really good pricing and they build units to handle 1200 hp.

 

[PhoenixGTS]

I just got back a trans for a customer he sent it to G-FORCE inPa I will try to get the number. really good pricing and they build units to handle 1200 hp.

HOLY SHYTE! Took time to visit the G-Force Web-site and their units are $5k+ with all the options! Yikes! Cool sounding stuf regarding the improved Corvette-style synchros, but I'm no ballar so I'm out. Makes me feel better about what I am paying though - thanks.

http://www.g-forcetransmissions.com/tran_t-56_price.asp

 

[scottgf]

FYI

45k on my stock orig clutch.....still grabs fine....
I think I would spend the $300.00 while I had it out, but dont worry about needing another one in a few k miles...unless you beat the **** out of it...
Cheers,