Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) NV5600 Rebuilder: Blumenthal OR Standard Transmission?

[Shelby Griggs]

I am thinking of a rebuild on my NV5600 with 221K on the clock. I have a whine noise that I highly suspect is coming from the NV5600, goes away when coasting and returns even with slight throttle pressure. Seems to be getting worse.



If I decide to rebuild this prior to catastrophic failure, I am only considering Blumenthal OR Standard Transmission and was thinking of driving to one or the other from Oregon. As it turns out there is only a 200 miles difference, so driving to either one is essentially equal. While there of course a new SB clutch will also be installed. Looks like RT out of pocket expenses would be about $1500. How many days on site would be required?



Who would you go to and why?



SHG

 

[HBarlow]

I can't recommend one over the other. I have personal experience with Standard and was very pleased and positively impressed with their attitudes, their work, their service, and their prices. Standard rebuilt my NV-5600 @ 302k miles back in early '06 just before I sold it to my son-in-law and daughter. The price then for the rebuild with labor to remove and reinstall it in the truck and with a complete new clutch, pressure plate, throwout bearing, and pilot bushing was something like $2000-$2100.

I know a fellow TDR member who uses Standard also and have read comments by one or two who like Blumenthal.

IMO both are probably excellent companies who do good work for the prices they quote. My advice would be to call both, inquire about how they would rebuild your transmission (complete or only what's needed), pricing, and other factors. Make your own decision. I can only say that Standard is a good company.

It's not necessary to drive there from OR unless you simply want to. An alternative would be to remove or have removed the transmission locally, ship it truck freight to OKC or Ft Worth, and have someone local reinstall the clutch and transmission locally again.

 

[Shelby Griggs]

Harvey, thanks for your input, I had seen during a prior search that you were well pleased with Standard.



I realize I don't need to go to the "source", however, I am not sure there would be a huge cost savings in not going to either OK or TX. I would expect freight to run $300+ each way, and there is some validity to having the R&R, clutch and re-build ALL done at the same location, less fingers to point in case something goes wrong, plus you would be getting a known entity for the R&R. For a SB clutch R&R I was quoted about $1000 at a shop about 3 hours away, since the NV5600 has to come out for that, I could just add the rebuild costs and shipping. Based on the prices you were charged for the whole meal deal in 2006, it seems reasonable to expect that there may not be much less expenses to travel rather than staying local for the R&R and clutch work???



I do realize I would eat up 10 days of time or so, I guess I could chalk it up to vacation/sightseeing time!



SHG

 

[HBarlow]

Your point about a turnkey repair is a good one. There are advantages to paying one shop for the total job.

I think I paid a very modest and fair price for the transmission and clutch R & R at Standard but it was over three years ago and things change.