[BLACK SUNSHINE]

I am pondering a trans re-build and was wondering what a fair price would be on a TH350?

[Cliff R]

It depends on what "level" you want the trans built to? I have come to HATE the term "rebuilt" because it doesn't mean the same thing to any two transmission "builders".

You will find estimates to run between about $350 to as high as $550. I've even seen a few down around $250. In most cases, regardless what they tell you, you are going to get $12 worth of paper/rubber and nicely sanded used steels, frictions from nails hanging on the shop wall and a couple of check balls thrown out/large separator plate holes for a "shift kit".

To build a correct unit, the list of parts will include, frictions, steels, band, full set of bushings, thrust washers, both sprags, HP int. sprag race, sealing rings, filter, modulator (adjustable), and a good shift kit. The cost of these parts will be close to $250.

To improve the unit for serious HP use, add the $275 direct drum w/36 element sprag, a bolt in center support for a 4L60 transmission, five clutch piston for the direct drum and HP frictions/steels/band. These improvements run the cost of parts up near $600.

As you can see, it is difficult to estimate a "fair" price, because you really don't know exactly what you are going to get for your money? Since I've worked in the transmission business for several decades, I can say with great certainty that you will probably get very little for your dollar spent, at least from the majority of "builders" in this business.

Do your homework carefully, most transmission builders that I know work on high profit margins by spending the least amount of money possible on your unit and charging the highest possible price. There are still from pretty good builders out there, the work will not be cheap, but worth every penny that you spend......Cliff

[LouisianaGuy]

My Guy I use has done several TH350's for me and he caharges 375.00 Fo a bench job, and all but one of his trannies has held up great going down the track and around town....he recently did one for me for a friends truck, and it lost second gear First bad one I HAVE EVER GOT FROM HIM. So there are good guys out there that dont charge an arm and a leg.
Mike

[rayluka]

based on Cliff's very intelectual brake down...just add labor. That would be the fair price!

[Cliff R]

With the TH350 transmission in particular, they came in many "flavors". Most transmission "builders" don't know enough about them to prepare one for serious high performance use. They changed internals frequently thru the years of production, at times adding potential failure points to the unit. This is the single biggest reason they get a bad rap and folks quickly jump to the TH400.

Mike, you would have to define "several" transmissions. If that is two, then the failure rate is 50 percent? If he built 4 units for you, then the failure rate is 25 percent? Way too high if it were a full time transmission business!

We have had one particular TH350 in service for 5 seasons in a customers car running well into the 10's. We pulled it down while the engine was out for repairs recently and only needed to replace the direct drum frictions and steels. They were just starting to show some blue spots on the steel plates. This is prettty much "normal" for a transmission that is being hit with near 700hp every time it's used! Let the frictions take the abuse, NOT the hard parts, that's what they are supposed to do. It's my opinion that the hydraulics of the unit are more important than the parts used to set it up. The high line pressure and window shattering shifts provided by many shift "kits" can be extremely hard on the unit, and decrease it's life expectancy accordingly. We've been leaving the accumulators operational and being more conservative for separator plate hole sizes in recent years. Ya, you don't get the loud "chirp" between gears for "normal" driving, but the trans will love you more for it!....Cliff