Can someone guesstimate how much a transmission shop would charge me to rebuild a FT4WD D/R with swapped gears? I'm just looking for a ballpark estimate.

i would geusstimate about 1.5-2g's....

cheers, brain

A lot. Just a rebuild would probably run near $1k or over. When you are talking about custom stuff like swapping gears around - who knows. If you can even find a shop willing to put their good name on the line with a non-OEM setup like that you are talking about some serious cash. Transmissions are close-tollerance machines and you don't swap around internals without doing your homework - that takes time and money and unless you find a shop that already has done it and has the recipe/know-how down you will have to pay.

 

Ultimately they have to charge a LOT because this isn't a Ford/Chevy and you are probably the only one that will/will ever ask them to do it. A shop makes money off providing good prices on what they know - for them to step out on a limb they are going to need capital to sweeten the deal. Likely the quote will be high to try and drive you away and if you accept it then they have you by the wallet anyway so no big deal.

 

GD

What they said - this all comes down to the shop. There's probably a very few in the country that would give a reasonable price for this and for good reason. Most likely it's going to be really high, unless you're lucky enough to find someone to do it.

 

Might be best to find someone on a subaru board that has done it before to do it for you. Shipping would probably be cheaper and I'd rather it be done by someone that knows Subarus too. Or ask here if anyone knows a shop that would do this.

Thanks for the helpful comments! I had a hunch that it was preventatively expensive, but worth double checking with the resident experts.

Now, on thos particular trans - the FT4wd rx tranny, where do they usually leak oil from? While under the brat the other day, I noticed some gear oil buildup coming from somewhere. It's fresh oil, and it hasn't been run a lot.

Thanks for the helpful comments! I had a hunch that it was preventatively expensive, but worth double checking with the resident experts.

 

Noah, go on bigskysubaru.com. Talk to robert aka(fastback959) he works at the subaru dealer in billings. He has rebuilt some wrx 5 speeds, he could probably do yours too.

^Thanks Randy, I'm discussing this with Robert currently.

 

I would like to change topic here and pose a question:

 

What are some 'recipe' suggestions for a custom FT4WD D/R build? Firstly, the application would be auto-x and rally-x in my 84 turbo hardtop. Secondly, I'm trying to decide on the center differential, lockable or EJ . . . And of course I need to figure out what final drive ratio to go with and what gearset to use.

 

Input appreciated.

"What are some 'recipe' suggestions for a custom FT4WD D/R build?"

 

I'd locate the lowest mileage, best codition core I could lay my hands on.

 

Seals and front bearing are available at rockauto, if needed. If I need syncros I'd have to go OEM. But whatever it took.

 

Having a good core, replacement parts would be minimal and save money.

 

Doug

Hey Noah.

 

Talk to Bill Omlin (The Beast I Drive) - he is in the middle of converting an RX tranny to 4.11 ratio final drive.