Gearbox repairs - Shiplake Motors, Henley

Post by **Rooster** » 02 Jan 2008, 16:02

Hi folks and a happy and prosperious new year to you all.

On the subject of gearbox repaires. I took my one to Dave Aldridge Shiplake Motors 0118 940 3125 near Henley as it was getting difficult to change gear.
Dave has been fixing gearboxes for years and VW is a specialty
I had problems with not being able to change gear due to a broken ring. Arrived at the garage for 09:00 he took the gearbox out stripped and fixed it and had it back in the van on the road all in a day. last year a bearing started to fail and again he fixed it all in a day.

Would

recomend him if you need a gearbox repair, it's never cheep but it's worth getting it done properley.

Post by **Aidan** » 02 Jan 2008, 21:45

Why didn't he fix it once properly ?

Post by **lloyd** » 03 Jan 2008, 18:31

My present gearbox is a Shiplake job done less then 2 years ago. I need to get Aidan to rebuild it before long. Enough said.

Lloyd

Post by **Hacksawbob** » 04 Jan 2008, 00:25

yours lasted 2 years! lucky you!

Post by **lloyd** » 04 Jan 2008, 11:01

Yeah bought van with it installed. First things I noticed were grinding in 1st and 2nd, jumps out of 1st and lots of slack when on/off go petal. Feels like it's got 100k on it.

At least no nasty noises from bearing, etc.

Post by **toomanytoys** » 04 Jan 2008, 11:29

I nearly made a comment about why didnt he fix it properly the first time, but didnt....

Aidan didnt start doing gearboxes "properly" by accident.....

Post by **Hacksawbob** » 04 Jan 2008, 11:42

I had problems with not being able to change gear due to a broken ring.

Sounds painful

Post by **lloyd** » 04 Jan 2008, 11:59

Guess it depends on definition of 'rebuild'. Too often it's shortcut and only 'replace what's broken' and not a true rebuild to 'replace all parts worn past wear limits' or 'replace parts to new spec'.

100k box with 'replace what's broken' rebuild won't last. Too many other parts are or are almost worn out.

Post by **toomanytoys** » 05 Jan 2008, 17:08

Yep... Aidan truly rebiulds... not all new parts (unless you want to spend a lot of money, ie gears etc) but all the bits that wear...
best speak to him..

Post by **Hacksawbob** » 05 Jan 2008, 19:03

uess it depends on definition of 'rebuild'. Too often it's shortcut and only 'replace what's broken' and not a true rebuild to 'replace all parts worn past wear limits' or 'replace parts to new spec'

.
Or stick in whatever bits you have to hand whether fit for use or not if it lasts the warantee it'll do

Post by **Aidan** » 05 Jan 2008, 19:36

Just today stripped a box with virtually no miles on it after it was rebuilt by someone else, the fault when it went to them was jumping out of fourth gear, the fault came back pretty much straight away - it's a syncro box and the cause is simply it has a four/five speed gear carrier (part of the case) in it instead of the syncro one so no way of preventing the main bearing turning in the case and wearing it so it then becomes loose and moves in the case

They had had a go at cinching it up by punching the case around the bearing but the alloy is too soft for that to work as the bearing race is so much harder and will out.
The pinion bearing was well worn and had not been replaced, the pinion lock nut wasn't properly tight and the diff bearings weren't set right allthough the backlash was correct so it was over loaded on one side of the diff and it had a mix of syncro rings fitted not one of which was the correct one on the correct gear.
It's probably a good job the fourth gear fault wasn't fixed cos if it had been driven much further it could have been an expensive bang type failure.

ps I know I'm not perfect but I'm trying to be and I'll honour the warranty

Post by **lloyd** » 05 Jan 2008, 20:04

Hacksawbob wrote:
uess it depends on definition of 'rebuild'. Too often it's shortcut and only 'replace what's broken' and not a true rebuild to 'replace all parts worn past wear limits' or 'replace parts to new spec'
.
Or stick in whatever bits you have to hand whether fit for use or not if it lasts the warantee it'll do

Exactly! Transmission 'rebuilds' are one of the worst this, but engines get the same kind of crap 'rebuilds' too often.

Too many shops get good reviews for their work when it isn't even acceptable quality.

Post by **lloyd** » 05 Jan 2008, 20:11

Aidan, I don't understand your "ps I know I'm not perfect but I'm trying to be and I'll honour the warranty". You didn't build the box, what warranty are you talking about?

I haven't personally used any of your rebuilds or seen your work, but we have some mutual friends who's judgement I trust, and they all say you do top work. These are professional people who know a quality job when they see it. That's why mine will be done by you when it gets done.

Lloyd

Post by **Aidan** » 06 Jan 2008, 10:58

I'll honour my warranty on my work, 12 months unlimited mileage.

Post by **lloyd** » 06 Jan 2008, 11:36

Aidan, I assume you are not doing warranty on someone elses crap rebuild.
One year unlimited mileage... well, that's what poor rebuilders give too.... and look how many die a premature death.

I guess my point is that you do a quality rebuild and replace everything that is worn beyond reasonable tolerances. Therefore your rebuilds are at near new condition and will last many many years and miles. Yes, you are human and might make a mistake that needs to be fixed. I think that if something was to go out in one of your boxes in 2 or every 3 years and you open it up to find it was something you missed, overlooked, goofed, etc. that you would fix it for free.