Georgia Transmission Builders

[Revenant2020]

Hey everyone. Been out of the game for quite awhile and recently got back into owning an older Duramax and experiencing all the joys that comes with 220k miles of unknown maintenance. I was wondering if anyone knows a good transmission builder in the Southeast. Trey was the man 10+ years ago when I was last in this arena and not sure he is in the game anymore. I'm looking ideally for a shop so that I can drop it off and pick it back up again with a built transmission and not have to worry about the removal and installation myself. I don't plan on going insane with my mods, but I prefer overbuilt where I can when I have to replace something anyways. Anyone have any recommendations?

**Sorry if there is a common thread or some recent posts with this info already... my search didn't show anything recent for me.

 

[PureHybrid]

Who is Trey?

Here is a recent thread that mentions a couple guys on the east, not sure how far you're willing to travel

Looking for Allison build/install options near Virginia.

2006 LBZ: When we tow our 5th wheel (about 17000 pounds combined) I can get some TC slip in 5th gear. Usually right at 1700 rpms, rolling into the throttle in 5th gear in rolling hills. 55 mph speed limit zones are the worst because it puts me right in that 1600-1750 rpm range. If I drive...

www.duramaxdiesels.com

 

[Revenant2020]

Thanks for responding and for the link! Trey Fox, used go with a forum handle (on one of the dmax forums) as BlackDirtyMax. Pretty sure his shop was somewhere around Augusta, GA. I'm not unwilling to travel for the right shop, but my wishful thinking is that someone will have a recommendation to where I won't have to take vacation days. We have a few diesel shops scattered around, Lead Foot Diesel being one of them, but can't find a forum presence anywhere... at least in regards to transmissions.

 

[Bdsankey]

I will reach out to Goerend and see who they have as dealers in the Atlanta area beyond what is on their website.


My shop also can easily build a unit and ship it down on a pallet if you cannot find a reputable builder in your area.

 

[PureHybrid]

Thanks for responding and for the link! Trey Fox, used go with a forum handle (on one of the dmax forums) as BlackDirtyMax. Pretty sure his shop was somewhere around Augusta, GA. I'm not unwilling to travel for the right shop, but my wishful thinking is that someone will have a recommendation to where I won't have to take vacation days. We have a few diesel shops scattered around, Lead Foot Diesel being one of them, but can't find a forum presence anywhere... at least in regards to transmissions.

Dustin Mintern is in Leland, NC from what I remember @othrgrl

I think you finding a well known shop that close to where you won't be burning days off is a pipe dream.

 

[Revenant2020]

Thank you for the feedback Bdsankey and PureHybrid! I am impressed with Georend and were I not a chicken shit I'd try my hand at rebuilding a transmission with one of their master kits. It for sure is wishful thinking that I'd find something I wouldnt have to travel long distance for, but it is what it is and was worth a shot asking

 

[Bdsankey]

Thank you for the feedback Bdsankey and PureHybrid! I am impressed with Georend and were I not a chicken shit I'd try my hand at rebuilding a transmission with one of their master kits. It for sure is wishful thinking that I'd find something I wouldnt have to travel long distance for, but it is what it is and was worth a shot asking

Goerend is all we use for converters and hard parts here at my shop. They are absolutely phenomenal to work with!

 

[Revenant2020]

Goerend is all we use for converters and hard parts here at my shop. They are absolutely phenomenal to work with!

Were I to make a 13 hour trek to Wisconsin, would I be able to talk to you about what that would look like schedule/price-wise? I'm not planning to shoot for 1000hp, but 500 - 550 seems like it's within the safe limits of an LMM provided you're not towing heavy with it. Ultimately, looking for something that can handle the extra power reliably and not likely to require a rebuild 50k miles later.

 

[Bdsankey]

Were I to make a 13 hour trek to Wisconsin, would I be able to talk to you about what that would look like schedule/price-wise? I'm not planning to shoot for 1000hp, but 500 - 550 seems like it's within the safe limits of an LMM provided you're not towing heavy with it. Ultimately, looking for something that can handle the extra power reliably and not likely to require a rebuild 50k miles later.

Absolutely. It would be a 1 day job so very simple. I do have cores to cover 01-19 (17-19 would pay core fee) and would have the unit built ready to drop in.

For my standard 750hp rated unit I am $6500 + 6% tax installed including cooler flush, $7000 + 6% tax installed with Mishimoto trans cooler. If you wanted to install it yourself or have a shop down there do it I can easily build/pallet up a unit and it would be $5750 + any applicable tax and shipping. Shipping usually is ~$500-$750ish round trip.

I typically only use my OEM+ (550whp rated) build on hot-shot trucks or work trucks that may at most see a simple tow tune, that doesn't mean it can't handle a DSP5 tune it's just how I typically make recommendations. I do this because I've seen it time and time again, guy gets a built trans and DSP5 then wants to do say a drop in turbo or go to a 45%+ injector when his die, then the customer complains that the trans isn't rated for more etc. Those are $750 less. If you wanted to go that route I easily can. My OEM+ will easily handle anything stock fuel/air will throw at it and more (I've ran them to 650-675whp and had them holding up very well but I don't warranty them there).

The big difference is clutch selection and steels. My 750hp+ builds all use better clutch materials (Alto G3 & Raybestos GPZ) whereas my OEM+ uses an OEM style material (Borg Warner high energy). Both have increased clutch counts.

C1: OEM is 14 friction surfaces (7x dual sided), I run 16 surfaces in all builds (750+ gets 16x single sided, OEM+ gets 8x dual sided)
-OEM+ gets Borg High energy w/stock material steels
-750hp+ gets Alto G3 waffle pattern w/stock material steels

C2: OEM is 12 friction surfaces (6x dual sided), I run 14 surfaces in 750+ (7x dual sided) and 12 in OEM+ (6x dual sided)
-OEM+ gets Borg High energy w/stock material steels
-750hp+ gets Alto G3 waffle pattern or Raybestos GPZ w/stock material steels

C3: OEM is 8 friction surfaces (4x dual sided based on year), I run 12 surfaces in all builds (6x dual sided)
-OEM+ gets Borg High energy w/stock material steels
-750hp+ gets Alto G3 tan parallel, SCZ195, or SCZ196 w/kolene steels

C4: OEM is 12 friction surfaces (6x dual sided), I run OEM counts for this pack
-OEM+ gets Borg High energy w/stock material steels
-750hp+ gets Alto G3 tan parallel, SCZ195, or SCZ196 w/kolene steels

C5: OEM is 12 friction surface (6x dual sided), I run OEM counts for this pack and use Borg High energy if they need to be replaced. I typically reuse these as even at 400k miles I typically can see the part number ink stamping on the friction surface.

Feel free to shoot me a message!