BM or Shep tranny

[Lunch_Box]

I am looking to upgrade my tranny over the winter for a project that I am working on. I was set on a Shep racing tranny and know that it is top notch but I was wondering what people thought about the BM tranny. It is about $400 cheaper and is on some of the fastest DSM's so it obvisouly can handle what I am going to be throwing at it. Is the Shep tranny worth the extra $400? The following is some info I got from there sites.

SHEPHERD RACING RACE TRANSMISSION

All of the std/upgrade rebuild parts
New 1st gear and input shaft
Double synchro 3-4 option
New intermediate shaft
Heavy duty shift rail
Steel shift forks
4 spider center diff
Magnet upgrade


BM CERTIFIED RACE TRANS: Complete with:

Billett 7000 Series Aircraft Aluminum Shift Forks
BM Spec 2nd Gear + Double Syncro.
BM Spec 3rd and 4th gear
Both hubs and sleeves
Custom shift rail ear for 3-4
BM Four Spider differential

 

[Eclipsei95cl]

What about TRE??

I think they have a bigger reputation then both companies you have mentioned.

Teamrip.com

check em out.

 

[TimmyD]

What about Dog Box racing? Heard some good things.
http://www.dogboxracing.com/services.cfm#rebuild

 

[DiabloRT]

Shep has been good to me.

 

[Street Surgeon]

If you want indestrutible, look for the dogmission from magnus! At any rate though... Interesting thread, I too am in the market for a tough tranny, and teamrip is nice, but 3k..... Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyit

 

[myblack98gst]

Shepard.... I have seen too many TRE's fail on the same cars..

between 3 people I know I have seen 8 TRE trannies fail

 

[Lunch_Box]

What about TRE??

I think they have a bigger reputation then both companies you have mentioned.

Teamrip.com

check em out.

I have read some bad things regarding TRE whether it be poor customer service or failed trannies.

 

[Lunch_Box]

If you want indestrutible, look for the dogmission from magnus!

I don't want to spend that much on a tranny and this is going to be in a street driven car so I want something that isn't so demanding.

 

[Lunch_Box]

What about Dog Box racing? Heard some good things.
http://www.dogboxracing.com/services.cfm#rebuild

Just checked out there site, seems like they have some good prices. Anyone have any experience with them?

 

[Lunch_Box]

Shep has been good to me.

And I have heard nothing but good things about Shep but if the BM tranny is just as good then why not save $400?

 

[DSMu4ia]

Shepherd Racing.

Bar None.

If any of you would like to dispute it, please come forth.

None of them come anywhere near the customer service as Shep. And just because they use similar or hell, even the SAME parts, doesn't mean they are the same rebuilds.

 

[DSM90AWD]

my .02..

I had a '94-spec BM Tranny (albeit a used one) that I picked up cheep from a local guy with the assumption that the case only needed re-welding.

I ended up getting a Shep Tranny and sold the BM as-is to another local guy whom rebuilds DSM Trannys. This guy opened it up and saw a a pretty messed up rebuild job (stripped intermediate shaft w/siezed VC, 2-3 hub/sliders fubarred) which he said was what caused the case to keep opening up.

Anyway.. I'm glad I spent the extra dough with Shep

 

[311GSX]

I've got the bm race tranny and have been happy with it. The reason I went that way was the price and it came with the 4 spider diff and billit shift forks. It lasted a good while before the second gear syncro went bad.

Bob

 

[sho_pow]

I just had my tranny rebuilt a couple of weeks ago by John at Shep Racing. He's a great guy with the best customer service I've ever experienced. Awesome communication via phone/email and quick turn around. It only took him a couple a days to rebuild it. I sent it on a Thursday and got it back the following Tuesday. He even did the '90 upgrade on mine even though he said it didn't need it for no extra charge! They forgot to include a new clutch fork boot when it was shipped and he ended up sending me a brand new one at no extra charge. He even said he would reimburse me if I bought one myself! I can't say enough good things about Shep Racing.

 

[krummel45]

Hands down shepard racing, i have herd nothing but bad things from both tre and bm, including having to rip the tranny back out and send it back in. Get it done right the first time and go with shep.

 

[97TSIAWD]

Shepherd racing tranny, just got mine done over the summer but I have been down to his house many times. Good guy, really good tranny and he promises I won't break it even though I want it to run 11's. So depending what you want you could probably say 10 second tranny and he would build one that you wouldn't be able to destroy if you tried. I've had nothing but good things from him so I'd say Shep, but check others also for comparisson.

 

[GRNDSM]

I have read some bad things regarding TRE whether it be poor customer service or failed trannies.

Come on! He said BIGGER and not BETTER .

Shep tranny all the way!!! I am on 2+ plus years of running 10's/low 11's on a standard Shep rebuild.

 

[thedsmsource]

In my humble opion i would go with TRE. As an individual who rebuilds trannys they are my first choice. I have had a few very bad incidences with bm (i bought the previous posted tranny w/ a bad case and insides). I was talking with John the other day and his evo tranny he just built was able to do 50mph downshifts into 1st gear w/o a single wimper. Hey may cost $100 more then shep, but trust me, your getting more for your money. His maganfluxing he does, along with his machining makes for better shfits. The being that i have driven all three tranny's, he's the one i'd go with. He's also the only one who worked with my galant evo gears and ot them shifting beautifuly. Plus shep racing uses some of TRE's parts, *cough* modified steel shift forks *cough*

 

[snox135]

I have had my TRE for almost 3 years now and I love it. It is by far the best shifting DSM that I have ever driven and I"ve driven BM'S and Shep's but not the Dogbox or a Magnus. Everybody told me that I would be waiting for ever to get my tranny from them, but I did not. It was a couple days later than oringally planned but not the weeks that everybody else said it would be. If I were to do it all over again I would go with Magnus if money weren't an issue but if it was I would chose TRE in a heartbeat over the others.

This transmission actually shifts so smooth and easy you will enjoy shifting your car (unlike a stock DSM tranny). I always liked my car but hated the way it shifted and almost sold it because of it. But this tranny totally changed that. As far as anything bad or good about there tranny's or anybody elses. I would ask around to people who you know that have actual experience with the companies and not people on the internet who are making good or bad claims (including me). Get a hold of yor local DSM club and ask people for there experience and not what they have heard from other people. Which reminds me of what the DJ on the radio said today about Dimebag Darrel being killed " there is so much info out there that there is actually no info" meaning there are to many rumors to sort out the truth.


Rest in Peace, Dimebag
We love you.

 

[bigjdog84]

These prices are probably assuming that the components in your tranny that are not being replaced are still in perfect shape. Even if you think your tranny shifts alright (no grinding, etc) it still could have alot of worn/broken parts. When my tranny was pulled apart reverse was really messed up, but when driven it worked fine. It was only a matter of time for just enough teeth to be sheered off and then there would be some problems.

With all of these companies I don't believe that its an issue of who has the cheapest parts, fastest cars, or the prettiest website. I think its a matter of who knows which parts to reuse in the rebuild process.

We all know that the majority of these guys know how to build race* transmissions and use them in thier cars. But its really about whose going to take more pride in thier work and doesn't want to put so-so parts back into a normal customer's tranny. If your tranny is grinding into x gear, you figure sure the synchro(s) need to be replaced, but more then likely since the synchro is worn and the gears are not properly lining up and the teeth get rounded right where the synchro should be making the transition. Its things like that and replacing other small often overlooked parts in these transmissions that set most builders apart. You have to remember your biggest bottleneck will probably be the first to break in your tranny, and it doesn't help putting parts back in that have 100k+ on them.

These shops know that they are practically sucking you dry in the first place and would hate to crack open a tranny and find alot of suprises that need to be replaced. These might wind up costing $500 more ontop of the $2000 you are already spending. Rather then replacing a questionable part, they may just put it back in knowing that the customer can't swing that much, etc.

I've had first hand experience with BM Tranny and can say they are not impressive by the least. Customer service sucked, waiting period was long, and 3 rebuilds later the car is now FWD and seems to be a little notchy going into 3rd. Now thats qaulity

Personally, I can't comment on TRE, seems like they have thier ups and downs.
I know many people that are extremely happy with Shep's work.
I do have first hand experience dealing with JNZ tuning (josh jones). Hes a good guy and took my tranny apart right there infront of me. He cleaned and examined everything and showed me what was broken/worn and whatever needed to be replaced. If i needed to do it all over again, theres no doubt in my mind that I'd bring it to JNZ.

Good luck with your choice.
Later/joe

 

[Lunch_Box]

Well I am probably going to give Shep a call, I have never heard a bad thing about his work and he has a fast turn around. Thanks for all the input.

 

[90blacktsiawd]

Can anybody tell me how the shep or bm trannies shift? I was actually lookin to get me tranny rebuilt by bm soon. I chose them because of bang for the buck. For the same price as the basic shep tranny u get a 4 spider center dif and a limited slip front.

 

[thedsmsource]

Do not always go with the best bang for the buck. Your loking for best quality job for the long run. An inproperly done job to decrease cost with be equivilent to having the job done twice. bigjdog84, had a good point which several people never realize. Synchro's are only an intermediate step to the hub/slider engaging the gear. They aid in the slider going over the teeth on the selected gear. A bad gear (bad mating teeth) will kill a synchro in several months, and leads to an inproper job. A rebuild consists of more then just synchros and cool 4 spider diffs. Thats one reason why i like John at tre, he replaces all hub sliders, 2nd gear, synchros, and another inportant thing is needle bearings. These are small bearing that the gears ride on, according to the shepracing site, they do not replace them. Please take it in mind i do not bash shep, i am just going with my experiance with john at tre. I know that a year or so back shep was just using a preasure washer to clean gears when tre was using a hot tank. But whoever you choose don't let $100 or two make your decision. Hours goes into rebuilding a tranny, having to wait a week to two to get a high quality tranny back is worth the wait.

Can anybody tell me how the shep or bm trannies shift? I was actually lookin to get me tranny rebuilt by bm soon. I chose them because of bang for the buck. For the same price as the basic shep tranny u get a 4 spider center dif and a limited slip front.

 

[falcone4g63]

Jon and ming from tre are really great guys and ive had no problems with their work. i might be a little bias though because they are about an hour form my house so i went with them due to no shipping costs. i have bought two transmissions from them now for two diffrent cars and if i ever get another dsm with a bad trans its going there no question.

the most recent one i went to pick up and there was a mix up and they didnt start on mine yet when i got there about 11:00 am. ming said come back later that afternoon and it would be done, and it was. when i picked it up jon showed me how his magnaflux machine works and chit chated with me for like a half hour about dsm stuff and what to expect while doing the install, because it was my first time doing a trans/clutch/flywheel swap.

a couple weeks later when i brought my old trans back they tore it apart in front of me and showed me what they could and couldnt reuse, which wasnt much. pretty much the whole thing was junk and he was going to give me $50 for it but he didnt go to the bank that morning and nobody else in the whole building had any moneyto lend him to pay me. i said dude its no big deal its a junk tranny anyway, but he insited that he give me the money for coming all the way out there and the cost of gas and everything.two days later $50 came in the mail.

so i would recomend tre to anyone that needs a dsm transmission rebuilt.

 

[Eclipsei95cl]

Man if TRE worked on autos id be there tomrrow morning, because tre is only 40 minutes away from me oh well I can always go ipt but spending 3 grand and shipping is too much, i could do a 5spd swap for that much and cheaper