Any Humvee shops / business on here?

[Bocephus]

More specifically, I'm looking to see if there are any shops that will do the 4-speed transmission conversions.

If there are, where are you located, and what would your cost be to do this.

4L80E or the 700r4. I'm interested in either one.



Thanks,
Bryan

 

[Action]

Contact RetiredWarHorse on here.

 

[dhaumann69166]

Pretty much any mechanics shop or transmission shop can do the swap for you.

 

[Bocephus]

Sorry, but I disagree with that statement entirely. In fact, I would go on the opposite and say 99% of mechanic or transmission shops won't do the swap or have the knowledge to perform one efficiently and correctly.

 

[JoeJrTheBarber]

Sorry, but I disagree with that statement entirely. In fact, I would go on the opposite and say 99% of mechanic or transmission shops won't do the swap or have the knowledge to perform one efficiently and correctly.

Agree 100%.
I have been going around to try and find a decent shop that can / and more importantly wants to work on these trucks with little to no success.
Figure in a city like Chicago that wouldn't be a issue but I was wrong..

 

[Milcommoguy]

While it's easy to talk about, when in come to doing it... that could turn in to a big headache for a shop that needs to move them in and move them out to make money. Can't tie up the bench, bay or pay employee's trying to fit it all together, hunt down this and that, set it up and stand behind it. Trying to figure it out spells $$$$$$. Nuts and bolts, plug and play easy. Now if someone came up with a Hummwv "FLIP THAT TRANy" program, that could be a different story. (that almost doesn't sound quite PC)

Story time. Big idea to have MV painted. Tore it all apart. Sanded out the cab, fenders, bed, doors, hood, the big parts you would see going down the road. Got a couple of quotes that seemed reasonable but had to see it. Loaded it all up on trailer. After seeing it, reasonable went to rob a bank crazy money. Owner / operator / paint booth time, plus moving all the parts around (labor) killed that plan. Bought the good stuff from PPG paints, Spray gun from harbor freight, $22. Mix, stir and sprayed myself. Won first place in class and saved $4000 dollars. What has been a poor mans hobby for my 35 years seems to been hit by, if you can afford a Hummwv break out the wallet.

NOW get to bed.

 

[Retiredwarhorses]

While it's easy to talk about, when in come to doing it... that could turn in to a big headache for a shop that needs to move them in and move them out to make money. Can't tie up the bench, bay or pay employee's trying to fit it all together, hunt down this and that, set it up and stand behind it. Trying to figure it out spells $$$$$$. Nuts and bolts, plug and play easy. Now if someone came up with a Hummwv "FLIP THAT TRANy" program, that could be a different story. (that almost doesn't sound quite PC)

Story time. Big idea to have MV painted. Tore it all apart. Sanded out the cab, fenders, bed, doors, hood, the big parts you would see going down the road. Got a couple of quotes that seemed reasonable but had to see it. Loaded it all up on trailer. After seeing it, reasonable went to rob a bank crazy money. Owner / operator / paint booth time, plus moving all the parts around (labor) killed that plan. Bought the good stuff from PPG paints, Spray gun from harbor freight, $22. Mix, stir and sprayed myself. Won first place in class and saved $4000 dollars. What has been a poor mans hobby for my 35 years seems to been hit by, if you can afford a Hummwv break out the wallet.

NOW get to bed.

the cost of painting is in the prep work....I have trucks that take 40hrs or more to prep for paint, that equals money to any shop, not sure why folks think that taking any vehicle into getting Paint will be a $500 venture.
we don’t do Paint on a truck until we see the truck and it’s current Paint condition, but our full paint jobs average 3K in Parts and labor.

 

[Bocephus]

Retiredwarhorses,

What could I expect for a bill on having your shop do the 4 speed transmission shop if I supplied the transmission?

Thanks,
Bryan

 

[snowtrac nome]

to convert from the 3l80 to a 4l80e is really involved you need a wiring harness dual voltage alternator transmission with torque converter drive shafts and a new transfer case plus the 4 speed shift selector. I did one of these in Iraq we had full kits at the time to upgrade to the theater standard for the supply chain. I think now days vehicles have to be updated before they are considered deployable. Back than if one came in for maintenance with a major issue with engine or trans the engine got swapped to a 6.5 or the 3l80 trans got dumped for the more modern 4 speed electronic model to simplify logistics and parts supply.

 

[Retiredwarhorses]

Retiredwarhorses,

What could I expect for a bill on having your shop do the 4 speed transmission shop if I supplied the transmission?

Thanks,
Bryan

price depends on a lot of variables...OEM, after market. Currently working on an aftermarket solution, so till I’m done, I won’t have Labor costs in line.
OEM? Well, that depends on what you supply as far as parts, if any...most are going with drivetrain swaps, that’s about 23k give or take. Many OEM parts on Back ordered from AMG, this because so many folks doing swaps I suspect.
Drive Shafts are back ordered, torque converter covers etc...just depends on how you want it.
A2 body harness? Well....those are MFG discontinued, those that I see are now 2500 on up, so I would go with an ECV harness at $1800.

 

[Bocephus]

Wow.................. Yea $20k plus into a swap will not be in this humvee's future, hahaha. No offense, I understand custom comes with a cost, but had no idea it would be that high.

I foresee tackling the 700r4 in my future I guess. I'm not looking for a motor swap, just want a lower first, and then a fourth gear.

 

[dhaumann69166]

Have you thought about doing the 700r4 swap yourself to save some money? It’s not a terrible complicated project. If you do it yourself there are threads on here with details on what parts you will need and info on how to do the project. You can either have your 700r4 rebuilt with a 32 spline output shaft to make it mate up to your stock transfer case or stay with the 27 spline output shaft and swap the input gear on the transfer case. 27 spline input gear is around $100.

 

[Bocephus]

I have, and actually a few of the threads that took off about the 700r4 on here was mine

That's probably the route I go if having a shop that will do it, run me 20k, lol. Time is something that is far and few these days, so I've gotten to the point of trying to pay for things like this. But, I think the 700r4 swap will be in my future.

 

[Retiredwarhorses]

I have, and actually a few of the threads that took off about the 700r4 on here was mine

That's probably the route I go if having a shop that will do it, run me 20k, lol. Time is something that is far and few these days, so I've gotten to the point of trying to pay for things like this. But, I think the 700r4 swap will be in my future.

you clearly didn’t read my post, OEM is 20k or so...after market solution with 4L80e is significantly lower, for obvouis reasons. I won’t touch an R4 for these trucks, not will any good transmission shop if they are worth there weight, but that’s an argument I’m not going to have anymore.

 

[kdaniels]

@ Retired, You are correct, time is money for these shops. I have been lucky enough to have some friends that work at local paint and body shops that can work "off the clock" and have taught me the "basics'' for painting, which has saved me lots of cabbage. Most shops are in to turning numbers to keep money flowing to cover payroll/expenses and don't want a hobby/project taking up space in their shop.

This is why this forum and folks like you are essential to the hobby.


SEMPER FI !


keith

 

[Sintorion]

the cost of painting is in the prep work....I have trucks that take 40hrs or more to prep for paint, that equals money to any shop, not sure why folks think that taking any vehicle into getting Paint will be a $500 venture.
we don’t do Paint on a truck until we see the truck and it’s current Paint condition, but our full paint jobs average 3K in Parts and labor.

I think you are right on with your $3k paint price. I paid $1000 for my essential over spray.

 

[JoeJrTheBarber]

Not to start this " fight" again but a well built / Stage 2 or 3 700R4 will do just fine behind a 6.2 / 6.5L Humvee.
Plus you don't have to deal with electronics, different drive shafts, etc..

 

[Bocephus]

Kind of my thought Joe after doing some research, so that's the route I will go.

 

[Retiredwarhorses]

Not to start this " fight" again but a well built / Stage 2 or 3 700R4 will do just fine behind a 6.2 / 6.5L Humvee.
Plus you don't have to deal with electronics, different drive shafts, etc..

Funny how you have to build it up to get it even close to a stock 4L80e.
You aren’t saving any money, 4L80e is far more prolific then an R4, Parts are all over the place and cheap.
Ive consulted with many trans shops that want nothing to do with an R4, and yes, I’m aware everyone has an opinion, but we don’t do this as a hobby, I see what works and what doesn’t on a daily basis.

 

[Bocephus]

If time is money, wouldn't you be further ahead with the 700R4 transmission as far as install goes? Aside from the debate on the 700r4 not being adequate. From my understanding, having never installed either, from my readings the 700r4 is a much easier install. Is that not the case?


In the midwest, it seems I can buy a somewhat built 700R4 for $300-400. Which I haven't seen a 4L80E that cheap.