Being that I work for the internets, and am a moderate PC genius, I figured I would have no trouble finding a suitable transmission guy on the internet that would be able to handle my issue, and not break the bank. I came to this conclusion after calling various local shops, and asking, what seemed to me to be, a fairly straight forward question. My jeep suddenly started grinding when going into 3rd. I'm not talking a little "eh" I'm taking a gigantic grind that doesn't want you to go into the gear at all. It felt like there was an iron wall of grind keeping me from going into 3rd. So I just skipped that gear for a few days, and stopped trying to force it.
So, after calling many shops and getting the same answer "I've got 30+ years of experience, but I wouldn't have any idea without taking the trans out, apart, and looking at it." To me, that just sounds like a way to steal my money.
Off to the internets I went. I found the price of the transmission new (AX-15 for 1990 6cl) to be about 2k. As I had no intention of spending that much money to put into a 5k jeep, I looked at the rebuild kits. I am not mechanical, I'm a computer guy. I know how to drive stuff, not fix it. I do have a friend with such inclinations, but he did not know hot to rebuild a trans. The rebuild kit was about 400 bucks. Now, on ebay, and a couple of local junk yards and resale shops, I could find a rebuilt trans for 800-1200 bucks. I did some more checking, and found the number to a shop in Haslet, TX.
I had no idea where Haslet was, so I googled it, and found it just north of Fort Worth, by the Texas Motor Speedway. I called the number on the website, which I had found in a craigslist ad, mentioning my very type of trans at the right price ($850 rebuilt). I called Chris (Jeeps Unlimited), and gave him my story. He seemed knowledgeable, and willing to assist. I advised that money and service were key, and that I was tired of getting the runaround from the transmissions shops I called. Chris said he had one rebuilt at his shop he would sell me for $850 with core swap. He even offered to look at mine, see if it could be rebuilt cheaper, and if not, I could still do the core swap for the $850 trans. Based on his tone over the phone, and the price, I decided to give it a try. Chris was even willing to meet me close to my work, so that I didn't have to trek to Haslet to get stuff.
So, a date was set. My friend and I would yank my trans out, and meet Chris at a public location in Richardson, Tx. Being skeptical of nearly everything on the internet, and everything on craigslist, I kept it first name basis, public meeting place, etc. I didn't think there was a huge market for scammers using an AX-15 trans as a way to steal my money, but I don't trust people, so. Once the trans was out, I called Chris back, and we arranged a meeting place. He advised he would need some upfront money to start the process. $400 of the $850. I was willing to take the risk to get my issue handled as cheaply as possible, while still thinking I was going to get some quality. So, with trans and 400 dollars in money orders in hand, off my buddy and I went to meet Chris.
Chris pulled up in his cargo van a few minutes late (no biggie) and told me that it would take a day or 2 to rip it apart, diagnose, and let me know what was happening. I handed over my money and trans, shook hands, got his card, and away we went. This was a friday. Chris said he would call me Saturday and let me know what he thought. Saturday he called, and let me know that everything inside the transmission relating to 3rd gear was toast (gears, synchros, rods, etc). He said his recommendation was to rebuild the whole thing, since it all had to come apart anyway. I agreed, and he said he would rebuild mine, with all new parts internally for $850. I agreed, and away he went.
Chris called me on Monday, and we arranged for a pickup of the trans and $450 dollar money exchange that day. We met at the same place, and he gave us the newly rebuilt trans. He said he dry shifted it on the table 3-5 times through all gears, and it was in great working order. He has a 12 month full waranty, so I should put it in the jeep, and drive the crap out of it to make sure if it's going to break again, it's within 12 months.
So away we went with our trans in hand. We were able to install it that weekend, and after several hours of putting it back in, everything back together, filling checking fluids, bleeding clutch, etc. (put in new clutch during this process), we fired ole' blue up. Before that, we noticed that it was really hard to shift. I'm taking, the shifter felt like it was in a metal channel with no openings, just a long rectangle. I couldn't hit any gears. What's more, I was in what should be neutral, but it wasn't rolling, clutch in or no. So we started it up, and it lurched forward (I still had the clutch in) and died. We were unable to get the jeep to go into any of the gear positions, or roll around in a neutral state. Basically, I had given up 4 forward working gears, 1 reverse gear, and $850 for a jeep that has no gears what so ever. Needless to say, at this point, I was a little unhappy with Chris. So I call, and let him know the status. He says he can't think of what would be causing this problem, unless the jeep was in a bind. Well, we tried rolling it around, to no avail. You would have to break the shifter to get it to go into the gear slot. What were we to do Chris?
He suggested we take the trans back out, and he will swap it with the rebuilt one he had at his shop, and I can try it. At this point, I was not happy, and I'm looking for something for all my trouble. But I will be happy to get my jeep working again, so we agree to meet in a couple of days. My stipulation, I wouldn't have time to get my trans out, but needed the rebuilt asap. Chris agreed to bring the rebuilt trans to me, and I could give him the core after the swap. sounds good to me. This is a wednesday night.
So Chris is going to call me thursday to hammer down the time he will meet us, to give us the new trans. At this point, I've taken Friday off to take care of the swap (as did my friend with the truck/garage/tools). After not hearing from Chris in a few minutes after our chat thusrday morning, I call him midday. VM at his shop, and his cell phone. Several of those throughout the day, and no call from Chris. It isn't until late thursday night that he finally calls me back. He was busy, and unable to call me back? Ok, so when can we meet. Tomorrow (Friday). Great, I was off all that day, so any time of the day would work. Nothing until late Friday night. Now, I left some voicemails, but no call backs, and definitely nothing initiated from Chris. I've already assumed at this point that since he has my money, and I've got jack, he's done with me. Little does Chris no, I was a repoman for nearly 8 years. Tracking people down isn't hard for me. And that's without an address. I happen to have his on the business card.
So talk to chris finally that night, he is sorry, again, he was busy, again. He will bring the trans in the morning around 9ish to my friends house. So, saturday morning comes and goes, and it's midday again, and I haven't heard so much as a fart from chris. By this point, I'm blowing up his office and cell phone. It's 3pm and I haven't heard anything. This guy has taken my money, and I still have a jeep that has no transmission. I now need this jeep to go to work as it's raining daily and my wife's new job is no where near mine. So I can't ride my motorcycle to work, or carpool with her. This is not helping me stay calm. But really, at this point, I've no reason to be calm. This guy can't even return a call to say something came up, and he won't be able to meet me today. I can work with that. I can't work with someone selling me a pile of crap and then ducking my calls and lying about what they will do to fix the issue.
So, my wife and I drive in our other car to walmart, I pick up a tarp and some tie downs to put this in the back of our honda. We drive an hour and a half to Haslet, Tx. I find the shop with little issue. Ofcourse no one is there, and the door is locked. There is no actual sign, just the number of the building and shop unit. His business is in a small industrial metal building shop rental area, next to a storage building facility. There are assorted businesses with signs in the same site, in different units. I call his office phone while standing by the door. I hear it ring on the other side. So this is the right place. I've made at least 10 calls or more to each of his phones, just this day. Oddly enough, the last message I leave him, stating I am standing in front of his shop door, knocking, but no one is here, I need my transmission, do I get a call back with in 5 minutes.
It's my good buddy Chris. He casually asks what's up. As calmly as I can, I explain to him that I am in front of his shop, he is not here, and I need my transmission now. He says he didn't mean for me to drive out to his shop, where would I like to meet? Where would I like to meet? He tells me he is in Garland right now, about 1.5 hours away. I tell him I will be at his shop. He again tells me it'll take him 1.5 hours at least to get there, would I like to meet somewhere in the middle.
No, I did not just drive out to BFE to find you, to drive back somewhere else, and get jerked around and have you have some emergency come up. I tell him I will be at his shop when he gets there. He tells me he will call me when he's 5 minutes out so I can head back to his shop, and then offers a recommendation for restaurants in the area. I have an iphone, I don't need zagat tips, I need a trans. So we hang up, my wife and I grab some fast food and camp out at the shop. Chris calls me about 1.5 hours later to inform me that he is about 5 minutes away from his shop, I can head back there. I tell him I am here waiting for him. As soon as we hang up, he pulls around the corner to the shop. 5 minutes is no time at all in Haslet.
So, Chris is more than helpful now. He says he had the trans in the van, which he did, and that he intended to meet me in my neck of the woods. Well, that would have been nice, but when you do not speak with your customers, and you lie to them about what you are going to do and when, that probably leads to people finding you.
So, inside the shop, Chris pulls said trans from van, puts a shifter on it, and shows me that it dry shifts on the bench. He lets me dry shift it. This means nothing to me, as it's not in a working jeep, and doesn't feel like a shifter should, to me, a driver-non mechanic type. so, i inform chris that I will put this one in tomorrow (sunday) and I hope that there are no issues, because at this point, I am not satisfied at all. he gives me some false sense of he's here to make it right, etc, and that this one should do it, and we can worry about the core later. he loads the trans in my car. while this is happening, he has informed his shop hand or buddy, whatver that guy was, to move a TJ from the shop across the drive. Apparently he has 2 units. The guy opens the unlocked bay door, to reveal about 4 or 5 TJ's. They are all jacked up, decked out, etc. Notice I said unlocked bay door, because he was told the keys were hanging in the ignition. glad i didn't get mine towed out here. i mean, it's old, but i don't want it stolen for pete's sake. now this guy is backing the jeep out of the shop. standard shop door, probably 12 feet or wider. giant yellow pole on each side of the exterior door walls. the guy is rubbing someone's back passenger tire all over this pole. apparently, with the top down, and a yellow pole that is probably a foot taller than the side if the jeep, he cannot manage to back this jeep out without nearly wrecking it, although, possibly doing untold damage to the belts in that tire.
Well, that was odd, but I have to get out of here, as it's now 8pm, and i have to drive back home. next day, friend and i are back in his garage, new trans ready to go. he takes one look at the input shaft of the new trans. man, that doesn't look right. it looks to big. I giggle, until i realize he is not joking. you know, I don't remember what anything looked like before we started this process. he measures it with some tool, and determines this new one .75 i believe. we look on google and determine that started in the ax-15 around 92, and might be from a cherokee. i'm furious at this point. We take the old trans out, since we have to anyway at some point. I just want to make sure before I lose my cool.
we get it out, and oh yeah, it's different. Mine is .59 i believe, and the new one is .75. well, this isn't going to work. I've been had again. I call Chris at the shop number. VM, cell phone, VM. I wait an hour or so, and try again. VM and VM. now, i've left messages, and while I am not screamin 4 letter words into the phone in nonsense, I have stressed the importance, both through tone, and wording, to Chris, of what is going on. No calls.
At this point, I decide I am going to blow his phones up. I redial each phone several times, leaving vm's, or hanging up and trying again. The cell phone gets switched off really quickly. After I do not receive a call back from Chris, I decide that the wife and I shall drive, once again, to BFE and go to his shop in Haslet. Now, I am not in a good mood, and driving that far in the hopes of finding him at his shop dodging my calls isn't making me much happier. We arrive in haslet, and the shop is locked up. No sign of Chris, and the neighbors haven't seen him at all today. I figured as much, but sitting around stewing about it wasn't going to settle my nerves.
That Monday morning, Chris calls me at 7:45am. I am working from home because it is raining, and i'm stranged, once again. Chris wants to know what I want to do, that he's not making any money on this deal. Lol. Me either, infact, i'm out 850 bucks, and i have 2 heavy hunks of junk sitting in my friends garage, along with a jeep that we can't move. None of which get me to work in the rain. I tell him I am done dealing with him, and that he has to make it right. He says he will cut me a check for 500 bucks, and pick up his core, the one with the giant input shaft. I say that's fine. I supposedly have new parts in my case that doesn't shift, and figure I can put the 500 bucks towards whatever trans shop is going to demand a lung and a small child to fix this mess, along with a pile of money. So chris tells me he'll call me right back with a time to come and bring me the check and get his core.
So, after calling many shops and getting the same answer "I've got 30+ years of experience, but I wouldn't have any idea without taking the trans out, apart, and looking at it." To me, that just sounds like a way to steal my money.
Off to the internets I went. I found the price of the transmission new (AX-15 for 1990 6cl) to be about 2k. As I had no intention of spending that much money to put into a 5k jeep, I looked at the rebuild kits. I am not mechanical, I'm a computer guy. I know how to drive stuff, not fix it. I do have a friend with such inclinations, but he did not know hot to rebuild a trans. The rebuild kit was about 400 bucks. Now, on ebay, and a couple of local junk yards and resale shops, I could find a rebuilt trans for 800-1200 bucks. I did some more checking, and found the number to a shop in Haslet, TX.
I had no idea where Haslet was, so I googled it, and found it just north of Fort Worth, by the Texas Motor Speedway. I called the number on the website, which I had found in a craigslist ad, mentioning my very type of trans at the right price ($850 rebuilt). I called Chris (Jeeps Unlimited), and gave him my story. He seemed knowledgeable, and willing to assist. I advised that money and service were key, and that I was tired of getting the runaround from the transmissions shops I called. Chris said he had one rebuilt at his shop he would sell me for $850 with core swap. He even offered to look at mine, see if it could be rebuilt cheaper, and if not, I could still do the core swap for the $850 trans. Based on his tone over the phone, and the price, I decided to give it a try. Chris was even willing to meet me close to my work, so that I didn't have to trek to Haslet to get stuff.
So, a date was set. My friend and I would yank my trans out, and meet Chris at a public location in Richardson, Tx. Being skeptical of nearly everything on the internet, and everything on craigslist, I kept it first name basis, public meeting place, etc. I didn't think there was a huge market for scammers using an AX-15 trans as a way to steal my money, but I don't trust people, so. Once the trans was out, I called Chris back, and we arranged a meeting place. He advised he would need some upfront money to start the process. $400 of the $850. I was willing to take the risk to get my issue handled as cheaply as possible, while still thinking I was going to get some quality. So, with trans and 400 dollars in money orders in hand, off my buddy and I went to meet Chris.
Chris pulled up in his cargo van a few minutes late (no biggie) and told me that it would take a day or 2 to rip it apart, diagnose, and let me know what was happening. I handed over my money and trans, shook hands, got his card, and away we went. This was a friday. Chris said he would call me Saturday and let me know what he thought. Saturday he called, and let me know that everything inside the transmission relating to 3rd gear was toast (gears, synchros, rods, etc). He said his recommendation was to rebuild the whole thing, since it all had to come apart anyway. I agreed, and he said he would rebuild mine, with all new parts internally for $850. I agreed, and away he went.
Chris called me on Monday, and we arranged for a pickup of the trans and $450 dollar money exchange that day. We met at the same place, and he gave us the newly rebuilt trans. He said he dry shifted it on the table 3-5 times through all gears, and it was in great working order. He has a 12 month full waranty, so I should put it in the jeep, and drive the crap out of it to make sure if it's going to break again, it's within 12 months.
So away we went with our trans in hand. We were able to install it that weekend, and after several hours of putting it back in, everything back together, filling checking fluids, bleeding clutch, etc. (put in new clutch during this process), we fired ole' blue up. Before that, we noticed that it was really hard to shift. I'm taking, the shifter felt like it was in a metal channel with no openings, just a long rectangle. I couldn't hit any gears. What's more, I was in what should be neutral, but it wasn't rolling, clutch in or no. So we started it up, and it lurched forward (I still had the clutch in) and died. We were unable to get the jeep to go into any of the gear positions, or roll around in a neutral state. Basically, I had given up 4 forward working gears, 1 reverse gear, and $850 for a jeep that has no gears what so ever. Needless to say, at this point, I was a little unhappy with Chris. So I call, and let him know the status. He says he can't think of what would be causing this problem, unless the jeep was in a bind. Well, we tried rolling it around, to no avail. You would have to break the shifter to get it to go into the gear slot. What were we to do Chris?
He suggested we take the trans back out, and he will swap it with the rebuilt one he had at his shop, and I can try it. At this point, I was not happy, and I'm looking for something for all my trouble. But I will be happy to get my jeep working again, so we agree to meet in a couple of days. My stipulation, I wouldn't have time to get my trans out, but needed the rebuilt asap. Chris agreed to bring the rebuilt trans to me, and I could give him the core after the swap. sounds good to me. This is a wednesday night.
So Chris is going to call me thursday to hammer down the time he will meet us, to give us the new trans. At this point, I've taken Friday off to take care of the swap (as did my friend with the truck/garage/tools). After not hearing from Chris in a few minutes after our chat thusrday morning, I call him midday. VM at his shop, and his cell phone. Several of those throughout the day, and no call from Chris. It isn't until late thursday night that he finally calls me back. He was busy, and unable to call me back? Ok, so when can we meet. Tomorrow (Friday). Great, I was off all that day, so any time of the day would work. Nothing until late Friday night. Now, I left some voicemails, but no call backs, and definitely nothing initiated from Chris. I've already assumed at this point that since he has my money, and I've got jack, he's done with me. Little does Chris no, I was a repoman for nearly 8 years. Tracking people down isn't hard for me. And that's without an address. I happen to have his on the business card.
So talk to chris finally that night, he is sorry, again, he was busy, again. He will bring the trans in the morning around 9ish to my friends house. So, saturday morning comes and goes, and it's midday again, and I haven't heard so much as a fart from chris. By this point, I'm blowing up his office and cell phone. It's 3pm and I haven't heard anything. This guy has taken my money, and I still have a jeep that has no transmission. I now need this jeep to go to work as it's raining daily and my wife's new job is no where near mine. So I can't ride my motorcycle to work, or carpool with her. This is not helping me stay calm. But really, at this point, I've no reason to be calm. This guy can't even return a call to say something came up, and he won't be able to meet me today. I can work with that. I can't work with someone selling me a pile of crap and then ducking my calls and lying about what they will do to fix the issue.
So, my wife and I drive in our other car to walmart, I pick up a tarp and some tie downs to put this in the back of our honda. We drive an hour and a half to Haslet, Tx. I find the shop with little issue. Ofcourse no one is there, and the door is locked. There is no actual sign, just the number of the building and shop unit. His business is in a small industrial metal building shop rental area, next to a storage building facility. There are assorted businesses with signs in the same site, in different units. I call his office phone while standing by the door. I hear it ring on the other side. So this is the right place. I've made at least 10 calls or more to each of his phones, just this day. Oddly enough, the last message I leave him, stating I am standing in front of his shop door, knocking, but no one is here, I need my transmission, do I get a call back with in 5 minutes.
It's my good buddy Chris. He casually asks what's up. As calmly as I can, I explain to him that I am in front of his shop, he is not here, and I need my transmission now. He says he didn't mean for me to drive out to his shop, where would I like to meet? Where would I like to meet? He tells me he is in Garland right now, about 1.5 hours away. I tell him I will be at his shop. He again tells me it'll take him 1.5 hours at least to get there, would I like to meet somewhere in the middle.
No, I did not just drive out to BFE to find you, to drive back somewhere else, and get jerked around and have you have some emergency come up. I tell him I will be at his shop when he gets there. He tells me he will call me when he's 5 minutes out so I can head back to his shop, and then offers a recommendation for restaurants in the area. I have an iphone, I don't need zagat tips, I need a trans. So we hang up, my wife and I grab some fast food and camp out at the shop. Chris calls me about 1.5 hours later to inform me that he is about 5 minutes away from his shop, I can head back there. I tell him I am here waiting for him. As soon as we hang up, he pulls around the corner to the shop. 5 minutes is no time at all in Haslet.
So, Chris is more than helpful now. He says he had the trans in the van, which he did, and that he intended to meet me in my neck of the woods. Well, that would have been nice, but when you do not speak with your customers, and you lie to them about what you are going to do and when, that probably leads to people finding you.
So, inside the shop, Chris pulls said trans from van, puts a shifter on it, and shows me that it dry shifts on the bench. He lets me dry shift it. This means nothing to me, as it's not in a working jeep, and doesn't feel like a shifter should, to me, a driver-non mechanic type. so, i inform chris that I will put this one in tomorrow (sunday) and I hope that there are no issues, because at this point, I am not satisfied at all. he gives me some false sense of he's here to make it right, etc, and that this one should do it, and we can worry about the core later. he loads the trans in my car. while this is happening, he has informed his shop hand or buddy, whatver that guy was, to move a TJ from the shop across the drive. Apparently he has 2 units. The guy opens the unlocked bay door, to reveal about 4 or 5 TJ's. They are all jacked up, decked out, etc. Notice I said unlocked bay door, because he was told the keys were hanging in the ignition. glad i didn't get mine towed out here. i mean, it's old, but i don't want it stolen for pete's sake. now this guy is backing the jeep out of the shop. standard shop door, probably 12 feet or wider. giant yellow pole on each side of the exterior door walls. the guy is rubbing someone's back passenger tire all over this pole. apparently, with the top down, and a yellow pole that is probably a foot taller than the side if the jeep, he cannot manage to back this jeep out without nearly wrecking it, although, possibly doing untold damage to the belts in that tire.
Well, that was odd, but I have to get out of here, as it's now 8pm, and i have to drive back home. next day, friend and i are back in his garage, new trans ready to go. he takes one look at the input shaft of the new trans. man, that doesn't look right. it looks to big. I giggle, until i realize he is not joking. you know, I don't remember what anything looked like before we started this process. he measures it with some tool, and determines this new one .75 i believe. we look on google and determine that started in the ax-15 around 92, and might be from a cherokee. i'm furious at this point. We take the old trans out, since we have to anyway at some point. I just want to make sure before I lose my cool.
we get it out, and oh yeah, it's different. Mine is .59 i believe, and the new one is .75. well, this isn't going to work. I've been had again. I call Chris at the shop number. VM, cell phone, VM. I wait an hour or so, and try again. VM and VM. now, i've left messages, and while I am not screamin 4 letter words into the phone in nonsense, I have stressed the importance, both through tone, and wording, to Chris, of what is going on. No calls.
At this point, I decide I am going to blow his phones up. I redial each phone several times, leaving vm's, or hanging up and trying again. The cell phone gets switched off really quickly. After I do not receive a call back from Chris, I decide that the wife and I shall drive, once again, to BFE and go to his shop in Haslet. Now, I am not in a good mood, and driving that far in the hopes of finding him at his shop dodging my calls isn't making me much happier. We arrive in haslet, and the shop is locked up. No sign of Chris, and the neighbors haven't seen him at all today. I figured as much, but sitting around stewing about it wasn't going to settle my nerves.
That Monday morning, Chris calls me at 7:45am. I am working from home because it is raining, and i'm stranged, once again. Chris wants to know what I want to do, that he's not making any money on this deal. Lol. Me either, infact, i'm out 850 bucks, and i have 2 heavy hunks of junk sitting in my friends garage, along with a jeep that we can't move. None of which get me to work in the rain. I tell him I am done dealing with him, and that he has to make it right. He says he will cut me a check for 500 bucks, and pick up his core, the one with the giant input shaft. I say that's fine. I supposedly have new parts in my case that doesn't shift, and figure I can put the 500 bucks towards whatever trans shop is going to demand a lung and a small child to fix this mess, along with a pile of money. So chris tells me he'll call me right back with a time to come and bring me the check and get his core.