Unfortunately you can’t always rely on a transmission being a once in 20 year expense. Just too many variables and the Vanagon transmission has just enough under sized parts that things often break before wearing out. For those of us that drive fast for extended periods there are also thermal issues that help kill these things. For Fun Bus I wish the transmission(s) would last as long as the engine. I have seen some of these go bad in less than 50K miles from knew. I learned to overhaul these things around 1990. They were dropping already back then. 

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Roy Nicholl
Sent: Monday, March 7, 2016 12:28 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Manual Tranny Rebuild

John:

Slider perhaps?

If we can ship’em from the east coast, you’re closer.   It’s a once in 20-yr expense, best to have it done by the best.

> On 07-Mar-2016, at 12:51, John Rodgers <jrodgers113@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> It appears my '88 GL is up for a rebuild. Something popped last 
> Saturday, and now every time it is put in 4th it locks up and can't be 
> gotten out of fourth except by really messing with it right at the 
> transmission. Pops out of third gear as well.
> 
> So, question is, where is a reliable tranny rebuilder in the Southeast?
> Johnson's in Huntsville no longer does rebuilds. Would love a AAA 
> Tranny or German Transaxle but they are to far away.
> 
> Anybody?
> 
> I'm in Birmingham, Alabama!.
> 
> John