"Monster" brand TH350?

[bucket]

Monster may sell more transmissions that the next 3-5 companies combined. If that's the case, they'll have get complaints than any of those companies.

I have to wonder how many complaints they actually get about their TH350 and TH400 rebuilds. I suspect the vast majority are about the 700R4 and its "E" variants--everything from TV cables incorrectly adjusted to converter lockup improperly wired. I read where Bowtie Overdrives said something like 65% of their customer problems are TV cable related.

I could be remembering wrong, but I remember Monster from back when the guy got his start selling transmissions on Ebay back in '02 or so. Even back then, there were complaints about the quality (or lack there of) of the rebuilds.

 

[Bextreme04]

There are known, documented, cases of people getting a "stage" transmission from them with a shiny coat of paint on the outside... and when it is torn down it immediately becomes clear that it has old used parts inside an otherwise completely stock transmission. I've also seen things where it looks like they got a transmission from a junkyard, ran it through a parts washer and a craigslist rebuild, pulled it apart enough to get a billet shaft in it and then shipped it out. Many, many stories of transmissions being instant failures on startup or shortly after. I bet gearstar sells more transmissions than Monster, and they don't have nearly as bad a reputation.

 

[Ricko1966]

The BBB complaints I linked to at the start. I think all were new out of the box failures and no support to fix the problem,until after BBB was contacted.

 

[MikeB]

I stand corrected!

 

[Midnightmoon]

Thought I would grab you all a little eye candy while I was under it today...lol

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[TotalyHucked]

I bet gearstar sells more transmissions than Monster, and they don't have nearly as bad a reputation.

Yeah *IF* I were to buy a box transmission, GearStar would be one of my calls. They have a much better rep, though I still would do it begrudgingly. As stated above, a local builder would be my first choice. Thankfully we have a couple great transmission guys in my area that all know what they're doing and do it well

 

[82sbshortbed]

Yeah a local shop quoted me$1,400 to rebuild a th350 if I bring in a core. So if mine goes out I'll go that route.

 

[Bextreme04]

Yeah *IF* I were to buy a box transmission, GearStar would be one of my calls. They have a much better rep, though I still would do it begrudgingly. As stated above, a local builder would be my first choice. Thankfully we have a couple great transmission guys in my area that all know what they're doing and do it well

100%... unless you are doing a TV show and have no time to actually have a transmission built or are just not from the area that you are rebuilding the car in, it never makes sense to order a trans from a big box company. If you are doing big power or edge of the envelope kind of stuff, then you order a custom unit from one of the big names in the industry. If I'm doing a TH350 or TH400 in a drag car, I'm probably picking one up from Mikes Transmissions down the street from my parents house. If I need a 4l80 for 1000+hp drag car, I'm probably calling up Jakes or EA. Anything other than that, I'm doing it myself or going to a few good local companies.

 

[Ricko1966]

Yeah a local shop quoted me$1,400 to rebuild a th350 if I bring in a core. So if mine goes out I'll go that route.

Grab your balls in one hand, tools in the other,a TH350 is an easy build. Lol.

 

[Midnightmoon]

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[Matt69olds]

I have had a couple experiences with Monster, it’s my opinion if they had spent half the money on customer service and a little research as the did on advertising, they would be a much better company.

Many years ago, a guy brought a C6 to build for his 70 Country Squire station wagon with a 770hp big block ford engine. I guess he wanted to get the ice cream home before it melted!!! He bought a Monster in a box kit and wanted the trans built. Ford C6 are pretty easy to build, however, in the typical ford way of doing things, the C6 has many different design changes, of course the kit he bought was not for the vintage trans he had. I’m not very familiar with ford stuff, so I called monster. They had ZERO idea what I was talking about, and even less when I started asking questions about servo and apply lever combinations. I had to buy a book to get the info I needed.


Back to the discussion: a TH350 is pretty easy to build. If you can successfully rebuild an engine, a TH350 should be pretty dimple. Very few special tools are needed, what special tools are needed are easily fabricated with the typical junk a gear head has sitting around anyway. Watch some YouTube videos, ask questions here, work slowly and cleanly. When you think something is clean enough, clean it again. Don’t force anything, and air check every assembly as it’s finished. Make sure the clearances are within tolerance.

Good luck!!