BH trans rumors

[SQ4MN]

The parts are better and should be a big improvement. Also second gear is direct instead of overdrive which should be a little stronger. From what I am told the planetary gears are on the wrong side of the trans by design to keep it short just like the Nesco but the gearset is improved. It seems to me that the new Nesco's are not failing like the old ones and this new trans should even be an improvement over them. The biggest benefit in my opinion is if it costs less money and if parts are available to anybody to rebuild. In todays world trikes are Boss Hoss's biggest seller and they don't have any tranny issues. In any case if we lose a tranny in any of the bikes we now own it's gonna be an expensive bummer.

[hogv8]

It seems that the price of a Nesco rebuild keeps going up every year . I know at the time when I bought my 2000 2 speed new in 2000 I was told if I ever needed a rebuild it would cost between $2000-$2500 if I pulled and reinstalled . I don't know what it cost now but I'm sure it's much more than that .

[SQ4MN]

A friend of mine called Winters and was told that second gear is an OVERDRIVE. I was told by someone else that it was DIRECT but he didn't work for Winters. I don't know who's right. The output shaft is the same size as a Nesco. The output shaft on a Nesco flex's because of the huge belt tension and that's what tears up the planetary set. Nesco copied Toms ideas and improved that problem but its not completely gone. The new trans looks like a copy of the Nesco more than anything else. I wonder why Mountain would spend its money on something like that. One theory is they're going to make their own bike and knew Boss Hoss would put the quash on them buying transmissions direct from Nesco and competing with Boss Hoss so they had their own built. Does anybody have a different theory?
Jack, I think a Nesco costs about 3500 dollars to rebuild if you take it out, is that right? Is there someone who has had one done recently that could answer that question correctly. Does anybody know of a late model Nesco that failed. I'm lucky that my 2003 is still just fine. My bike is used primarily for road trips of at least 500 miles just cruising on mostly freeways at around 80mph, the BH is in its sweet spot doing that and I think the trans will last forever under those conditions. The Nesco doesn't like shifting to second or hot rodding in second and the less of that the better. I fully realize that guys like Stu have done whatever they want whenever they want and never have a problem, go figure!

[CanuckHoss]

A friend of mine called Winters and was told that second gear is an OVERDRIVE. I was told by someone else that it was DIRECT but he didn't work for Winters. I don't know who's right. The output shaft is the same size as a Nesco. The output shaft on a Nesco flex's because of the huge belt tension and that's what tears up the planetary set. Nesco copied Toms ideas and improved that problem but its not completely gone. The new trans looks like a copy of the Nesco more than anything else. I wonder why Mountain would spend its money on something like that. One theory is they're going to make their own bike and knew Boss Hoss would put the quash on them buying transmissions direct from Nesco and competing with Boss Hoss so they had their own built. Does anybody have a different theory?
Jack, I think a Nesco costs about 3500 dollars to rebuild if you take it out, is that right? Is there someone who has had one done recently that could answer that question correctly.

Dave...the new trans definitely has a different internal design....lots of changes inside..no shaft flex....not just a stronger Nesco

Last tranny we had rebuilt to Mountain specs was $3,500 plus shipping to the US both ways...plus brokerage...plus labour in and out. Mountain machines the inside of the housing at the output end and adds another bearing and I beleive that all but eliminates the flex in the output shaft

[SQ4MN]

It sounds good to me. The new case has probably been designed for that extra bearing. I think the guys that hot rod their bikes by power shifting into second would be better off if the second gear was a direct ratio instead of an overdrive which it very well may be. If the ratio isn't so wide the clutches will last longer, the wider ratio is more likely to slip the clutches but only if you're power shifting. 3500 dollars with the extra bearing already installed in the old Nesco case is quite a bit cheaper than if the new trans costs eight or ten thousand for the same thing. Either one has to be shipped and installed. In any case its always good to have another source for transmissions and the guys that get these things already installed on a Mountain bike should be happy.

[randy burkey]

sounds like a trip to mountain is in order!

[petitemoose]

When I bought my 2005 last November, I was told it was rebuilt by Nesco in September and was now a 2012 tranny. I verified this by calling Jim at Nesco. Curtis told me he spent $4500 having the work done. If that was his cost or retail I do not know but In any event, it represents what any one of us would pay at a minimum Since we are not dealers.
I strongly suspect that the tranny failed because of the added weight of the training wheels that were attached to it. The extra weight and drag probably over stressed the overdrive. The belt had 500# tension on it when I got it ... it now has 350# and has never slipped.

[SQ4MN]

I would say the belt tension had more to do with failure than training wheels. The output shaft flex is a killer and there have been a few attempts at fixing it including a bearing that mounted on the outside. The flex tears up the planetary set which slowly grinds itself to failure. Only enough tension is required to keep the belt from skipping teeth, anything more serves no purpose. Many people always carry a passenger who probably weigh more than training wheels with no problems.

[Carl La Fong]

After looking at the pix of the trans, I noticed the front pulley seem the same size as a stock BH pulley. This makes me think it is a one speed with overdrive, just like the Nesco. This seems an odd choice, knowing that the O/D is the weak point.

[CanuckHoss]

After looking at the pix of the trans, I noticed the front pulley seem the same size as a stock BH pulley. This makes me think it is a one speed with overdrive, just like the Nesco. This seems an odd choice, knowing that the O/D is the weak point.

Carl....not from what I understood...would have been nicer for Tom if the info on this tranny had not gotten out before actual release to the public then all the speculating would not happen but it is nice to watch the thoughts being thrown around.

[SQ4MN]

After looking at the pix of the trans, I noticed the front pulley seem the same size as a stock BH pulley. This makes me think it is a one speed with overdrive, just like the Nesco. This seems an odd choice, knowing that the O/D is the weak point.

Winters told my friend that it's still an overdrive. Also told him it would be available to anyone. They even had a name for it, "THE DIABLO". If it was exclusively Mountains I don't know why they would have named it and showed it at the PRI show. It might be exclusively Mountains now but they never even mentioned Mountain at the show.

[Carl La Fong]

This is my old pulley and my new one. I think it has 56 teeth in order to cruise at a good rpm in high. If that's the pulley setup that will be used on the Diablo and it is 1:1 in high, then top speed would be, maybe 110 mph. I have a feeling you're right and it is an O/D

[Oil Man]

If you change the ratio of the ring and pinion......it would be easy to swap the two.

[SQ4MN]

After looking at the pix of the trans, I noticed the front pulley seem the same size as a stock BH pulley. This makes me think it is a one speed with overdrive, just like the Nesco. This seems an odd choice, knowing that the O/D is the weak point.

Carl....not from what I understood...would have been nicer for Tom if the info on this tranny had not gotten out before actual release to the public then all the speculating would not happen but it is nice to watch the thoughts being thrown around.

Barry, the reason the info got out is that Tom didn't have a contract with Winters and they bought it to the show with a name DIABLO because they were going to sell it to anybody that wanted it. It might have been nicer for Tom if no info got out but it might have been nicer for Winters if they had a contract with Tom before the show and didn't have to lug it there. We know Tom didn't have them bring it because at the show Tom wasn't mentioned. It might have been even nicer for the rest of us if we could have bought it from Winters without Tom getting a cut on every one sold.

[CanuckHoss]

After looking at the pix of the trans, I noticed the front pulley seem the same size as a stock BH pulley. This makes me think it is a one speed with overdrive, just like the Nesco. This seems an odd choice, knowing that the O/D is the weak point.

Carl....not from what I understood...would have been nicer for Tom if the info on this tranny had not gotten out before actual release to the public then all the speculating would not happen but it is nice to watch the thoughts being thrown around.

Barry, the reason the info got out is that Tom didn't have a contract with Winters and they bought it to the show with a name DIABLO because they were going to sell it to anybody that wanted it. It might have been nicer for Tom if no info got out but it might have been nicer for Winters if they had a contract with Tom before the show and didn't have to lug it there. We know Tom didn't have them bring it because at the show Tom wasn't mentioned. It might have been even nicer for the rest of us if we could have bought it from Winters without Tom getting a cut on every one sold.

Dave...

As always there are 2 views to every situation and somewhere midpoint is what is actually transpiring. I won't question or verify anything as told here as it is between Tom and I and whoever else he may have confided in the same as anyone that Winters has confided in. Obviously they have worked something good out between the 2 of them as it should be and that is the supossed good news as the pictures show.

it is a waiting game for sure and in the end, 2 or 4 or 6 months from now we will see how it all played out.

[SQ4MN]

I'm sure it is good for them, I'm not so sure its good for us. Like you said, we'll see.

[CanuckHoss]

I'm sure it is good for them, I'm not so sure its good for us. Like you said, we'll see.

Dave...I will win the Lottery and get you a tranny for free..stay tuned

[SQ4MN]

If I WIN I'LL GET YOU ONE TOO.

[CanuckHoss]

If I WIN I'LL GET YOU ONE TOO.

AGREED!!!

[Carl La Fong]

If you change the ratio of the ring and pinion......it would be easy to swap the two.

Yeah, I wasn't considering the gearing inside the trans. It might not even have a ring and pinion. Maybe a bevel gear with a 1:1 ratio. That would explain the small front pulley

[Sonny]

Bill a new Nesco is only about ten grand because of Boss Hoss. If you could buy it from Nesco with only Nesco getting the profit it would be a lot less. A new 700R4 is only about four grand.

Yeah, but thousands of 700R4's are produced and sold; profit through volume.
It would be sweet if cost comes-in around $6k.
Would be double sweet if Tom allows BH to have this tranny in new bikes, delete Nesco; the higher production volumes would help to bring down purchase price for those wanting to upgrade.
I'm also happy that no traitor from this site has yet copied this tranny scoop and pasted onto the other site.

Just curious but why would someone be considered a "traitor" for mentioning the "tranny scoop" on the other site? We're not talking about Top Secret Government Classified information, or are we? By next summer the "tranny scoop" is already gonna be old news. Are the two sites now gonna be considered "Us vs. Them"? Who cares anyway really what kind of deal Tom has with Winters? Tom's a great guy and has always treated me fairly and has gone out of his way several times to help me out with some issues when I needed it, and as long as he continues to do that I'll continue to support MBH. I wish him nothing but the best. Still just December but already looking forward to next summer's MBH Open House and Thunder in the Valley.

[CanuckHoss]

Bill a new Nesco is only about ten grand because of Boss Hoss. If you could buy it from Nesco with only Nesco getting the profit it would be a lot less. A new 700R4 is only about four grand.

Yeah, but thousands of 700R4's are produced and sold; profit through volume.
It would be sweet if cost comes-in around $6k.
Would be double sweet if Tom allows BH to have this tranny in new bikes, delete Nesco; the higher production volumes would help to bring down purchase price for those wanting to upgrade.
I'm also happy that no traitor from this site has yet copied this tranny scoop and pasted onto the other site.

Just curious but why would someone be considered a "traitor" for mentioning the "tranny scoop" on the other site? We're not talking about Top Secret Government Classified information, or are we? By next summer the "tranny scoop" is already gonna be old news. Are the two sites now gonna be considered "Us vs. Them"? Who cares anyway really what kind of deal Tom has with Winters? Tom's a great guy and has always treated me fairly and has gone out of his way several times to help me out with some issues when I needed it, and as long as he continues to do that I'll continue to support MBH. I wish him nothing but the best. Still just December but already looking forward to next summer's MBH Open House and Thunder in the Valley.

The nice thing about this site supposedly is that there are no rules. I missed the one rule on not sharing or nothing leaves this site I guess.

[Sonny]

Yea I must have missed that memo too. Well I have a bunion on my big toe so I know that tidbit of info is safe here and won't be shared with anyone.

[Iron Maiden]

funny post and even funnier avatar!!!

[Carl La Fong]

I suppose others have had less than pleasant experiences on the other site and wish them all the ill will that is possible. For me, I just don't care what they say or do over there. It isn't "Them vs. Us, for me, it's just good riddance. I'm certain most of them check in here anyway, so there are no deep, dark secrets that we are withholding from them. I am surprised that there wasn't more response to the transmission story. I'm pretty sure that if I had broken the story about the trans, I would have been branded a bully, a dumbass, a loser and a derelict by the Brown Nosers.