1. Flat rate on a 4R70W rebuild? That's a funny question. If it's sitting on the bench, maybe about 1.5 hours to disassemble, and another 3 hours to build it, and usually overnight in the parts washer to clean it. Add an hour if you want the valve body done. You can work the problem backwards, and figure it's $1200-$1500 for a rebuild, at $175/hr shop rate, so 8-9 hours of labor. But someone has to clean it, and that takes time. If you don't have a parts washer, and you don't have the right tools, then it takes more time. If someone asks you to put a shift kit in it, and you mix up the old parts with new parts, and then drop them on the floor, then it takes longer. You also end up spending a LOT of time changing stuff that doesn't need changing. (because you are there...) If I'm rebuilding it for ME, I can guarantee you that I'm re-using assemblies and clutch packs. If I'm rebuilding it for YOU, I have no choice but to replace everything. So a rebuild is not = a rebuild.
1a. Flat rate on a NV4500? More tricky. Nobody rebuilds an NV4500 unless there is something WRONG. So if there is something wrong, then you can pretty much guarantee that you will be buying "hard parts." So the rebuild takes an hour to pull apart, and the an hour trying to figure out what went wrong, then an hour arguing with the owner about whether it's worth fixing, then an hour ordering parts, then an hour cleaning and storing all the parts, then 10 days waiting for Blumenthals to send me parts, then an hour finding all the parts again, then 2 hours to build the sub-assemblies, and an hour to slap it together. But if it's just installing a set of carbon fiber synchros and a bearing kit...that's easy in an afternoon. But to the question of why? If it had the 5th gear nut fall off, and you drove it for a month like that, and you wasted the input shaft and the countershaft because you lost thrust, then it takes a lot longer to rebuild...because I have to convince you to go get another one.
2. For me, yes. For you...maybe. I have a shop full of expensive, un-specialized tools. So I don't even know when I'm using something you don't have. I have at least 30 sets of snap ring pliers. Are those specialized? maybe. Expensive, yes. Necessary? Maybe not. I think there's only one snap ring in an NV4500. You could pry it off with a couple of screwdrivers. But there's the 5th gear nut. OTC sells a special spanner socket for that. I don't own it. So I'm gonna say: "yes." The NV4500 can be rebuilt without special tools. As long as you have a bearing separator, and a press. And as long as it isn't an early 6.34 Chevy transmission. Even then, if you sacrifice the rear bearing, It will cost you $35. but you don't need the tool.
The NV4500 is an excellent manual transmission that will outlive your Bronco. A million miles is not unheard of. If yours is worn out, you are doing something wrong. If you own a Cummins, and you are pulling a heavy load, and you drive it on the highway in 5th gear, then you deserve to pay for a broken transmission. If you don't like the way it shifts in your Bronco, change your driving technique. If you put the wrong oil in it...that's that Achilles heel.
I will of course buy your dead NV4500 if you are local. But if you are local, we can rebuild it in an afternoon. Usually a couple of large pizzas and a case of beer will get it done. But I'm not cleaning it. That's on you.
