5 speed swap into 1982 4x4
Oct 21, 2012 | 08:39 AM
#22
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Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Arnold California
Remember, going from a 4 speed to a 5 speed isn't going to increase your top end speed. It will only give you more gears in getting there. Your top end speed is affected by your gears in your differentials. If you're looking to get better gas mileage or have more options off-road for gearing, the 5 speed swap is worth it.
after the L52 swap i can get up to 70mph maybe even faster but the 20r doesn't want to do it.
Oct 21, 2012 | 11:22 PM
#23
...
Yes the L series 5 speed isn't the strongest transmission on the planet, but it kicks butt on an l-43. A lot of F-toy guys like the shorter L-series 5 speeds because of the fit.
The only reason I destroyed an L-52 was i was an idiot and flat towed my truck and it kicked into gear and toasted the output shaft and my front t/c. They are getting harder to find hence why I have two extras now.
The big advantage to keeping with an L-series 5 speed in a 79-83 is that you don't need to worry about/spend $$$ on driveshafts and moving your crossmember.
Yes the L series 5 speed isn't the strongest transmission on the planet, but it kicks butt on an l-43. A lot of F-toy guys like the shorter L-series 5 speeds because of the fit.
The only reason I destroyed an L-52 was i was an idiot and flat towed my truck and it kicked into gear and toasted the output shaft and my front t/c. They are getting harder to find hence why I have two extras now.
The big advantage to keeping with an L-series 5 speed in a 79-83 is that you don't need to worry about/spend $$$ on driveshafts and moving your crossmember.
I'll take a strong L52 any day of the week, and two on Saturdays. It's a great transmission. It's hard to beat for its size, and it has a few advantages unique to its older architecture. The cast-iron case and straight-cut gears give it a bulletproof potential if you're willing to work around the bearing issue.
The best thing to do when looking for an L52 is to find one out of a late 1983 pickup- by the end of the transmission's run, it got the same clutser bearings as the early G52.
When my old transmission died I got to do a side-by side of the bearings from mine (January 1983) and a later truck (August 1983) and there was a good 3/4 inch in diameter of difference.
The other option is to have a shop clearance the housing for a G-series bearing.
The best thing to know is that these transmissions will tell you when it's time to do a bearing. They really scream when they get tired, and its gets hard to get out of first. If you keep up on that, and press in a new bearing at the right time, it'll never be an issue.
Feb 19, 2013 | 02:14 PM
#24
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 9
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From: Camp Verde, AZ
Hmmm -- always interesting to read. Many answers are incomplete I would say. I wanted 33" tires. This meant that the 4 speed I had in my 80 and my stock gears were too high when off road. So I went to (locking) 5.xx (can't remember it was 25 years ago) gears and an 83 5 speed (which was supposedly better than 81/82). The math ended up such that 5th gear with 33s and my gear ratio change was identical to 4th gear with 30s in stock configuration. So I got no overdrive or higher gears. My speedometer is not off and it needs no adapter. I don't strain 5th because it reality it is working with my 33s (very narrow 33s) with the same strain it was designed for as it has the same final gear ratio I had before. Of course, what I gained was MUCH lower gears for off road. The truck will do 75 except up steep grades. The engine is tweaked a little. Have about 200k on the setup, although the 5 speed was purchased used and not rebuilt and had unknown miles. I do get 2nd gear crunch now - synchro croaking. Bought the truck new in 1980, how rare is that?
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