I've searched high and low, can't find an answer...

My L52 transmission started making a clunk in everything but 4th gear. It made it home, pulled it out, cleaned it up a bit then pulled the shifter cover before I brought it in, about 4 teeth gone from the input shaft.

Needed a new input shaft of course, and what the owner of a local transmission shop called cluster gear set or the counter shaft I see everywhere else...

I ordered a hd bearing cover plate from Marlin, planned on dropping that off for him to use on the rebuild. He called that it was ready to pick up before the part arrived. I picked it up on the 8th and the part showed up on the 9th, grrr... no problem

Pulled the tail housing off to see what was involved in swapping out the bearing cover plate and noticed the counter shaft they installed is shorter than the old one?? There's a pocket bearing in the housing that the end of the old shaft rode in, this one doesn't?? They replaced the bearing there, but since the shaft is shorter, it serves no purpose.

I'm hoping this is a design change maybe? Less stress on the input bearing somehow? I don't know, it seems like it would be stronger the other way, with the tail of the counter shaft supported by the bearing. I definitely want to get the stronger bearing plate installed but think this shaft could be the wrong part, from an L50 or other? The only thing I've found online was from back to 2004, nothing concrete just a similar question http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=5740.0

Itching to get it back on the road, but would rather have this ironed out before I put everything back together. He gave me a 6 month warranty, been in business 12 years seems legit I just think they didn't know, notice, put in what the supply house sent maybe. I wanted to take it back and have him put the plate on, now not sure what to do!



Here's the new shaft installed


Old counter shaft


Extension housing



I should have just ordered the L52HD,
Thanks for any help or input

 

Marlin did this work or the local transmission shop? I can't say I know the answer, but that doesn't sound right to me. I haven't had my transmission open, but I rebuilt my transfer case, and I can't imagine it would be good for a shaft to be "floating" in there and not riding in a pocket bearing.

If you haven't already, post this over on Marlin's forum. There are a lot more people over there who have experience with the innards of a transmission.

 

Post in the "tech" part of the forum, not the product help section. You can never be sure of the staff answering your questions. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Better yet, though, give marlin a call. Seems customer service over there is all over the spectrum of good to bad, but people (including myself) have way better luck when they call.

 

Local shop did the rebuild. I started a thread on marlins forum also. crazykooter thinks it might be for a 4 speed.

Found a couple trans parts places online, showed parts for L45/52. Bearings, gears, synchro's both the same part number.

I'll have to give them a call, thanks

 

i don't know much about transmissions but I have my busted L52 out in the garage...I can bust it open tomorrow morning...sorry would do it now but taking the old lady out for V-Day.

Kind of curious...

 

You better take care of her first!

If you could that'd be great, I'd surely appreciate it. If I find anything out tonight I'll update the thread...

Thanks

 

wivey thinks I spend more time and $$$ on the truck sometimes

no problem..I know the spline coupler came off when my transfer case popped into low range when I was an idiot flat towing my truck.

Been curious to see what it looks like inside

 

real curious to see what you find as well... crazykooter posted some pics of his opened up L52 here http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=78006

It looks the same as my new shaft, short not riding in the pocket. Pics of yours please! Thanks again

 

I can't tell with it taken apart where the shaft would be in a bearing or not. Having a hard time visualizing it. Well, sounds like you're on your way to figuring it out! I've got an L52HD sitting in my garage right now...but I'm not going to open it up for you! Sorry.

 

Thanks 83...

This pic shows my old counter shaft. On the right in the pic, you can see a smooth section on the end just past the threads. This smooth part at the end of the counter shaft rides in the bearing.


If yours is in parts, does the counter shaft have the smooth section like the pic or end just after the threads?

 

We'll have to wait for OC. Mine is a fully assembled HD still in the box from Marlin. Hopefully getting installed this weekend.

 

Update: Design Change

Got a call back from the shop that did the work. He called his supply house and the manufacturer of the counter shaft, they both told him it was a design change. He said something about the rear bearing supporting the load and the bearing on the end of the counter shaft wasn't needed. Offered to put my old shaft back in if I wanted.

I'm hoping to get it in tomorrow or Friday for him to put that Marlin retainer on, a moving truck by Monday? Fingers crossed...

Thanks 83, hopefully we're both back in the driver seat by Monday.

 

Yes! Thanks

 

I got everything back together last weekend, all went pretty smooth. About 200 miles on it now, looking for excuses to go somewhere. "Need me to go get you something?"

2nd and 4th were a little notchy but getting better. Figure the synchros and new bearings are all getting broken in. Forgot how much I missed it!

Thanks for all the help!

 

Nice! That's cool.

I forgot if you got new gears, or just bearings? If you got new gears, they do need a break in period. When my L52HD was new, 2nd was tough. It wouldn't even go in sometimes when it was cold. 3 years later, it's finally smooth.

 

Update: At almost exactly 500 miles, Bang... clunk clunk clunk.

Last Friday, 11th I headed out the gate about a mile down the road. There was a loud bang, radio on so I missed the bulk of it. I pulled over expecting something hanging down or a visual, nothing. I took off again and didn't hear it until about 35mph or 3rd gear.

Pulled the tranny back out and took it into the guy that rebuilt it. A clip in the rear let loose or broke and 5th gear moved around and broke, had a tooth missing. He had it ready to pick up yesterday , got it bolted in today. (Getting a lot faster at it!)

Seems strange its in the rear housing after my shorter shaft initial question here? I didn't even ask him about it, he wasn't really thrilled to have to throw time and money into again. He covered it all under warranty and said things like that happen...

Only about 10 miles on it now... but once again, all seems good. Time to burn some gas and try to break it I reckon.

 

Crazy! I hope everything is right this time...

It does get easier the more you do it. I really dreaded the transmission pull & replace, more than almost anything else on the truck...but this last time, both getting it out, and back in, were pretty darn smooth and under 3 hours each time.