Topic: ANOTHER GREAT MARLIN CRAWLER STORY!!!.

[iNfErNaL]

Just about everyone knows the quality of  Marlin as a person,so here's another great story to add to the many,taken right out of the TTORA board from this past weekend:








for the “book” but I feel this story should be told. I drove over 1700 miles (one-way) in my red '01 Tundra to meet, party and wheel with ya all and instead I met up with ole man Murphy and he kicked my ass a little. I had previously e-mailed Mike and advised I would be late getting to the starting gate but I would catch up to the group before Buck Lake. I've done the Rubicon previously with this Tundra and I felt I could easily make up a couple hours on a large group. My rig is 3-linked up front with a Spidertrac 9" housing and tubes with a Hi9 3rd - solid axle 60 knuckles and C's on the corners and Bobby's Dana 60 birfs and axles, 4-linked rear with the same housing and 3rd member, ARB lockers and coilovers all around on 35" Krawlers. She's also got the Marlin Crawler 4.7 coupled to a Taco V6 transfer case with twin sticks (done by Marlin) and is well armored. I was planning on running everything clean as a whistle and hoping I could get a good spot from one of you through little sluice, as I didn't attempt that puppy last time around. Well, everything was going fine and I had just breezed up Walker hill and on that little tiny good for nothing rock pile about a quarter mile west of little sluice I broke the output shaft on my transfer case. I was dead in the water and flat flopped at that point. I'm grateful to Matt (a TTora member) who came along and winched me back to a location off the trail so others could get past. (I was monitoring the CB ch and heard the last group was just talking about taking the bypass around little sluice, so I was real close at that point to catching up.) I then called Richard Stubbs who advised he would make a couple calls looking for my type of set up and upon locating one he would be on his way. He suggested I call Marlin and get some parts coming his way as a backup. I then called Marlin and after explaining my dilemma he just flat out stated "It will take me a couple hours to finish up a project here, load my truck up with everything you might need and I'll be on my way to your location." Marlin has a reputation second to none for customer service and is well respected in the 4X4 community as you all know but this type of service from anyone but Marlin is unheard of. I then called Stubbs back and advised Marlin was on his way to which Richard replied something like I would expect that from Marlin as that’s just the way that guy does business. I then got back to Marlin about an hour later and advised Marlin that a rig needed an 80 series tie rod end and he said he would pack a couple ends along and other parts for anyone else needing parts that he stocks. Marlin showed up with enough parts and equipment to sink a battleship. What a terrific person he is, on his way to me he and James (a friend of Marlin's and a great guy) stopped and repaired a couple of jeeps, as one needed his driveshaft welded while the other snapped an axle, which both were welded back into working condition. He then swaps out my transfer case after taking a look at the crawler, which was still in perfect shape. (Marlin advised he's only seen one other snapped output shaft like mine - that was on richard Foster's rig - so you're not alone out there richard) On our way out we roll up on a group of jeeps from Arizona and a guy walks up to Marlin with a sad face and asks "you wouldn't just happen to have an on-bound welder would you?" They snapped an axle, which Marlin welded up and everything was good with the group in less than half an hour and everyone was grateful for Marlin’s help and expertise. The guy owning the broke jeep offered Marlin $$$$ and in his typical style he would say "If you put that damn money back in your pocket I will shake your hand." He absolutely refused to accept money from anyone, including me. He spent a lot of money just for gas on this rescue mission let alone his time and expertise. I somehow will make it right with Marlin even though I know he will give me over it. He and his shop, Marlin Crawler, http://www.marlincrawler.com/ will always be the best of the best in my book. Wish I could have caught up with you guys but maybe next year I’ll get to the starting gate on time, mean while just join me in letting everyone know that Marlin Crawler customer service is the best on the planet.

Joe 

[MiniSimp]

Very nice!
His kindness is unending.

[Hottrod81]

That is why Marlin didn't make it to our club social on Tuesday night.

[79coyotefrg]

    dont ya just love that guy named Marlin 

[weirdtimes_7]

THAT IS AWESOME!!!!! wow.. i knew Marlin Crawler was the best, but damn... i wish one day to meet him and have a conversation with him.. thats the most generous thing i have ever heard anyone doing.... wow

military_stang

[Loosekannon]

THAT IS AWESOME!!!!! wow.. i knew Marlin Crawler was the best, but damn... i wish one day to meet him and have a conversation with him.. thats the most generous thing i have ever heard anyone doing.... wow

military_stang

At the All Pro Jambo in 06, I got to talk with Marlin. On the trail and at camp. On the trail he told me he would find me back at camp to give me some stickers, and he did. Then Marlin, myself and some others just sat there for awhile B.Sing. He is a good guy 

[MiniSimp]

THAT IS AWESOME!!!!! wow.. i knew Marlin Crawler was the best, but damn... i wish one day to meet him and have a conversation with him.. thats the most generous thing i have ever heard anyone doing.... wow

military_stang

It's normal for him.

The last MCR he was late to the dinner because he was out working on broken down rigs all day.

[*FFC*]

Yeah that's Marlin.  I'm proud to be able to say I know him

[Cheesemaker]

This is the reason I buy mainly from Marlin.  I want to support a business that is willing to go out of their way to help a fellow wheeler, what ever they are driving!  I don't hear these stories about other business's.  You just hear about how much money they are donating! 

[KINGSIZE]

This is also why i've always had a lot of respect for Marlin.....even back when i was a JEEP ONLY guy!

[UKMyers]

I was the guy that broke my FJ80 TRE. I was bummed I never caught up Marlin and got to meet him. I ended up pulling the grease zerk out of my tie rod end and drilling a hole straight down through the end. We pulled the rubber off and cut what was left off with a zawzall. I then used a Taco body mount bolt somebody had in their pile and used that to bolt the TRE through the steering arm. I double nutted it and left some slack for it to move around. It worked all the way from Buck to the Staging area. I ended up getting a new end from a Napa in South Lake Tahoe and swapping it out and doing a trail alignment with a tape measure. Lessons learned: Write down some phone numbers of all the parts stores closest to both ends of the trail head before you leave. Oh ya and carry spare TRE's

[MiniSimp]

Thought that might have been you!

[AaronB]

 

[Rocksurfer]

Why am I not surprised? I think he likes fixing rigs on the trail more that wheeling.