Author Topic: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap  (Read 25461 times)

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Trailtoy83

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1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« on: May 20, 2004, 07:05:04 AM »
I am wanting to swap a 5 speed into a 79 4 speed truck is their anyone who has done this; how much will it change drvieshafts, crossmember location, or anything else i am pretty sure this is a direct bolt in. Any info will help THANKS

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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2004, 06:59:27 PM »
if you get a 5 speed from an 83 or earlier(you want the 83 L52 tranny, the other one was junk) it's a direct bolt in for the most part.  you'll have to grind down the splines on the t-case, since instead of having a relief area on later cases, the 4 speeds had raised splines past where they really matter

if you get a later tranny, you'll have to get new driveshafts made(or find a suitable donor), and relocate your t-case crossmember.

i want to go the l52 route eventually, i'm not a big fan of 4 speeds but i always seem to end up with them(last 3 trucks were)

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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2004, 07:26:21 PM »
what ever you do get rid of that friggin 4spd they suck ive gone through 2 in two months and this one is going right now and i have 31 in tires and some mild motor mods and a welded rear

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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2004, 08:47:25 PM »
I think I recall Marlin saying that on that swap there is somthing diff. about the throw-out bearing set-up.  you sould do a serch of the topic and see.  :thumbs:
A good day working, that's just sick :reg:

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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2004, 10:30:48 PM »
the 4 speeds seem kinda hit and miss.  mine's been in my truck for 100,000 miles(its the 2nd one i think) and it still works great...really sloppy linkage though :smack:

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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2004, 03:56:24 PM »
100,000 miles im having trouble keeping the 4 speed in it for 5,000 miles you eather baby the livin hell out of it or your rilly lucky

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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2004, 04:08:11 PM »
you want the 83 L52 tranny, the other one was junk

The only difference between the L50 (1981-1983.5) and the L52 (1983.5-1983.12) is that the L52 has a 5mm oversized input bearing (75mm compared to 80mm). Everything else is pretty much the same internally and externally.

Quote
it's a direct bolt in for the most part.  you'll have to grind down the splines on the t-case, since instead of having a relief area on later cases, the 4 speeds had raised splines past where they really matter

Also you may have to hammer/clearance the tunnel a little bit because the top shifting 5-spd L-series is slightly taller than the 4 spd..

Quote
if you get a later tranny, you'll have to get new driveshafts made(or find a suitable donor), and relocate your t-case crossmember.

The 84 and newer G, W, and R-series are 4.5" longer.

The ultimate L-series is the L52HD that Marlin makes. It uses a different gear set with the same ratios that is about 30% stronger then the L 45/50/52.

Regards,
BigMike
« Last Edit: May 27, 2004, 10:44:57 PM by BigMike »
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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #7 on: May 22, 2004, 05:57:41 PM »
100,000 miles im having trouble keeping the 4 speed in it for 5,000 miles you eather baby the livin hell out of it or your rilly lucky
if its a L-43 4spd  :smack:  junk that crap,  the L45 4 spd has an almost identical exterier to the L52
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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #8 on: May 22, 2004, 07:33:44 PM »
no sh*t im gitting rid of it ive gon through 2 in 2 months and as soon as this finishes going out im pulling the whole drive train out and puttin a chev 350 turbo 350 tranny and still thinking about rest of drive train maybe 3/4 ton running gear :dunno:

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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #9 on: May 26, 2004, 10:26:04 PM »
To install a L52 in place of a L43 you must change...........

Fork, release bearing and collar, slave cylinder with push rod, two lower bellhousing bolts, trans handle, trim floor for top shifting handle instead of side shifter.

The crossmember, drivelines, starter, flywheel, pressure plate and clutch disk will all work just fine.

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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #10 on: May 26, 2004, 10:32:37 PM »
Dang Marlin it sounds like youve done that swap before ;)
Full hydro, 186:1 with an auto and 44's what could go wrong??

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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #11 on: May 27, 2004, 10:24:43 PM »
I have done at least 50 plus conversions over the years including my own 1980 RN47 truck.
The L43 has a 3.67 1th gear compared to the 3.93 L52 trans.
This will change the crawl ratio on a 79-80 truck from 37:1 to 39:1.

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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #12 on: May 30, 2004, 11:12:21 PM »
Well Marlin,
you specified what you have to do to swap a L52 in for an L43, but what about swapping a L52 for an L45, what would you have to do then, because that's what I'll have to be doing. 

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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #13 on: May 30, 2004, 11:25:22 PM »
i think it'd be about the same, maybe a little easier because the shifter comes from the top of the tranny instead of the side like my l43 does

79coyotefrg

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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #14 on: May 31, 2004, 09:08:56 AM »
the 45 and 52 are identical  , i have heard they share the same case so in theory if you had a 52 with a bad case you could use the 45 case :hammer:
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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #15 on: May 31, 2004, 09:13:58 PM »
The only difference between the L45 and the better L52 is that the knob on the same shifter handle will be missing the 5th gear marking, there will be an added gate for the handle to move right and forward into gear, and the trans will hold about 4 ounces less gear oil.

Everthing else is 100% boltup :beerchug:

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« Last Edit: May 31, 2004, 09:16:39 PM by Marlin »
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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #16 on: Jun 01, 2004, 02:40:41 PM »
Is there any automatic transmissions that will bolt up to where an existing 4 speed was in an '81 pickup?  If not then is there any that could be done without to much customizing?

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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #17 on: Jun 02, 2004, 11:17:13 PM »
Auto 4x4 were not made untill 85' and are at least 4.5" longer than stick transmissions found in the early 79-83' trucks.
Since all Toyota 4x4 automatics require an additional transmission computer and wiring to make them work, i am not aware of a easy changeover.

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1980 Toyota - 1997 3RZ-FE 2.7l Engine, Turbo R151F 4.31:1, Triple Turbo Marlin Crawler Billet (2.28x4.70x4.70) = 1,148:1 Crawl Ratio, Marlin Crawler Twin Stick and Short Throw Shift Kits, 30mm H/D Output Shaft, High Angle Drive Lines, 5.29:1, ARBs, High Pinion Front, 25mm HD Billet High Steer Kit, 6 Pin Locking Hub Bodies, 86+ Wide Rear End, V6 3rd member, Chromolly Axles all around, 37" IROKs with Beadlocks, York onboard air - Rollbar air tank, Premier Power Welder, Marlin Crawler 4" USA-made Leaf Springs, Bilstein Shocks, et cetera....

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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #18 on: Jan 30, 2017, 09:49:58 PM »
you'll have to grind down the splines on the t-case, since instead of having a relief area on later cases, the 4 speeds had raised splines past where they really matter


I have a 1980 4wd with L43.  I am installing a L52 and would prefer to use the transfer case out of my 80 as I know its condition.  The spline on the 80 does not taper like the 83 does.  Do I need to do anything to those splines on the 80 transfer case?  If so can I just pull the input gear out of the 83 case and install in the 80 case?   Thank you in advance!  Michael



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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #19 on: Mar 02, 2017, 03:57:55 PM »

I have a 1980 4wd with L43.  I am installing a L52 and would prefer to use the transfer case out of my 80 as I know its condition.  The spline on the 80 does not taper like the 83 does.  Do I need to do anything to those splines on the 80 transfer case?  If so can I just pull the input gear out of the 83 case and install in the 80 case?   Thank you in advance!  Michael
the parts are interchangeable yes you can swap the input gear but its not worth the work if you can get it to fit.  please post pictures because I was not aware of this difference

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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #20 on: Apr 23, 2017, 06:01:52 PM »
Just wanted to say thanks for this thread!  In the process of "upgrading" my 80 to and L52 and this thread has been super helpful.  Will be grinding down my Tcase input shaft in the next day or two and hopefully have everything reinstalled middle of this week.

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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #21 on: Jul 25, 2017, 09:14:13 AM »
To install a L52 in place of a L43 you must change...........

Fork, release bearing and collar, slave cylinder with push rod, two lower bellhousing bolts, trans handle, trim floor for top shifting handle instead of side shifter.

The crossmember, drivelines, starter, flywheel, pressure plate and clutch disk will all work just fine.

Marlin
What about swapping the L43 for a W56 Mr Marlin? Any info?
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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #22 on: Jul 27, 2017, 05:18:14 AM »
You would think my 87 is a 4spd by the amount of time I use 5th

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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #23 on: Mar 15, 2018, 12:56:30 PM »
what is the best method for ginding down the splines and approx how much needs to come off. fixing to have to do this.

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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #24 on: Mar 16, 2018, 07:55:58 AM »
what is the best method for ginding down the splines and approx how much needs to come off. fixing to have to do this.

Not a whole lot.  It is kind of apparent when you look at the t-case splines.  The early one kind of tapers bigger after the business part of the splines.  That is the part that will get in the way.  You can take a little off and then test the fit into the trans output.  If it doesn't drop in grind a little more.
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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #25 on: Apr 16, 2018, 05:19:16 AM »
To install a L52 in place of a L43 you must change...........

Fork, release bearing and collar, slave cylinder with push rod, two lower bellhousing bolts, trans handle, trim floor for top shifting handle instead of side shifter.

The crossmember, drivelines, starter, flywheel, pressure plate and clutch disk will all work just fine.

Marlin


This was dead on - just finished a l43 to l52 and Marlin was dead on. no grinding needed on splines needed- the shifter rod is actually the same its just on the end there is a different size cap that will not work on the l52. the longer belhousing bolts was a hastle because the only ones i could find locally had a 19mm head vs stock 17 mm and you could not get a socket on it so i took the closest american and got it a little longer and threaded it in and put a lock washer and nut on and it worked perfectly. now running 75 down interstate and not wound up tight. everthing else was completely interchangable.  Done

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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #26 on: Jul 26, 2018, 07:05:01 PM »
My 4 speed in my 82 has over 250,000 miles and is just now needing bearings inside & that poor little truck has hauled more fire wood out of the woods than the titanic could have held. I guess I'm the only 4 speed fan alive so you guys all send me your hated 4 speeds and I'll rat hole them pieces of junk here. I haven't yet found a need for the elusive 5th gear ever in my truck but I'm old and drive/live slower than a lot of folks   :greengrin:
John 5:24

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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #27 on: Jul 26, 2018, 10:54:03 PM »
I haven't yet found a need for the elusive 5th gear ever in my truck but I'm old and drive/live slower than a lot of folks   :greengrin:

Ahhhh, 0.850:1...or soon, 0.838:1 :gap:
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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #28 on: Jan 15, 2019, 04:12:15 PM »
I have the L52 in my 83 and have no issues. I would recommend going to a W or a G series if you can find one for a reasonable price.

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Re: 1979 Pickup 4-speed to 5-speed Swap
« Reply #29 on: Sep 21, 2020, 08:58:15 AM »
Howdy -
I'm new to this game, and want to restore a 79 2wd 3/4 ton pickup  (not customize or modify it). For a 2wd, would I be looking to swap my 4-speed for the L52, or a different tranny?

Thanks!

 
 
 
 
 

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