Marlin rebuilt L52HD is noisey

[hilux-1983]

Remember when I said my transmission has been working perfect ?
UMMMMMM I was 5 miles away from the turn off to get into the high lakes area last night.  I was heading up 32 and hills are mean.  I downshifted into 3rd once and it was fine. Then got to the next hill and had to downshift again. It downshifted perfect but as soon as I released the clutch I heard CLACK CLACK CLACK !!!!!!! At 1st I thought engine but it didnt sound like it so I knew it was the trans.  I managed to limp it to a safe place on turn out and pulled the fill plug.  There was one little piece of metal but I couldnt tell much from it.  So I pulled the drain plug and found a end piece of a gear which was about 1/2" long.  I dont know what gear it was to but oddly enough it only clacked in 1 2 3 and 5 so I was able to get it home.  Long drive let me tell ya.  I have no idea what I am gonna do but maybe Marlin can help me fix the thing.  Since these L52HD's have G54 gears in them I cant just get another L52 to fix it.  Even more odd is the tooth that I got out of it shows no major signs of wear.  I am gonna look at it closer today and see if I can tell if it was cracked and just finally gave out.

Man O Man, I feel for ya. Take lotsa pics as you tear it down. How long have you had yours? How many miles on it? Make sure you call Marlin 1st thing on monday.

[fade]

Dang-o seems like their quality control there sucks the big one. Did they compinsate you for all the gear oil or any free parts for the headache of having to pull your trans and put it back in that many times? I'd be heated after #2.

[Sparkplug]

pretty sure at this point, all he wants is a good trans

[fade]

Yeah for sure. I dunno marlin service is going down hill, spent 25 mins on hold today, then they tried to rip me on shipping.

[83MT]

This is all very interesting...I bought a backup car so I'll finally get around to pulling my transmission sometime in the next month, hopefully. With all these issues, I sure hope Marlin has something to say...or better yet does something.

[hilux-1983]

I was told that a "new" L52HD was being assemble for me and was gonna be sent out a few weeks ago.  I look for UPS or FedEx santa everyday. I came across this http://www.marlincrawler.com/transmission/parts-upgrade/heavy-duty-bearing-cover-plate-l-series . I wonder if this could fix my problem?

[hilux-1983]

pretty sure at this point, all he wants is a good trans

Yup, thanks for the support!

[bkubisht]

Be patient, with all you've been through on this I bet they install it in one of their own trucks and road test it first!

[Okiyota]

...Since these L52HD's have G54 gears in them I cant just get another L52 to fix it....

According to Chris Henderson at Marlin, this is NOT TRUE, i was told by one of the sales reps that my L52HD had G54 gears in it as well and that was what made it an HD version as opposed to a standard L52.  However Chris told me that is not true and that the difference is the bearings, apparently Marlin (AKA the guys that work on the tranny's) enlarge the areas in the tranny that hold the bearings and run larger ones, depending on what year or how old your tranny is will determine which bearings it has as they have changed a few times in the past.  The reason i received this info is I bought a pretty worn out L52HD from a local guy and was talking to Chris about rebuild "kits" which they no longer sell, he told me that he talked to Marlin himself and confirmed that if i were to measure the bearings he could sell me just the new bearings that i would need and i could go to my local Toyota dealer and order new gears/synchros/thrust washers/etc for a stock L52 and it would be the same as them rebuilding it (parts wise).  I never did do it, i ended up buying an R151F and using it instead, so the L52HD is just sitting on the work bench waiting for someone else to need it!!

Just thought it might help someone out, and again, just what i was told by Chris.

[crazykooter]

According to Chris Henderson at Marlin, this is NOT TRUE, i was told by one of the sales reps that my L52HD had G54 gears in it as well and that was what made it an HD version as opposed to a standard L52.  However Chris told me that is not true and that the difference is the bearings, apparently Marlin (AKA the guys that work on the tranny's) enlarge the areas in the tranny that hold the bearings and run larger ones, depending on what year or how old your tranny is will determine which bearings it has as they have changed a few times in the past.  The reason i received this info is I bought a pretty worn out L52HD from a local guy and was talking to Chris about rebuild "kits" which they no longer sell, he told me that he talked to Marlin himself and confirmed that if i were to measure the bearings he could sell me just the new bearings that i would need and i could go to my local Toyota dealer and order new gears/synchros/thrust washers/etc for a stock L52 and it would be the same as them rebuilding it (parts wise).  I never did do it, i ended up buying an R151F and using it instead, so the L52HD is just sitting on the work bench waiting for someone else to need it!!

Just thought it might help someone out, and again, just what i was told by Chris.

I talked to Marlin when I picked it up and he told me it had G54 gears.  Now you can take the G54 gears out and put L52 gears in since the main and counter shaft are still L series shafts. 

[kneedownnate]

Kinda sounds like maybe the info was misconstrued 

[IronClad]

Kinda sounds like maybe the info was misconstrued 

STOP WITH THOSE BIG WORDS

[Hottrod81]

If I was Marlin, I wouldn't replace it for you.  You admitted to pulling a trailer that truck isn't intended to pull.  Common, 16 foot trailer.

[hilux-1983]

If I was Marlin, I wouldn't replace it for you.  You admitted to pulling a trailer that truck isn't intended to pull.  Common, 16 foot trailer.

Your kidding me right? The original trans had over 200k on it and the only reason it went out on me was because of my own stupidity(low gear oil). Otherwise that ORIGINAL TOYOTA trans would be still going. Original gears, not HD whatever stuff!!!!! Yeah I'm a little sore about this trans exchange waist of time scenario that keeps happening. Marlin himself (per his admission) personally has built 2 of the 4 transmissions. Before you spew more of your "educated" opinions, think before you speak. As I said before, I'm not in the business of spreading any kind of negative slander about Marlin Inc, I just want a trans that will last another 200k not matter what I throw at it(with in reason) 

[Hottrod81]

If your not trying to spread slander, then delete your post and handle it on the phone.  What's the point of posting here? 

[IronClad]

If your not trying to spread slander, then delete your post and handle it on the phone.  What's the point of posting here? 

I dont know maybe because its the product support forum ?

[Sparkplug]

The point is the man has been patient countelss times. I would be on here too, if I was in shoes. Seems lke everyone likes to bash other brands, saying how high and mighty Marlin is, but then when something breaks, and its not handled how it should, and someone questions it, they get told its their fault. NO WAY POSSIBLY MARLIN STUFF COULD BE INFERIOR, IMPOSSIBLE, right?

[Hottrod81]

I am not sticking up for Marlin. Just wondering why there needs to be a post in this forum if it's already been handled.  I haven't seen one employee post in this thread.

[REG535]

Why not he needs to discuss the reason of the trans and the issues assoicated with it. If one does not like the questions or posts in the support product forum, then do not post in here and move on to a post that one would like.

So stop questioning him about it.

[79coyotefrg]

If I was Marlin, I wouldn't replace it for you.  You admitted to pulling a trailer that truck isn't intended to pull.  Common, 16 foot trailer.

why not??  I do it all the time for the past 5 years

[hilux-1983]

I got a call from Chris on thursday(9-2). He stated that the trans would be shipped most likely fer sher almost positive on tues(9-7).  He said that Marlin himself is giving this transmission some Xtra tlc. I appreciate that Marlin Inc is making good on their product. Everytime Marlin and I talk, he's soooo appologetic, thoughtful and genuine about this whole situation. Thanks a bunch!!!

[83MT]

I think, if somebody's considering paying $1000+ for a "special" tranny, they should be informed. There are three people on here with basically the same thing happening to brand new transimissions that they paid top dollar for. I think that information should posted. If I had known that I'd be pulling my transmission again so soon, or that somebody here had done it...what...three or four times now and they couldn't get it right? I'd probably have just had my L52 rebuilt locally.

[83MT]

Hilux-1983 & Crazykooter: if you guys could keep me updated, whether in this thread or with PM's, on what happens with your transmissions, I'd appreciate it. My truck is kind of just sitting right now...I'm not sure what to do. I want to take it to the local shop, but I'm afraid I'm going to basically need a complete rebuild again if it's having the same issues as yours. If I had confidence in MC right now, I'd ship it to them...but honestly I don't want to take out & put back in my tranny 5 times. And I don't want to pay for work that has to be redone. I can't afford to spend money on things I've already spent over a grand on that should have been right the first time.

So I'm kind of thinking I'm going to wait until they figure out what the heck they're doing wrong before I go through what you are. But they aren't doing much here about explaining what they think could possibly cause them to give you that many bad transmissions, plus have a couple others like me with bad ones. So I'd like to hear what the diagnosis is. I'm getting close to just pulling out L52HD, and finding a local used L52 to put in. I'll just let the HD sit until MC works out the issues...then maybe have them help fix it.

Anyways, some updates would be nice. I'll be talking with them more myself at some point, but it would be nice to hear a REASON why this has been happening, rather than just an uplifting story about how they gave you another new tranny.

[hilux-1983]

It got shipped and delivered to my place last friday. I had business and other stuff to do in Cali so I wasn't there to recieve it. The wife just pushed it under the truck for me.  It's a nice purdy one. It has Marlin's signature all over it too.  I just installed it today. It shifts like a dream, it's so quiet compared to the other one.  I had a vibration at 3000rpm that I thought was motor related. Nope, that's gone too. I don't know what to say 83MT. Marlin and Chris have been just great on this whole issue. I'd really call Chris and discuss this whole issue with him before paying someone else to fix it. I'll be shipping the "bad" one back as soon as I can. I'm hoping someone can tell me what went wrong with it. If they don't, not too much of a biggie. Marlin Inc. backs his products 100% and then some. I'll still be purchasing "Marlin" products as far as I'm concerned.   

[BoG-ToY]

I will tell you strait up:

Fade commented on being ripped on shipping, now I know fade personally so know what I'm talking bout here, he made a phone call, and one of the guys helped him out with shipping. Most businesses need the availability of commercial accounts for simplicity and order tracking. BUT someone at marin shipped him what he needed cheap through USPS so that was a good guy thing.

I had a problem with my stuff. really they sent me what they were supposed to, but it didn't specify that in the product detail. so kinda a mixed deal, BUT I had another problem with the product, so while fixing that problem, they also fixed the other free of charge, AWESOME.

You must also consider, Marlin doesn't make these bearings in house, he buys them from someone else. So hopefully fourth time is a charm but please don't hold marlin completely accountable, honestly kinda feel sorry for marlin, I doubt the bearing manufacturers are going to pay for all the shipping back and forth of these trannies even through truthfully its probably the bearing makers fault! even if contamination of the bearings, theres no way to trace that along its path

[83MT]

Ok, well, it would be nice to hear from them about it.

I guess I'll wait a bit, until I find the time & motivation to pull my transmission, then give them a call to see what we can do about it.

[hilux-1983]

Ok, well, it would be nice to hear from them about it.

I guess I'll wait a bit, until I find the time & motivation to pull my transmission, then give them a call to see what we can do about it.

Why not call and be proactive about this whole thing?  Sitting and waiting is not the thing to do in my book. Call them before pulling anything.

[Sparkplug]

Pretty sure dude has said like 5 times his schedule dont really allow him to call

[santa cruz crawler]

 :beer:That's crazy, no kick downs for the labor?
My junk yard 52 is sweet no noise . Sorry about your troubles

[79coyotefrg]

its only been a handful of these L52HD's that have had a problem.   not sure what happened to them but Marlin will fix the problem I assure you.    It sucks for the guys that happened to get them though