Now for some build progress. I got the fabric back from the upholsterer and I love it. It was made by candle light with a foot powered machine by an Amish guy on the east coast. He used YKK zippers and Sunbrella fabric, both of which I can wholeheartedly recommend if people are on the fence. It's waterproof, light proof and easy to clean.
Next, I rebuilt the front axle. Both axle seals had been leaking (and lubing up my front rotors); the leaks finally progressed to puddles under my tires each night after driving. The rebuild went smoothly. It was my first time doing an axle; not nearly as bad as I was expecting. I should have done it like a year prior. I used Marlin Crawler's kit for this (
Front Axle Service Kit | Marlin Crawler, Inc. ); it was every bit as good as their reputation suggests it to be.
Next, I installed a heavy duty clutch from Marlin while swapping out one of my junk ass L52s. I also had the flywheel redone. The rig was having trouble getting the stock clutch to engage when on steep hills. When I pulled it out, the stock clutch looked fine; it just probably wasn't up to the task of moving a motorhome up some of the mountains I've climbed in it. I used this
1981-88 4cyl 1,600-lb HD Clutch Kit | Marlin Crawler, Inc. and it completely fixed my issues.
Next was the biggest auto repair I've ever done: rebuilding a transmission. I'd researched it for months, but you can't really find a whole lot of info on rebuilding L series transmissions online. I assume this is because most intelligent and clear thinking people take them straight to the dump when they go out. Since those words don't apply to me, I decided to rebuild mine. I took a million photos (and plan on documenting the process over on YotaTech eventually) and it all went fairly smoothly. The only build thread I could find (
how to tear into the L52 transmission - YotaTech Forums ) suggested that the shafts could be pulled out with the bearings on the shafts (or that the bearings would simply slide off the shafts easily while everything is together), but that wasn't the case for mine. I had to cut out 3 of my 4 main bearings before the shafts could be lifted out the top. There's no mid plate, like on a W series, so I then had to get creative on how to press the bearings onto the shafts while they were inside the housing.
I used Marlin's kit (
L52 Kit | Marlin Crawler, Inc. ) and had only one major complaint. There's large snap rings that fit around several of the bearings; these help them stay in the position they're meant to be in. All but one of my new bearings came with those rings; one did not. Luckily, I had kept all the old parts in a box and I just reused the old ring, but I would have been screwed if I didn't have it. Something to keep in mind.
A couple things to be aware of with this transmission. As you can see in the photo above, I had to support the output shaft at its nose while pressing on the output bearing. I pressed it on as far as I could before it contacted the back of the case, then removed one of the support plates which dropped the level of the shaft and centered the output bearing in the housing, then I pressed it the rest of the way on. Also, this meant that I then had to the build the 1st and 2nd gear clutch inside of the transmission. I'm not sure if stuff like this is normal with other transmissions, but I wasn't expected to have to do it based on my research and it kinda sucked.
I finished the rebuild with no extra parts and everything shifts and spins the way it should. At this time, I haven't yet installed it in my truck. That's the final test and I'm kinda nervous about it.
For what it's worth, I still post everything first on my Instagram (
@poormansearthroamer) and it's way easier to get ahold of me there.
That's about it for the updates. I have an ARB dual air compressor, chest fridge, spray insulation kit, full solar setup, and more sitting in my garage; there's definitely more to come; I just need to find the time to put it all together.
