G-52 transmission rebuild, '84 mini truck

1911 · 09-05-09, 08:33 AM

#3 son's '84 truck w/ 225,000 miles started making a rhythmic knocking , at first only in 5th gear but soon after in all gears, varying with rpm. Towed it home, pulled the tranny, and found this:

Four teeth in a row on the input shaft main gear sheared clean off! I have been driving and wrenching on Toyota trucks for 19 years and have never seen anything like it. #3 son is hard on vehicles (that's why he's still driving the '84 with high miles

) but he could pin-point any episode that would have constituted transmission abuse.

Amazingly, found all necessary parts to rebuild the tranny semi-locally (next county) and in stock at a transmission parts house. New input shaft (main gear an integral, permanent part) $99.80, new countershaft with all gears (countershaft gear corresponding to the broken gear on the input shaft had a few nicks in it) $150.00, and a bearing/seal/gasket kit $89.58. Pretty much a new transmission for $360 and some sweat equity.

I have built several motorcycle transmissions back when I used to make a living as a bike mechanic, but this is the first Toyota transmission I have ever had apart. Rebuild was not incredibly difficult with the factory service manual and a shop press. Take your time, follow the FSM with exactness (#3 son discovered this the hard way, I made hime do all the real work

), pay attention to how the synchronizers fit and work, pay attention to the order and size of the detent balls and springs on the shift fork rods. Be careful to set up the thrust spacing correctly on the output shaft.

Finished tranny, ready to go back in the case:

KLF · 09-05-09, 09:19 AM

Yup, it's easier to do that you'd think.

FYI... I would not have rebuilt a G-series tranny. You could easily have found a better W56 for $250, swapped it in. I've done it twice now (2 different trucks).

1911 · 09-05-09, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KLF

FYI... I would not have rebuilt a G-series tranny. You could easily have found a better W56 for $250, swapped it in. I've done it twice now (2 different trucks).

Good idea, except that we didn't have time to find one - I didn't mention in my original post that he was on his way to school out of state, so we had to either get the truck running in a matter of a couple days or buy him an airplane ticket. I was actually very surprised that all the parts were in stock locally. The transmission parts house guy said the only reason they were is because some year(s) of heep used the exact same transmission internals. Apparently heep contracted out for trannies and they used a bunch of different ones over the years.