Marks4wd Cruiser Crawler Install

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Dude congrats on getting a crawler and all, but for a dude that flamed me about the welds on a CO2 bracket and said someone was going to die when they didn't have some way to hold open their tire carrier, the welds on that gas tank look like ASS. I'd be more worried about killing someone with that leaky gas tank, than I would with a tire carrier.

That being said, enjoy the crawler.
 
Waggoner5 said:
A replacement case is coming, but "they" are taking there time on the building of the first one.
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don't "they" know that people are SUFFERING out there! Like others have chimed in, put me on the short list to buy one the minute it is available.

and congrats Wrench, it looks like a great project that has many rewards on your trail runs :cheers: ...but your gas tank does look pretty goofy ;)
 
I know the gas tank looks like crap. It's wasn't an easy thing to do. A lot of people would not touch a used gas tank with a welder. I got this done for free and it holds gas.
 
Wrench said:
I know the gas tank looks like crap. It's wasn't an easy thing to do. A lot of people would not touch a used gas tank with a welder. I got this done for free and it holds gas.
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I have always said, "nothing is safer than free"
 
The crawler box itself has been working fine and the gas tank surprisingly seems to be holding gas fine.
But one of the gears that Marks 4WD supplied for the transfer case failed one year later from when it was installed. It was the replacement input shaft in the transfer case that failed. See pics below. It's basically a gear welded onto a splined shaft. Well somehow the weld broke (Faulty weld?) and left me stranded off road. Truck would not drive. Had no park as well which sucked. I emailed Marks 4WD and told them what happened and showed them the pictures. Since it was out of warrenty I asked if it could be rewelded and they said "You can try re-welding as long as it still runs true & doesn't damage the case hardening" They got kinda snippy when I asked if they could do anything for
me since I believe it was a faulty part. I told them it was a poor design and asked how much a replacement
was and if anyone else has broken it before but they never replied back. I was VERY disappointed with the customer service. They never offered to replace it or try and find out why it failed. I eventually got it rewelded and it's lasted 7 months so far. So all is well. Everything works great. But I'm still scared in the future dealing with Marks if anything else should happen.
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They still haven't gotten back to you? this has me a bit twisted given that I've been sitting on the edge going back and forth with to buy or not to buy.

Also a Question:

In the last pic on your post of the crawler installed w/out the gas tank. could you clock the left side of the crawl box up (clockwise) in order to drop the right side of the crawler (part that you cut out the floor for) a little? just a thought, also give the crawl box a little more ground clearance and leveled stance.
 
No they still have not. But I'm past that now. It seems they are always slow answering email. Christo has had better luck though.
As for clocking the box, that's not possible. Its mounted offset. It's not mounted in the center. If you did rotate it up it would come incontact with the tranny tunnel. I thought of that but it pretty much goes on only one way.
 
This is something I am really thinking of doing soon. I'm going to be changing my engine, tranny anyway soon and I am going to be trying to get a toy box stuffed up in there... if I have to cut oh well I guess i'll be doing that too.
It always seems that Australian companies take forever to get back to you.
 
Just an update.
Well today I believe the gear broke again. I was driving home from the gym and BANG thing let loose. No power to the wheels stranded on the side of the road. People beeping and laughing saying buy american. So embarrassing. Thank God for AAA. The headache continues...
 
Man that sucks. I hope you get it sorted out. Did they ever respond to your questions back in 09?

I read about Marks a lot on here and from what I have read I would have thought they would have been a little better to the 80 community.

Keep us up on how things go.
 
Yeah thanks man. I mean it works great when it works but I always have that thought in the back of my mind that he gear will break again. Well it finally did. Dam thing is a poor design. Never seen anything like it.
Yeah they did respond but since it was out of warranty they could no do anything for me. They said I could reweld it. Which I did but it did not last too long.
Yeah Marks should be better. But the problem is they are in australia. Long way from US. So it seems hard for them to do anything over here.
 
Box Rocket said:
Dude congrats on getting a crawler and all, but for a dude that flamed me about the welds on a CO2 bracket and said someone was going to die when they didn't have some way to hold open their tire carrier, the welds on that gas tank look like ASS. I'd be more worried about killing someone with that leaky gas tank, than I would with a tire carrier.

That being said, enjoy the crawler.
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LOL! Funny stuff! Yes, the welds look horrible... but hey, if it holds and you can keep it from rusting out then ... :cheers:
 
Did they changed the design of the replacement input shaft inside the T case?
 
if i was to go as far as changing the or cutting the gas tank i think i'd give the inchworm doubler a try. kinda late and all but the inchworm products seems to be a high possibility.
 
Wrench said:
Yeah thanks man. I mean it works great when it works but I always have that thought in the back of my mind that he gear will break again. Well it finally did. Dam thing is a poor design. Never seen anything like it.
Yeah they did respond but since it was out of warranty they could no do anything for me. They said I could reweld it. Which I did but it did not last too long.
Yeah Marks should be better. But the problem is they are in australia. Long way from US. So it seems hard for them to do anything over here.
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Wrench said:
Just an update.
Well today I believe the gear broke again. I was driving home from the gym and BANG thing let loose. No power to the wheels stranded on the side of the road. People beeping and laughing saying buy american. So embarrassing. Thank God for AAA. The headache continues...
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Wrench, every time I come to buy one of these things something comes up...I guess a thank you for being the test rig is in order. I am disappointed that Marks wouldn't step to the plate considering the American Market is still a large untapped market as 80s "crawl" closer to hardcore. Best of luck with it, you still need to make it out to California and wheel with us sometime (I'll hopefully have some crawler situated by then, lol).

cruiserruf said:
if i was to go as far as changing the or cutting the gas tank i think i'd give the inchworm doubler a try. kinda late and all but the inchworm products seems to be a high possibility.
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Would a doubler work? I don't think you can adapt it to the 80. I think about what to do when it comes to gearing everyday.
 
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FJ809496TLC said:
Did they changed the design of the replacement input shaft inside the T case?
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Not that I'm aware of.
cruiserruf said:
if i was to go as far as changing the or cutting the gas tank i think i'd give the inchworm doubler a try. kinda late and all but the inchworm products seems to be a high possibility.
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Don't think that's possible.
PKP80 said:
Wrench, every time I come to buy one of these things something comes up...I guess a thank you for being the test rig is in order. I am disappointed that Marks wouldn't step to the plate considering the American Market is still a large untapped market as 80s "crawl" closer to hardcore. Best of luck with it, you still need to make it out to California and wheel with us sometime (I'll hopefully have some crawler situated by then, lol).



Would a doubler work? I don't think you can adapt it to the 80. I think about what to do when it comes to gearing everyday.
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Thanks. I was hoping you would see this. Bad news.
d0ubledown said:
brutal. nobody in oz has reported similar failures? too bad they werent a bit more helpful... it really is a shame that there arent more low range options for the 80.
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Haven't heard any other failures. But we drive at a faster speed than they do. That's why they changed the design before. To work with US highway speeds. Remember I DD this thing plus drive hundreds of miles to trail heads. Not sure how many are doing that.
 
Sorry to hear you are going through this again, especially now that winter is seriously here and you probably need your truck. Good luck getting this sorted out and back on the road.

I totally feel your pain about being stranded on the side of the road and dealing with the hoots and hollers about my POS toy-O-Tee...

Wrench said:
Just an update.
Well today I believe the gear broke again. I was driving home from the gym and BANG thing let loose. No power to the wheels stranded on the side of the road. People beeping and laughing saying buy american. So embarrassing. Thank God for AAA. The headache continues...
Click to expand...
 
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