mark's 5 speed no longer available

npca-strausz · Post by **npca-strausz** » Mon Jan 22, 2001 2:21 am

I had heard on this forum that Mark's 4wd of Australia no longer offered its heavy duty five speed transmission for the old patrols. I wanted to find out for sure, so I emailed them. Sure enough, a guy emailed me back saying that they don't make it anymore because there is "no demand" for it. I guess there must be some demand as I want it. I am finally able to afford one and they are not available. Just my luck. This transmission would have been really sweet too as it had a 25% overdrive and a 5.0:1 or so first gear ratio. That is compared to a stock patrol's 2.90:1 ratio. If anybody else wants this transmission as much as I do, why don't we all email Mark's to show them that there is a demand. I mean, certainly they might consider making a few more if they get enough legitamate requests. Yes I know it is a long shot, but worth a try. So anybody who would seriously want and be able to afford a 2-3000 dollar transmission for their patrols, send an email to: marks4wd@ozemail.com.auCertainly they still must have the tooling to make this transmission kit, but who knows. Anyhow, let me know what your thoughts are on this. Thanks,Dav

npca-gary · Post by **npca-gary** » Mon Jan 22, 2001 6:14 pm

I sure love mine. I doubt that I would have my Patrol without the 5 speed. It looks like I got in under the wire.

npca-strausz · Post by **npca-strausz** » Tue Jan 23, 2001 12:54 am

Thanks alot Gary, that makes me feel alot better!! :(I am so dissappointed that they don't make it anymore. I found out about the patrol 5 speed that marks offered about 7 years ago when I was 16 and driving my patrol to school every day. I so wished that I had the money for it then so that I wouldn't always have to cruise at 55 mph. Now I have the money and they don't make the damn thing anymore. You can imagine my frustration. I think I will have to write back and beg them to make one more. That's why I think it would help if I could get some poeple here who also wanted the kit. Chances are they would rather make 5 more than just 1. Anyhow, when did you get your five speed anyhow. Please don't tell me like last year or something. That would make me feel really bad. Thanks,Dav

npca-roc8man · Post by **npca-roc8man** » Tue Jan 30, 2001 5:14 pm

I sent them an email about 6 months ago and they stated the same thing. No more 5 speeds. Since it wasn't cheap to begin with, I wasn't too disappointed. If they had one for under $2k US, then I would seriously reconsider. Ask them what their price would be if we did get 5 people wanting one. Since the US dollar is so strong against the Au dollar (1:2), it might not be that bad a deal.David

npca-strausz · Post by **npca-strausz** » Tue Jan 30, 2001 5:22 pm

I have already sent them an email asking them if they might make it again if I got enough people together. So far I have not heard anything back, but it took them about a week and a half to reply to my first message. I will keep pestering them anyhow. I sure wish I would have been able to convince my dad to let me buy one when I was 16 and they were still available. Of course he thought it was a silly idea. When I think about it now, 2000 bucks is not too bad when you consider what you get. It would basically convert your rig into a fairly modern machine. Not only that, but the low gears would pretty much make you invincible. Oh, well I would probably have just put too many miles on my old patrol anyways. Probably would have still been noisy too. But at least I would have been able to cruise to school at 60mph and not worry about blowing the engine up!! Yeah, if they seem somewhat willing to make some more trannys, I will let you guys know. I don't see how it would be so hard. They probably got a bunch of parts already lying around not being used.

npca-alex · Post by **npca-alex** » Fri Feb 02, 2001 10:13 am

I wish I had disposable income, I would really like one but the 3g price tag always kept me away. Couldn't we just find a domestic producer to do one? Cheaper freight.

npca-strausz · Post by **npca-strausz** » Fri Feb 02, 2001 11:24 pm

npca-strausz · Post by **npca-strausz** » Fri Feb 02, 2001 11:39 pm

Ok, looks like I am able to post here again. For some reason, this damn site doesn't like netscape a whole lot. Big surprise. I finally got a reply back from mark's from my second email I sent them. This time they gave me some good news. Here is what they said: DavidThanks for your reply. The only way we would make these gearboxes is if wehad a definite order for 5 boxes. Please respondRegardsNathan I figured that they would be willing to make some more kits if they had some buyers for them. Obviously they still have all the tooling stuff to make the kit. So now my problem lies in the fact that I need four other people who have the money to buy a transmission kit soon and can commit to it. I don't know how much that they will want for the tranny exacly, Gary would probably know. About 7 years ago it was listed for $2000 us for the kit. Of course this didn't include the installation or the new driveshafts you need for it. The tranny is longer than the stock one, so the front driveshaft needs to be lengthened and the rear needs to be shortened. I imagine that you could probably get the gearbox kit and the installation all for around 3000 bucks in the end. If you can install it yourself, you could probably save alot of money. I think it is worth it, because this trany mated to your patrol would do a hell of a lot to bring your patrol into the 21st century. It would also make it easier and more enjoyable to drive. It would also make your patrol perform better off road. The Mark's kit also fits perfectly in the patrol allowing for the original placement of all the levers, including the handbrake. If I remember right, the first gear on this tranny is around 5.10:1 or so compared with your stock tranny's first gear ratio of 2.90:1. The overdrive is 0.76:1 which means you would have a 24% overdrive. This would allow your patrol to cruise at 70 easily, and I imagine would make for around 20mpg on the highway. I have emailed Mark's again asking for a definite price and a spec list for this tranny kit. When I get the specs I will post them here. If you all want to get this tranny kit, send me an email at strausz@wsu.edu you can also send an email to marks4wd@ozemail.com.au to express your interest. Thanks alot, David

npca-strausz · Post by **npca-strausz** » Sat Feb 03, 2001 10:30 pm

Here is some testimony from Gary who is unable to post at the moment. I would like to encourage any and all of you out there to conceder supporting David's(StrausZ) strausz@wsu.edu campaign to get Marks 4WD, Australia to build 5 more heavy duty transmissions for the Patrol. Expensive, not when compared to a 5 or 6 speed from the factory for any modern American made car. This is the inter workings from a HD Nissan transmission and Marks 4WD has the case manufactured to fit the Patrol. I live between the Sierras and the White Mtn. both are over 14000 feet high.We have more up and down then flat. I have had my 5 speed since April or May of 1999 and have not had to go into low range yet. I can cruise at 70+mph.(over 100 mathamaticaly is possible) I have not gotten 20 mpg but we have a lot of steep grades. In more level areas it should be possible. I would not have the Patrol today if it didn't have the 5 speed. You won't beleive the change it will make in your Patrol

npca-richard · Post by **npca-richard** » Wed Feb 07, 2001 3:54 am

All, I can also vouch for the benefits of installing a Mark's 5 spd box. I was lucky enough to buy a second hand box from a wrecker for $1500 AUS. It cost me a further $1500 AUS to have it installed by a mechanic. I'll have to dig through my receipts but there were issues associated with the lengthening of one driveshaft and also some machining down of a clutch ??spiggot bearing. The mechanic told me that without this the clutch life would have been reduced (like I said I will refer to my receipts so that I can be more specific). Installation aside the transformation in the performance of the Truck has been significant. As mentioned previously they are able to cruise at 100-120 km/h instead of topping out at 80-90 km/h. The lower first gear is brilliant. I can now head down steep descents at a crawl. I don't have to ride the clutch so much and enjoy the greater flexibility the extra gears have to offer. A for fuel economy...................At 98c plus per litre I don't even like to think about that phrase. I just fill up the tank and have fun. However if you can have an engine revving less it will use less fuel. If enough of you guys can get together and have another run of these boxes produced I'm sure you will be happy. Richard