Should I rebuild, replace, or sell my old loader with a failing transmission?

Spencer Cawoddy

Spencer Cawoddy

New member
Messages
4
Got a 40-year-old loader in good shape overall, but the transmission drops out of gear when hot (after ~30 mins). Not safe to run.

Options I'm considering:
  • Rebuild it myself (~$5k AUD in parts, no prior trans experience)
  • Keep running it (not ideal)
  • Sell at auction and replace (already ~$15k into it)
  • Swap in an L90 transmission ($7k, no warranty-unsure if it fits)
Parts/info are hard to find here in Aus.

Anyone rebuilt one of these or done an L90 swap? Worth fixing or better to move on?
 
I've been in this line of work a long time, and when a transmission starts acting up once it gets hot, it usually means it's on its way out. I wouldn't keep running it like that - not worth the risk.

A rebuild sounds good on paper, but without experience it can turn into a costly headache, especially if parts are hard to come by. I've seen that happen more than a few times.

If it were mine, I'd probably move it through an RB Global auction and put that money toward a machine I can rely on daily. Sometimes it's better to cut your losses and keep working.
 
It depends on the condition and your budget.


If the rest of the loader is still good, rebuilding the transmission can be worth it. But if it has more problems, replacing might be a better option.


You can also check prices on Ritchie Bros. or Boom & Bucket to see if selling or buying another machine makes more sense.


Simple rule:
Fix if it’s solid, replace if it’s worn out, sell if repair cost is too high 👍
 
I've been down a similar road with older loaders, and that "drops out of gear when hot" issue is usually a sign the internals are pretty tired-not something that stays cheap for long.

If it were mine, I'd only go the rebuild route if you're comfortable treating it as a project and can afford the downtime. Otherwise, it's easy to sink more than planned and still end up with an old machine that might need more work soon. The L90 swap also feels like a gamble unless you're 100% sure on compatibility and condition.

A lot of guys I know in this situation end up moving the machine on and upgrading through auctions. Platforms like GovPlanet or Ritchie Bros. can be a decent way to both sell as-is and find a replacement with known inspection reports, which takes some of the guesswork out.

Personally, I'd lean toward selling and putting the money into something newer and more reliable-especially if the machine is critical to your work.
 
If it’s dropping out when hot, I’d be looking at clutch packs or seals inside the trans. Pretty common on older loaders.

Honestly, if you’ve never rebuilt a transmission before, this is a rough place to start. These aren’t simple gearboxes. One mistake and you’re out $5k plus your time.

If parts are already hard to get in Aus, I’d lean toward selling and putting that money into something newer.
 
I've seen this kind of issue a few times over the years, and when it starts slipping after it warms up, it's usually a sign the transmission is getting worn out. It might run for a bit, but it rarely gets better on its own.

You can try fixing it, but that can turn into a pretty expensive job if you're not used to doing that kind of work. If it were mine, I'd probably move it through an RB Global auction and put that money toward something I can depend on every day.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top