BIRF bandaid? (1 Viewer)

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Fiveo

Joined
Dec 13, 2007
Threads
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My 92 3FE is now my DD. My Focus gave up the ghost after 150,000 care free miles. I lost the HG and didnt feel like rebuilding the engine. My 80 is now my everyday truck.

I start paramedic school next month and will being doing 500 miles a week next year between school and work. (still need to take people to the big house to pay the bills)

My Birf are clicking and I know they need a rebuild. I lack the knowledge and tools. If I thicken the diff oil and top of the ball joint with grease? Will this keep my Birfs alive for now. I wont be doing any driving off road next year. School will keep my too busy. I have to take it to the AC shop next week with a blank check to find and fix my major AC leak. So dont really want to drop a grand on a BIRF rebuild right now.

If anyone is intersted I would consider trading my Kaymar rear tire carrier (bolts on to OEM bumper) for wrench skills to help me get my birfs rebuilt.
 
Without buying new birf(s), rebuilding will do little/no good. In your scenario, the best bet is to remove the front drive shaft and lock the CDL. This will reduce birf load/wear to close to zero.
 
Can I run the truck with no front drive shaft for 20,000 miles with no consequences? What do new BIRFS cost?
 
Fiveo said:
Can I run the truck with no front drive shaft for 20,000 miles with no consequences? What do new BIRFS cost?
Click to expand...

The only consequence is; it will be rear wheel drive, like a regular truck.
 
And you'll probably get better gas mileage :hillbilly:
 
Ok I looked under the truck to see about remobing the front drve shaft. (this is all new to me) Two questions. 1. How do I know I need new birfs as opposed to just switching them over and repacking? While under the truck I noticed I'm leaking gear oil from the front diff. It looks like it is coming from the diff from the drive shaft input (Not sure those are the right terms) It where the drive shaft enters. Its draining back down the diff and pooling near the drain plug.
 
You have a bad seal on the pinion.

If you take off the front driveshaft, this leak will be aof little consequence - It may not even leak anymore. Then, if / when youi decide to do the birfs, you can attack the seal at the same time.

There should only be 8 bolts (4 at each end) holding on the shaft (I have a 40, but I'd expect the 80's to be the same.

Good Luck.
 
How to I tell if I need new Birfs? Is it the clicking noise?
 
Yes. My 80 was clicking and when I replaced them (with Longfields and longfield inners :crybaby: ) the clicking went away. Most likely the birfs have not seen any maintenance for a LONG time.

The birfs are like CV joints on a front wheel drive car. You probably hear little to no clicking when driving straight, but the clicking gets much louder when turning.
 
LukeZero said:
Chromemoly Longfields (stronger than OEM) ~$275 each.

Longfield Super Axles (supporting advertiser of this site)
Click to expand...

When I talked with Bobby Long about these he was reluctant to seel me a set because I was using my rig as a daily driver. he reccomends his Birfs for extreme crawling not daily drivers. I bought a set of birfs from man a fre MAF Birfields. so far so good....

:beer:
 
Longs are much stronger, but wear much faster, so not good for a rig that sees a lot of street miles. They are designed for more hardcore trail rigs.
 
Swowie said:
When I talked with Bobby Long about these he was reluctant to seel me a set because I was using my rig as a daily driver. he reccomends his Birfs for extreme crawling not daily drivers. I bought a set of birfs from man a fre MAF Birfields. so far so good....

:beer:
Click to expand...

Tools R Us said:
Longs are much stronger, but wear much faster, so not good for a rig that sees a lot of street miles. They are designed for more hardcore trail rigs.
Click to expand...

This is the first I've heard this- I guess a person gets to learn something new everyday! :beer:

Is this unique to the 80 series? I'm guessing the Longs for a 40/45/55/60/62 wouldn't wear much faster because they are not full time 4wd? They'd be engaged only when the hubs were locked and the transfer case was in gear.
 
LukeZero said:
This is the first I've heard this- I guess a person gets to learn something new everyday! :beer:

Is this unique to the 80 series? I'm guessing the Longs for a 40/45/55/60/62 wouldn't wear much faster because they are not full time 4wd? They'd be engaged only when the hubs were locked and the transfer case was in gear.
Click to expand...

Correct, it's not an issue on part time rigs.
 
MAF @$275 sounds better than OEM @$550. If I just switched over the ones a have to the opposite side and converted to manuel locking hubs, would that work?
 
Tools R Us said:
Longs are much stronger, but wear much faster, so not good for a rig that sees a lot of street miles. They are designed for more hardcore trail rigs.[/QUOTE

Something that I didn't know that I didn't know... :hmm:
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Thanks Ill check with him
 
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