Birfield Maintenance Advice Sought

[Axe Head]

Hello All,

I have an 80 series Landcruiser, 1992, RHD, Diesel, and the birfields were replaced about three years ago (and wheel bearings packed). I've put on about 30k or so since. I have no issues. I'm looking for advice about regular birfield maintenance and wheel bearing maintenance. How often should you grease the birfields and how often should you repack the front bearings?

Thanks

 

[OGBeno]

Toyota indicates the following intervals under normal operating conditions:

30k for wheel bearing repack (front and rear)

60k for full front axle rebuild (including greasing birfields).

 

[Malleus]

Looks like my Birfields are 3x overdue!

 

[greentruck]

Looks like my Birfields are 3x overdue!

BTDT, but not a recommended practice. Looks like my rears are way overdue...

It's worth noting that many people (who likely do a better job of keeping up with recommended service intervals than me) swap the Birfields from side to side when servicing them. This extends their life, because it evens out the internal wear patterns of the Birfield.

 

[cruiserdan]

I am not a fan of swapping side-to-side. The process to separate the Birf from the inner is quite violent and I'm not convinced pounding them apart until a snap-ring breaks, just to even out wear, is prudent.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

No problem going 30K for repacking if you keep the bearings tight

Also no problem going 60K on the birfs providing your seals hold up and you keep the knuckles full of grease

If you dont maintain bearing tightness and keep birf grease up 30K / 60K times will be drastically reduced

Also not a fan or see the need of switching birf side to side if properly maintained

 

[Red Merle]

I am not a fan of swapping side-to-side. The process to separate the Birf from the inner is quite violent and I'm not convinced pounding them apart until a snap-ring breaks, just to even out wear, is prudent.

I actually tried doing that when I did mine but I had a "moment of clarity" while I bashed the PVC pipe I was trying to use into the piece of cardboard I was smashing it into and decided the likelihood of doing more damage to the driveshaft than I might have gained by switching sides wasn't worth it. It's one of those things that looked easier in a youtube video than it turned out to be in my garage. It's been about 12,000 miles since and I don't regret skipping that step.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Birfield separation is easily accomplished and without damage with a PVC pipe and a 2x6 flat on the concrete. When you make your hit think of your x-wife and you will be smiling and have separation without problem.

Then consider MarTacking your axles and never worry about separation again.

 

[gummycarbs]

I used a brass rod I found at the local metal recycler. A couple of good whacks to the interior ring and it was off.

 

[Dave 2000]

I prefer to lower axle into steel tube, one good bang down onto a piece of timber and job done. As the circlip is central it should come out easy. Beating about around them first just burrs everything up and THEN they are a bastard to get out. It is not only Land Cruisers that use this system so I have had plenty of practice.

Regards

Dave

 

[Tools R Us]

Toyota indicates the following intervals under normal operating conditions:
...
60k for full front axle rebuild (including greasing birfields).

Please post that document.

The only published maintenance mention I have found for the knuckles is something like; inspect every 20K mi and that is only under the severe use schedule.

Decades of experience with them says; they need to have grease, preferably moly, maintained at the proper level. As long as the grease/gear oil are staying in the proper places, there isn't significant leakage and the fasteners are working, don't see the point of taking them apart for fun.

In the case of my left knuckle, didn't have a leakage problem till ~200K mi. The knuckle studs have always held torque, so didn't even loosen them, left the arm on the knuckle. At ~240mi, it still has the original birf, never removed from the axle shaft, arm studs have never been loosened from the factory, works well.

I'm a firm believer in maintenance, doing what is needed. Over maintaining is not necessarily a good thing and can cause problems, that wouldn't otherwise be experienced. We inspect them frequently, maintain the grease at the proper level, check fastener torque, if all is good, leave them alone. When I have a open day, would much rather spend it on the trail than doing unnecessary knuckle jobs just for fun!

 

[OGBeno]

OK Kevin. I am going to waste a lot of time to make sure you and your decades of experience are happy. I'm glad you are not my mechanic.

 

[Tools R Us]

I prefer to lower axle into steel tube, one good bang down onto a piece of timber and job done. As the circlip is central it should come out easy. Beating about around them first just burrs everything up and THEN they are a bastard to get out. It is not only Land Cruisers that use this system so I have had plenty of practice.

Regards

Dave

Agree, it's the shock that does the job and steel works better than plastic. We pack a rag in the pipe, so the axle end isn't dorked up when it come loose.

 

[cruiserdan]

Two of us worked on a short-side with a steel pipe until the pipe ends mushroomed quite badly. Then we tried to knock it apart with a big-ass hammer and a drift. We never did get it apart. Probably one in a thousand and I hope no one else ever has that.

 

[-Spike-]

OK Kevin. I am going to waste a lot of time to make sure you and your decades of experience are happy. I'm glad you are not my mechanic.

BTDT. I too was a skeptic when Kevin suggested the birfields don't require regular maintenance and looked for a spec. Never found it, but you'd have a better chance than I. What he says makes sense though, there's nothing inside the birf cavity to 'service' if the grease level is maintained. I'm convinced there's no reason to get in there until the seals fail.

 

[cruiserdan]

Other than the lower trunion bearings are often pretty beat up by ~90,000 miles. Even on trucks that are fully lubricated.

 

[Red Merle]

Two of us worked on a short-side with a steel pipe until the pipe ends mushroomed quite badly. Then we tried to knock it apart with a big-ass hammer and a drift. We never did get it apart. Probably one in a thousand and I hope no one else ever has that.

I had the same issue. I was about to go buy a chunk of metal pipe and I just decided it wasn't something that was really needed as the birfs looked fine once I had them out and I wasn't really having any clicking or other issues before I did the job.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Other than the lower trunion bearings are often pretty beat up by ~90,000 miles. Even on trucks that are fully lubricated.

I had the same issue. I was about to go buy a chunk of metal pipe and I just decided it wasn't something that was really needed as the birfs looked fine once I had them out and I wasn't really having any clicking or other issues before I did the job.

obviously you guys don't have ex-wives

 

[Red Merle]

obviously you guys don't have ex-wives

I am not a golfer either

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

I am not a golfer either

Nor am I Have you ever stayed at a Holiday Inn?