Birfield Question..... (1 Viewer)

[BTLSHP]

The car is about to be handed from the owner (my 90 year old dad) to my daughter. 1994 Series 80 with 234k miles and in fairly good condition. It spent 24 years garaged, now 6 outdoors. We are doing some work before handing it to her - essentially rubber brake, coolant and heater hoses. There are a few other issues that will get cleaned up.

One question is the Birfields. I have all the service records except perhaps 2-3 oil changed I did and there is nothing related to Birfields. Front bearing have been serviced every 30k +/- miles, no record on rear wheel bearings. No clicking.

Diff oil appears to be free of grease and the stuff in the Birfields looks about like the CV grease in my lexus. It is being topped up at every 3k oil change. Here is a exterior photo. Is there an obvious concern? Nothing has been cleaned to my knowledge.

I am willing to do them, just worried that I may be asking for more issues opening them up.

Thanks.

 

[JoeCova]

The car is about to be hands from the owner (my 90 year old dad) to my daughter. 1994 Series 80 with 234k miles and in fairly good condition. It spent 24 years garaged, now 6 outdoors. We are doing some work before handing it to her - essentially rubber brake, coolant and heater hoses. There are a few other issues that will get cleaned up.

One question is the Birfields. I have all the service records except perhaps 2-3 oil changed I did and there is nothing related to Birfields. Front bearing have been serviced every 30k +/- miles, no record on rear wheel bearings. No clicking.

Diff oil appears to be free of grease and the stuff in the Birfields looks about like the CV grease in my lexus. It is being topped up at every 3k oil change. Here is a exterior photo. Is there an obvious concern? Nothing has been cleaned to my knowledge.

I am willing to do them, just worried that I may be asking for more issues opening them up.

Thanks.


View attachment 3635982

The birfield's themselves may be fine but I would recommend doing an axle service if it's been a while since the last one. Can check on the birfs during the service and get all new grease in there. Looking at the photos there appears to be greases caked up all over the knuckle.

 

[BTLSHP]

The birfield's themselves may be fine but I would recommend doing an axle service if it's been a while since the last one. Can check on the birfs during the service and get all new grease in there. Looking at the photos there appears to be greases caked up all over the knuckle.

Some of that grease is 30 years old..... but unless there is reason not to I think that is where we are headed.

 

[Rusty Marlin]

If the bearings are tight, there's no clicking in turns and oil isn't running out onto the inner sidewall, I say leave it the heck alone.

If you're bored and it will make you feel better, open it up and have at the rebuild. The "first one" takes a weekend if you clean everything spotless as you go. It's not a difficult job, watch Otramm's video to be sure you have all the tools (basic stuff really) order the parts as a full kit (makes life much easier) and go to town, so to speak.

 

[BTLSHP]

If the bearings are tight, there's no clicking in turns and oil isn't running out onto the inner sidewall, I say leave it the heck alone.

If you're bored and it will make you feel better, open it up and have at the rebuild. The "first one" takes a weekend if you clean everything spotless as you go. It's not a difficult job, watch Otramm's video to be sure you have all the tools (basic stuff really) order the parts as a full kit (makes life much easier) and go to town, so to speak.

The owner would go with your first sentence. I would too, but the car is going 1,700 miles away to Denver. If I do it now, it i at dad's hourly rate but I can probably afford to pay. I am sort of assuming these Birfields were used on other older Toyota trucks and are not a unique Landcruiser item -in terms of finding a mechanic with appropriate skills out there. She is never going to do it herself.

Thanks

 

[Rusty Marlin]

The owner would go with your first sentence. I would too, but the car is going 1,700 miles away to Denver. If I do it now, it i at dad's hourly rate but I can probably afford to pay. I am sort of assuming these Birfields were used on other older Toyota trucks and are not a unique Landcruiser item -in terms of finding a mechanic with appropriate skills out there. She is never going to do it herself.

Thanks

Don't know where you are in MD, but Otramm's in VA where 15 and 17 split above Fredricksburg. South of Warrenton I think.

 

[BTLSHP]

Don't know where you are in MD, but Otramm's in VA where 15 and 17 split above Fredricksburg. South of Warrenton I think.

Yes, I am not too far away - kind of an even split between OTRAMM an Land Cruiser Heaven. Iron Pig did the ARB front bumper and front oil seal. I am trying to figure out a reasonable split between what I do and what we pay people to do. I have all the service records. We are absolutely doing rubber: brake lines, fuel lines (one was leaking) and coolant/heater lines. I think I will replace points and check alternator bearings as well as the plunger in the starter. The CDL switch is coming today.

I have done a few things to clean-up & hopefully protect the roof rack and replaced the spare (original) and battery (old).

You all are way more advanced than I am, so I listen, try and learn and go slowly. The car is in good shape over all, she is a 5.14+ level climber and will use it for trips to more remote areas.

 

[CharlieS]

In case it helps a tiny amount, you can take points off your list. That engine doesn't have points in the ignition.

 

[Hornd]

Leave that Birfield till it needs it, and get a Gallon of Fluid Film (Amazon $45) and Astro Sprayer (Amazon $25) and go to town on that Surface Rust.
Confirm the Birf has Grease (Square Fill Plug at Top) and Change the Differential Oil.
Make sure you smell that Diff oil and Report back here.

See those 4 Bolts below the Eyeball?
Clean them with Brake Cleaner then Put on a Socket and Confirm they Tight.
Then Witness Mark them with a Paint Marker.
They Important-er than the BIRF right now.

 

[Hornd]

In case it helps a tiny amount, you can take points off your list. That engine doesn't have points in the ignition.

You call the Metal Pieces in Distributor Cap Contacts or Points?

 

[CharlieS]

Maybe I'm thinking of something else. Or maybe I'm wrong?

The 1FZ-FE we get in the US delivery 80 series doesn't have points and condenser where you need to set the gap, it has an electronic pickup - there are reluctor sensors that pick up a signal from teeth in the rotating distributor shaft. Unless there is some issue, you don't need to replace the reluctor sensors. It isn't like points where they pit and wear out.

I don't know the name for the pieces in the distributor cap. When they get badly pitted, I replace them with a new distributor cap and rotor.

 

[Brindleboxer]

There are knowledgeable shops in the Denver area so I wouldn't worry about not being able to find someone that can work on the 80 in the future. I would suggest considering at least an AT (or a hybrid) tires if she is going to Colorado and will be going off the pavement for her climbing endeavors. Those street tires are not a good choice for the various weather in Denver. Whatever tire you do go with ensure it has a good ice/snow rating - I ran Nitto Terra Grapplers and liked them until I tried using in ice and snow and they fell short (N. Dakota).

 

[Brindleboxer]

Maybe I'm thinking of something else. Or maybe I'm wrong?

The 1FZ-FE we get in the US delivery 80 series doesn't have points and condenser where you need to set the gap, it has an electronic pickup - there are reluctor sensors that pick up a signal from teeth in the rotating distributor shaft. Unless there is some issue, you don't need to replace the reluctor sensors. It isn't like points where they pit and wear out.

I don't know the name for the pieces in the distributor cap. When they get badly pitted, I replace them with a new distributor cap and rotor.

You just said it; I replace them with a new cap and rotor.

 

[Rusty Marlin]

Given that she's headed for Denver, I'd be temped to take that money and put it toward a set of tire chains. And make sure she know how to use them. Not much snow in Denver or Boulder, but 15 minutes West is a whole other beast!

 

[BTLSHP]

Given that she's headed for Denver, I'd be temped to take that money and put it toward a set of tire chains. And make sure she know how to use them. Not much snow in Denver or Boulder, but 15 minutes West is a whole other beast!

Points and distributor cap are 20k miles old, but I will put a new set in a goodie bag for her.....

I am going to keep the tires, but there are some chains at the bottom of the goodie bag for all four corners and we all know how to use them from WV. Cabin was on the Allegheny front plenty of ice and snow on the 4 mile climb up there.

 

[BTLSHP]

Leave that Birfield till it needs it, and get a Gallon of Fluid Film (Amazon $45) and Astro Sprayer (Amazon $25) and go to town on that Surface Rust.
Confirm the Birf has Grease (Square Fill Plug at Top) and Change the Differential Oil.
Make sure you smell that Diff oil and Report back here.

See those 4 Bolts below the Eyeball?
Clean them with Brake Cleaner then Put on a Socket and Confirm they Tight.
Then Witness Mark them with a Paint Marker.
They Important-er than the BIRF right now.

We have been topping off the Bird grease annually - 3k-5k miles per year these days. Think I found another issue......harmonic balancer split

 

[JoeCova]

Given that she's headed for Denver, I'd be temped to take that money and put it toward a set of tire chains. And make sure she know how to use them. Not much snow in Denver or Boulder, but 15 minutes West is a whole other beast!

I've never needed chains even when I lived at 9200 ft. Good set of tires will do fine and during those really bad storms, theres plenty of warnings.

 

[BTLSHP]

I've never needed chains even when I lived at 9200 ft. Good set of tires will do fine and during those really bad storms, theres plenty of warnings.

Great to hear, we used them all the time in a remote part of WV. Often just an issue of ice.

 

[DIRTBIKEUSA]

Get some diesel and a cheap paint 3in paint brush and clean that axle grease up!

 

[DIRTBIKEUSA]

Slather the diesel on and let it sit for an hour or a day. Comeback later with a pick or scraper and take it all off.