Birfield repack....in like Flint! (1 Viewer)

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Wifey got home at 6:30 p.m its 9:30 now. Got the Cruiser jacked up and on stands. Started tearing in......not done by a long shot but here's where I'm at.

Have both birfs. out and soaking in my parts washer. Both hubs cleaned, new races installed, and new rotors put on. All parts (everything) cleaned and laid out on my bench for reassembly. Painted drive flanges,dust shields and caps.

Will drop the knuckles in the morning and start from there. Heck these things "tear down" easy. Its just alot of cleaning.

Looks like the wheel bearings had been repacked on mine at some time, unless
Toyota uses a red grease to pack them and a chisel to tighten the lock nuts.

Had gobs of grease in the birfs, and the rotors I took off were a little over 30mm. Brake pads were good...but its getting all new stuff anyway.

Can't believe someone used a chisel to tighten the locking nuts.....what a nitwit!
 
flintknapper said:
Can't believe someone used a chisel to tighten the locking nuts.....what a nitwit!
Thats the John Deere way man!!

Be sure and use compressed air to get all that parts solvent out of everywhere before you start packing in new grease. You might even want to use some fast evaporating brake cleaner first.
 
Maybe the John (I've got a chisel and no socket) way.

elmariachi said:
Thats the John Deere way man!!

Be sure and use compressed air to get all that parts solvent out of everywhere before you start packing in new grease. You might even want to use some fast evaporating brake cleaner first.



Well... the John Deere way leaves really sharp shards sticking up and makes it nearly impossible to get your 54 mm socket on it. I can see doing it in an emergency (on one side).

I was thinking about taking the Birfs. apart and swapping them side for side, really just to get a look at them and to help me understand how they work.
 
flintknapper said:
Well... the John Deere way leaves really sharp shards sticking up and makes it nearly impossible to get your 54 mm socket on it. I can see doing it in an emergency (on one side).I was thinking about taking the Birfs. apart and swapping them side for side, really just to get a look at them and to help me understand how they work.

The Army taught the farmers.

If you break down the birfields, be sure and look in your book and notice that the cages have a particular orientation upon reassembly. We didn't do it in the video, but if you have a 3-4' piece of 2-3" pipe, you can slide the axle shaft in one end and give the other end a good hard drop on concrete and they will pop right apart.
 
I knew there was a wide side and a protruding something or other. Didn't know about the pipe trick though. Sounds better than beating on my birfs.

Thanks for the tip.
 
I feel your pain on the damaged locking nuts. i found the same thing on mine.
 
Nothing beats the carnage on my boss' axle. The PO decided to replace the front rotors. As usual they must have been rusted on the hubs pretty bad. But instead of supporting the hub on a wood block or similar and hitting the rotor to remove it, they did the complete opposite. They supported the rotor and HIT THE HUB OFF!! The area around the rear bearing grease seal was beat to ever lovin s***! Once I got the seal out I wasn't sure the new one was going in and the seal between the hub and the ring that mates to the outside of the hub was questionable. The hubs really should have been brought to a shop and have the surfaces machined.
 
elmariachi said:
We didn't do it in the video, but if you have a 3-4' piece of 2-3" pipe, you can slide the axle shaft in one end and give the other end a good hard drop on concrete and they will pop right apart.
I can vouch for the pipe trick,it works. It's a little harder to pop the short shaft because there is less weight (axle) doing the work. I think it is a good idea to:

1. use duct tape on the machined area around the axle where the seal sits
2. also duct tape the splines on the end to prevent damage when it seperates
2. stuff a rag or two down the pipe to cushion the axle when it seperates

At 5', this pipe was maybe 'a little' big, but it worked. :D

birf7.JPG
 
valkyrie610 said:
1. use duct tape on the machined area around the axle where the seal sits2. also duct tape the splines on the end to prevent damage when it seperates2. stuff a rag or two down the pipe to cushion the axle when it seperates

Yep, and don't do it on your nice concrete garage floor...go to the street. :D
 
Birfields done.

I had a small amount of moly in the diff. so I caught it just in time (122,000 miles and no evidence of a birf. repack. Everything looked real good.

Pipe trick worked great. Had a little trouble getting the drivers side axle back in until I noticed I had moved the steering knuckle when I torqued the bolts on it...(big dummy).

Wasn't too impressed with the locknut's (not very thick, 2 or 3 threads each), other than that everything is hell for stout.

Any suggestions for flushing the diff. I don't want to put my synthetic lube in there yet. I guess I'll just run some Coastal in it for awhile and change it out when that starts coming out clear.

Its a messy job to be sure.
 
flintknapper said:
Any suggestions for flushing the diff. I don't want to put my synthetic lube in there yet. I guess I'll just run some Coastal in it for awhile and change it out when that starts coming out clear.

That's the ticket...Coastal for 100 miles and drain and refill and you are done for a long while. Snug up those 6 little 10mm bolts on the back retainer plates at about 500 miles too.
 
elmariachi said:
That's the ticket...Coastal for 100 miles and drain and refill and you are done for a long while. Snug up those 6 little 10mm bolts on the back retainer plates at about 500 miles too.


Will do.

And thanks to all....for the information and suggestions. Also, to Dan for the quick shipment of my parts, nice to get everything you need the first time.
 

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