Brif side-to side swap, clicking etc

[jlbuk]

Hi Guys, been searching, found a couple of threads but not exactly what I' after...

Just going out to Zambia in a week or so, to be reunited with one of my 80s - never seen it over there, it's been about 8 months since if left the UK. Looking forward to driving it on some more interesting roads

The birfs were clicking quite badly, and I know the joints are a little dry. Clearly a rebuild/reseal/relube is required, and I've done that on my Uk cruisers (and I have the parts), so no probs there, but I've not attempted to split the birfs off before.....

1) The clicking is quite bad.. is it even worth swapping sides, or not much to gain ?

2) what's the part no. of the star washer/circlip thingy that sits inside the birf holding it on ? Apparently it often breaks on seperation...

3) and the one that really worries me - I've found quite a few threads saying how important it is to reassemble the birf right, flat bits here and there, but nothing to actually tell me what to look for / how to make sure. Parts are a real pain/expensive over there, and I don't want to break it. Looked at these threads, but the grooves are clearly way too subtle for me to make out https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/273952-swapping-birfield-sides.html https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-...ssembling-birfield-inner-axle-assemblies.html Is it (like so many things) easy enough in practise ?

4) Finally, seen aftermarket brifs on e8ay over here for around 70 GBP / 100 USD - junk or OK ? How long they going to last ? Worthwhile insurance ?

Many thanks in advance - JB

 

[RavenTai]

1. If you can picture the balls in the birf spending most of their time in the center as the wheels spend most of their time centered, that wears a groove, they click while you are turning (birf rotating at an angle) as the balls fall into and get stuck in that wear groove when the are forced out they pop out making noise and hastening wear, eventually the groove gets so big the ball will not pop out, ushually when the wheel is turned hard and under heavy load, and the birf blows,

the idea of swapping sides it to spread out the wear, you put %50 of the wear on the forward face and %50 on the rear face, each groove is half the depth therefore the birf in theory will last twice as long, provided it does not blow from overloading first, birf repacks are also about slowing wear good clean and plentiful lube.


in other words you are too late. if you cannot afford new parts you can try a side swap and see if that will get you down the road a bit further but I would not waste my time,


2, inner clip is all I know it by, it should come with your repack kit,

3. the first thread you linked has a picture,

https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/273952-swapping-birfield-sides.html#post4261005


that picture has all the info you need on orientation, the differences are subtle but there, study the parts in hand and look at the picture, easier to see than to explain in words.

the orientation info in the manual is for the older smaller birf and does not apply, nor does many links online on birf repacks, the 80 series birf is unique,

 

[uptownV]

Taken from the FAQ. 43411C is the part # for the circlip you mentioned.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/78276-front-axle-rebuild-faq.html#post923556

 

[jlbuk]

Many thanks both...

I'll inspect and see how big the wear groove is...

Best regards - JB