Curiosity Question on Front Birf axle breakage (1 Viewer)

[ericb1]

Just a question I am wanting some clarification on. If I were out wheeling and broke a front axle or birfield, could I limp it home or is their risk of the now free axle damaging the tube or other components?

I know if I break a rear driveshaft I can engage the CDL and drive home in FWD mode, is the same true for an axle here as well? I would just like to better understand how to address the dozen or so most common trail failures and be prepared for them

I already carry:
Electrical: Fusible links, engine fuses and relays, blade fuses, wire and connectors
Cooling: hoses, clamps, water, epoxy for pinholes
Mechanical: Spare tire and repair kit, knuckle studs for steering arm and bearings, fluids, and a few other items that elude me at the moment, as well as a complete tool set for the 80.

For the record my truck is baselined and has been made as reliable and dependable as one can make these trucks. ALL wear items and known issues have been addressed. Perhaps some of the more salty off roaders here can chime in. I know we have tons of threads on tools, but maybe a new thread on the top 20 weekend enders, and tow truck calls and how to address each of them on the trail. I ask because I am planning a few multi-day trips into remote areas where there will be no AAA, and I often go alone, I always carry a cell and people always know my planned route, but I like to be self sufficient.

Thanks all

 

[I Lean]

You don't want to drive on it, You can damage more stuff, and could risk locking up your steering as well.

Edit: that's for a broken birf. A broken axleshaft wouldn't be as bad...but the only way to know which broke is to take it apart...and at that point, just remove it and drive with CDL locked.

 

[benjrblant]

IMO, regardless of which it is, the offending shaft should be removed. there is always a tiny chance it can lock something up, particularly a birf, and that's disasterous at pavement speeds.

Found here: Broken axles on trail, what to do?
and I agree. If you're asking if the broken component should be removed, I'd say yes. If it shatters or breaks into multiple pieces, they could be floating around inside the knuckle or axle shaft and create some miserable gouges or cause further damage.

 

[LandCruisinMy93]

I've Driven on a broken birf before, I don't recommend it. Lost steering ability a number of times in a 2 mile jaunt down the road to solid ground where I could break it down and remove the broken birf and axle shaft. If you have to move your rig and have to drive it, r move the drive flanges on both side as well as the front driveline before driving it.

 

[Red Merle]

It would be like having broken shards of big metal inside of a space that wasn't designed for it, turning over and over with sharp, really hard, steel finding a way to gouge the crap out of the inside of the axle and housing.

I can't imagine what it would take to shatter a birf, but I am sure it's possible. Probably not on a road though, even a really bumpy one.

 

[slow95z]

I busted a front different and drove home just fine. Pulled the driveshaft and front drive flanges.

 

[Red Merle]

I busted a front different and drove home just fine. Pulled the driveshaft and front drive flanges.

wat?

 

[Brimley]

wat?

Exactly this ^with cdl engaged. Or if you are me remove front drive shaft unlock manual hubs engage cdl.

 

[baldilocks]

I just removed this axle on Monday. As you can see, the cage broke probably due to wear in the joint. I pulled a rookie move: wheels cranked left, front diff locked, reverse, and a lot of weight on the front left tire and zero weight on the right front tire. Didn't take much throttle to to do this . Again, I believe it happened due to 268k miles of wear. The balls and the two broken pieces were floating around and the damage did limit my steering ability. I was 135 miles from home at an OHV park when I did this. I took a chance, which I shouldn't have, and left the axle in. I did remove both drive plates and the front drive shaft and drove home with the CDL engaged. When I freed the knuckle from the tie rod, it could only be pivoted through about half its normal travel with the alxle still installed.
This is why it is a good idea to deal with the mess of removing the broke axle out in the field. And that means having the necessary rags and trash bags to contain the mess.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

That's a differential in @slow95z example. If you break a diff, but you pull the flanges and the driveshaft it won't turn at all and is perfectly safe.

A broken birf on the other hand, can bind in the housing and cause a loss of steering. So a broken birf on the trail means you fix it there or risk lots of other damage and loss of steering which is potentially catastrophic. If you can't fix it, at least pull it out with the shards and stuff a rag tightly in the seal to retain the gear oil in the diff. then you can drive, but don't drive far.

 

[Red Merle]

Jesus...

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Jesus...

He doesn't change birfs for you on the trail. Just sayin'...

And breaking them is surprisingly easy and instant given the right circumstances. Carry a spare and then don't worry about it.

 

[baldilocks]

He doesn't change birfs for you on the trail. Just sayin'...

And breaking them is surprisingly easy and instant given the right circumstances. Carry a spare and then don't worry about it.

Or spring for a set of RCV's

 

[Kaninja]

He doesn't change birfs for you on the trail. Just sayin'...

That would be great though.

Would it be better to run Chromoly birfs and stock axles instead?

 

[Red Merle]

He doesn't change birfs for you on the trail. Just sayin'...

And breaking them is surprisingly easy and instant given the right circumstances. Carry a spare and then don't worry about it.

Not even dashboard Jesus?

I am sure they can be broken. When I pulled my axle apart I was pretty happy to see how stout everything was. Wheeling is a whole nuther story, but the trucks are pretty solid from the factory.

 

[Kaninja]

Wheels turned with a spinning wheel in the air then coming down on it on rocks while into the throttle is the Achilles heel of the birf I think.

 

[Mike357]

I have a beater FJ80 that I once drove about a thousand miles on a locked CDL with a broken right-side birf. When I finally got around to rebuilding it the inside of the knuckle was pretty scarred; however, nothing was damaged to the point of hindering function. While the birf was still broken, I could feel the broken star ring crunching around in the steering feedback. If you're stuck on a trail and need to get to paved road you can drive it like that, but if you love your car, remove it ASAP.

That being said, I think "catastophic damage" and "loss of steering" is quite unlikely. Those birf parts were rolling everywhere they pleased and never locked up my steering.

 

[baldilocks]

I have a beater FJ80 that I once drove about a thousand miles on a locked CDL with a broken right-side birf. When I finally got around to rebuilding it the inside of the knuckle was pretty scarred; however, nothing was damaged to the point of hindering function. While the birf was still broken, I could feel the broken star ring crunching around in the steering feedback. If you're stuck on a trail and need to get to paved road you can drive it like that, but if you love your car, remove it ASAP.

That being said, I think "catastophic damage" and "loss of steering" is quite unlikely. Those birf parts were rolling everywhere they pleased and never locked up my steering.

Loss of steering capability is very likely. You did not read post #9. I once had a double birf failure on an FJ40 where both bells shattered and pieces spread all over inside the knuckle leaving me completely unable to steer right and with limited steer to the left. This happened quickly.

 

[subzali]

Not even dashboard Jesus?

I am sure they can be broken. When I pulled my axle apart I was pretty happy to see how stout everything was. Wheeling is a whole nuther story, but the trucks are pretty solid from the factory.

Breaking a birfield is almost a rite of passage of cruiser ownership. I've never broken one yet but I did break a rear pinion on a 40.

 

[ericb1]

Thank you all for the input. I think I will get 1-2 large rubber stoppers to keep in by bag to plug the axle hole in the event this happens, keeping the diff fluid in. Seems to me you could pull the axle and birf from the offending side and wrap in a towel or blanket, plug inner axle seal with a stopper, and throw any knuckle grease into a water container, and be on your way in a few dirty hours