Factory Birfields or Longfield chromoly set? (2 Viewers)

[OpossumWrangler]

I'm looking for some advise from first hand experience. I am about to do a knuckle rebuild on my 1997 that I just bought. The birfields are also clicking on both sides at full steer so I'm sure they need replaced while I'm in there. My question is, should I just buy a factory set or go ahead and get the Longfield super set on trail gear? I do want to lift the truck eventually and Ill probably be running 35s (possibly 37). I just don't know if it justifies the cost, my little xj has been running 35x12.50s on factory axles for 7 years now. I don't have the experience with these trucks to know if that would be overkill or not. The set is on sale right now, so that is a factor. I'm also pretty sure I read somewhere that the chromoly shafts and birfields wear out the axel seal faster?

Here is the kit in question: Longfield FJ80 30 Spline Birfield/Axle Super Set, Gun Drilled - https://trail-gear.com/longfield-fj80-30-spline-birfield-axle-super-set-gun-drilled.html

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I've not seen a published spec for that, I'll have to look given what I'm seeing, you need shafts, altered seal placement or speedy sleeve.

 

[s13koop]

Man I was in the same boat earlier this year during my axle rebuild. Willing to splurge for the better RCV, Cruiser Outfitters talked me out of it. I don't rock crawl or hit the Rubicon every other weekend.
Standard duty axles/birfs are doing fine for me.

 

[mudgudgeon]

So I ended up deciding that I have no need for the chromoly set. Today I started on the project, and I have noticed some wear on the factory axles. Here some pics, I don’t have a set of calipers with me but I can get some if anyone happens to know tolerances for wear at the axle seal.

View attachment 3702983

View attachment 3702984

Inspect the splines on both ends.
If they aren't showing a lot of wear, speedi sleeve will fix the seal surface.

 

[Broski]

Like other have said most won’t need the RCVs
If you like to wheel the hard stuff you do and I do
What I can say about RCV is that when I snapped both RCV inner axle shafts on Fordyce trail is one Email with one picture and in less than one week I had two full replacements on my door step.
No charge shipping included.
Now thats customer service and standing behind your product !

 

[OpossumWrangler]

A little update. I got all the races, wheel bearings, and seals pressed in that I could without shafts. I decided to just go ahead and get new shafts. At 60% off, I couldn’t turn down the long field set. If they wear out I’ll just turn them in on the warranty. I’ll let yall know how the install goes when they come in and should they wear out or cause any other issues in the future I’ll post it here.

 

[OpossumWrangler]

Do any of y'all have experience running Marine grease in the hub?

 

[OpossumWrangler]

Finished the rebuild. Just wanted to give an FYI. I had ordered the generic steering arm studs from Cruiser Teq after one of mine broke in the knuckle. I honestly didn't pay much attention and ordered the first stud set I came across (Lesson learned). When they came in I used two of the new nuts to retrieve the rest of the old studs from the knuckle. One of the new nuts stripped while doing that. I thought that was odd but I was in a hurry and needed the truck running so I just replaced the nut with a new one from ACE. Once I started installing the knuckle and steering arms though, 2 more of them stripped before reaching 71ft-lbs. I ended up calling Cruiser Teq and they shipped out an OEM set to me ASAP and I only owed them the difference. I know generic is generic but these studs and hardware are pretty dangerous considering they hold the steering arms in place and couldn't even make it to torque spec.

Knuckle Stud Set - Aftermarket - Fits Fits 1/1979 - 1/1998 4x/5x/6x/7x/8x Series - Pack of 8 (KS7997KASET)

Toyota Land Cruiser Knuckle Hardware

cruiserteq.com

 

[NeverFinis]

Finished the rebuild. Just wanted to give an FYI. I had ordered the generic steering arm studs from Cruiser Teq after one of mine broke in the knuckle. I honestly didn't pay much attention and ordered the first stud set I came across (Lesson learned). When they came in I used two of the new nuts to retrieve the rest of the old studs from the knuckle. One of the new nuts stripped while doing that. I thought that was odd but I was in a hurry and needed the truck running so I just replaced the nut with a new one from ACE. Once I started installing the knuckle and steering arms though, 2 more of them stripped before reaching 71ft-lbs. I ended up calling Cruiser Teq and they shipped out an OEM set to me ASAP and I only owed them the difference. I know generic is generic but these studs and hardware are pretty dangerous considering they hold the steering arms in place and couldn't even make it to torque spec.

Knuckle Stud Set - Aftermarket - Fits Fits 1/1979 - 1/1998 4x/5x/6x/7x/8x Series - Pack of 8 (KS7997KASET)

Toyota Land Cruiser Knuckle Hardware

cruiserteq.com

I assume the link you added are the studs that you do NOT recommend? If so, leave a review.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Finished the rebuild. Just wanted to give an FYI. I had ordered the generic steering arm studs from Cruiser Teq after one of mine broke in the knuckle. I honestly didn't pay much attention and ordered the first stud set I came across (Lesson learned). When they came in I used two of the new nuts to retrieve the rest of the old studs from the knuckle. One of the new nuts stripped while doing that. I thought that was odd but I was in a hurry and needed the truck running so I just replaced the nut with a new one from ACE. Once I started installing the knuckle and steering arms though, 2 more of them stripped before reaching 71ft-lbs. I ended up calling Cruiser Teq and they shipped out an OEM set to me ASAP and I only owed them the difference. I know generic is generic but these studs and hardware are pretty dangerous considering they hold the steering arms in place and couldn't even make it to torque spec.

Knuckle Stud Set - Aftermarket - Fits Fits 1/1979 - 1/1998 4x/5x/6x/7x/8x Series - Pack of 8 (KS7997KASET)

Toyota Land Cruiser Knuckle Hardware

cruiserteq.com

Hopefully the gents at the shop are getting some of your old ones back so we can do some torque testing. We've probably sold 5,000 of those studs over the years and can't say we've had any more/less torque-strip issues as we do OEM variants, both of which don't like to see much higher torque and will strip.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I assume the link you added are the studs that you do NOT recommend? If so, leave a review.

That's the joy of site reviews. If something works well, we can't beg folks to do a review. If it fails or is misused, the internet wants reviews by the dozens

 

[OpossumWrangler]

Hopefully the gents at the shop are getting some of your old ones back so we can do some torque testing. We've probably sold 5,000 of those studs over the years and can't say we've had any more/less torque-strip issues as we do OEM variants, both of which don't like to see much higher torque and will strip.

I spoke with 2 guys on the phone. That’s wasn’t mentioned, but the trash can they are in hasn’t been taken out yet so i may be able to retrieve them if yall want them.

 

[OpossumWrangler]

I spoke with 2 guys on the phone. That’s wasn’t mentioned, but the trash can they are in hasn’t been taken out yet so i may be able to retrieve them if yall want them.

I used an ICON torque wrench. This is the first project it’s been used on and it has been stored in its box since I bought it.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I spoke with 2 guys on the phone. That’s wasn’t mentioned, but the trash can they are in hasn’t been taken out yet so i may be able to retrieve them if yall want them.

No, not a big deal. We buy those in large batches from the manufacturer. We'll pull a couple from that same time frame and do a handful of torque tests with a certified wrench. Definitely want to catch any issues. That said, we've not received a shipment from them in 3-4 months as I recall so I'd expect to have heard from many customers over the past few months if it was a batch issue? Ironically I'm working with a gent sorting some stripped OEM Toyota hub studs. Normally it wouldn't be much of an issue, the customer service guys would just send out replacements and I'd never hear about it. However in this case he's saying they stripped and damage his wheel hub by being faulty studs.

 

[Corbet]

I run Nitros. They cost 1/2 of OEM so if they last 1/2 as long so what. Strength should be greater.

 

[OpossumWrangler]

No, not a big deal. We buy those in large batches from the manufacturer. We'll pull a couple from that same time frame and do a handful of torque tests with a certified wrench. Definitely want to catch any issues. That said, we've not received a shipment from them in 3-4 months as I recall so I'd expect to have heard from many customers over the past few months if it was a batch issue? Ironically I'm working with a gent sorting some stripped OEM Toyota hub studs. Normally it wouldn't be much of an issue, the customer service guys would just send out replacements and I'd never hear about it. However in this case he's saying they stripped and damage his wheel hub by being faulty studs.

No, not a big deal. We buy those in large batches from the manufacturer. We'll pull a couple from that same time frame and do a handful of torque tests with a certified wrench. Definitely want to catch any issues. That said, we've not received a shipment from them in 3-4 months as I recall so I'd expect to have heard from many customers over the past few months if it was a batch issue? Ironically I'm working with a gent sorting some stripped OEM Toyota hub studs. Normally it wouldn't be much of an issue, the customer service guys would just send out replacements and I'd never hear about it. However in this case he's saying they stripped and damage his wheel hub by being faulty studs.

I wouldn’t have thought twice had it only been one. I did notice after I got them off that there was some pretty good scaring on top of the nut where it met the lock washer. I also know ICON isn’t the nicest torque wrench, but I wouldn’t expect it to be out by that much. I use to be a Pipefitter/Welder, and now weld for an aerospace company so I am pretty familiar with torque processes. I might ask the guys at work that certify our equipment if they would mind checking my wrench just to satisfy my own curiosity

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I wouldn’t have thought twice had it only been one. I did notice after I got them off that there was some pretty good scaring on top of the nut where it met the lock washer. I also know ICON isn’t the nicest torque wrench, but I wouldn’t expect it to be out by that much. I use to be a Pipefitter/Welder, and now weld for an aerospace company so I am pretty familiar with torque processes. I might ask the guys at work that certify our equipment if they would mind checking my wrench just to satisfy my own curiosity

Cool, let me know what you find on your wrench.

 

[NeverFinis]

That's the joy of site reviews. If something works well, we can't beg folks to do a review. If it fails or is misused, the internet wants reviews by the dozens

True but I rather know that there is a possible quality issue then not know. Those studs have 0 reviews at the moment.

I am in the middle of my front axle rebuild myself with a knuckle rebuild kit, birfields, and spindles coming from you guys. Shipped a couple days ago.

 

[NeverFinis]

@OpossumWrangler

Just in case you don't know, Torque wrenches need to be "exercised" before use. If not done, you can over torque fasteners. In the case of ICON torque wrenches, one must go to max torque 3X before use. 3 X (Min ->Max -> Min). Probably more important if the torque wrench has been sitting for a while.

https://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/64000-64999/64065.pdf

 

[Broski]

@OpossumWrangler

Just in case you don't know, Torque wrenches need to be "exercised" before use. If not done, you can over torque fasteners. In the case of ICON torque wrenches, one must go to max torque 3X before use. 3 X (Min ->Max -> Min). Probably more important if the torque wrench has been sitting for a while.

https://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/64000-64999/64065.pdf

 

[OpossumWrangler]

@OpossumWrangler

Just in case you don't know, Torque wrenches need to be "exercised" before use. If not done, you can over torque fasteners. In the case of ICON torque wrenches, one must go to max torque 3X before use. 3 X (Min ->Max -> Min). Probably more important if the torque wrench has been sitting for a while.

https://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/64000-64999/64065.pdf

@OpossumWrangler

Just in case you don't know, Torque wrenches need to be "exercised" before use. If not done, you can over torque fasteners. In the case of ICON torque wrenches, one must go to max torque 3X before use. 3 X (Min ->Max -> Min). Probably more important if the torque wrench has been sitting for a while.

https://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/64000-64999/64065.pdf

This could be a factor