How are you supposed to separate birfields from axles again?

[shaneiseminger]

I'm disassembling my front axle to do a rebuild as well as change out the slightly-clicky birfs. Didn't take too long to pop the birfield off the short axle, but the long axle I've been at for a while and it won't budge.

I've done the drop-it-in-long-pipe trick (even from a stepladder, and on concrete after I broke up a couple of wood scraps from pounding on them), I've tapped around the star with a drift quite a bit, I've even beat on it with a 4lb hammer (though I know that's not the best idea). And the thing won't budge.

So what other methods are there for removing a birfield from an axle?

 

[Kernal]

The method described in the FSM works, you just need a big vise, a 3-4lb hammer, and a big brass drift (like 1 inch by 10-12 inches). Put the axle shaft in the vise with the birfield end down, then strike the star of the birfield where it meets the axle shaft firmly with the drift and hammer, pops right off. Just have someone holding onto the birfield so it doesn't hit the concrete floor. You should not beat on the birfield with a hardened steel tool like a hammer.

 

[FlashBang]

First, I have never seen the inside of my birfields.

Second, its late and it was 15+ years ago I did the following:

On a Nissan that i put new cv joints on I was able to reach in with one or two small screwdrivers and compress the circlip a little to get it come off the drive shaft. seems there was a slot in the cv joints to allow this. If there is no slot in your birf, these are not the droids you are looking for, move along.

The video shows these things coming apart slick with the pipe trick, or tapping with a brass drift. Size does matter with a hammer and you may have to hold your mouth right. Good luck.

 

[kentmasters]

use the steel pipe. don't drop the birf onto the pipe, rather rest the birf and drop the pipe and axle onto the concrete. make sure there is a rag in the pipe to catch the axle. this method has never failed for me.

 

[Kernal]

"I've done the drop-it-in-long-pipe trick---- And the thing won't budge."

Shaneiseminger: If you don't have a large vise find a friend or mechanic that does. The large brass drifts are almost impossible to find for sale, you pretty much have to make one out of a section of bar stock; the ones sold at HF or O'Reillys are way too small.

 

[andystrwake]

I did my birf swap a few weeks ago and I was surprised it worked when I did it this:

I put a load blanket on the ground so I would not damage anything. I had some 2x4s sitting around so I cut one a little longer than the axle with birf attached. I held the 2x4 along the axle with the end of the 2x4 against the birf. I then stabbed it to the ground and when the 2x4 hit the ground it popped the birf right off and everything fell on the load blanket. I was surprised how easy it was. Never posted how I had done it till now.

Not saying this is the best way, but I bet more people have 2x4s laying around than the pipe people say to get and use.

I laughed out loud when it popped off because I really did not think it was going to work.

Good luck.

 

[Romer]

I had the axle in a vise with the birfield below and used a rubber hammer to whack it out

 

[rove_mcanus]

‪How to remove a Toyota 4x4 Birfield joint off an inner axle shaft‬‏ - YouTube

I've done this a few times now. Only once i had to cut the cv off with a grinder.

 

[SiRaDuDe]

"I've done the drop-it-in-long-pipe trick---- And the thing won't budge."

Odd...

I did both of mine with a PVC pipe and worked like a charm, on both sides.

But instead of banging the Birf on the pipe (like on the video) I just put the birf in the pipe, Lifted the whole thing and slammed it down (with authority) on the floor (birf & pipe), and wham! one shot one kill...

Obviously I stuffed the pipe with rags to keep the shaft from hitting on cement floor.

Pipe only needs to be a few inches longer to avoid flexing when using PVC pipe.
Do longside first to be able to reuse same pipe but cutting shorter for the short side birf. (recycle )

 

[landtank]

I have a birf in the garage still on the inner axle. I've clamped it in my vise and hit it so hard with a 3lb hammer you saw sparks and whacked it so many times that my arm went limp. That birf isn't coming off any time soon and the whole mess is going in the trash. I really only want to save the shaft.

And I've done a whole lot of axle jobs and have never had any issues separating the birf from the axle before.

Good luck with it

 

[Kernal]

Could a C-clip installed incorrectly bind the two pieces together, like a piece of it get pinched between the splines?? Never done it myself but wondering, is there some way to pull the birf off (or pull the axle shaft out) using some sort of hydraulic set-up? IDK

 

[EricG]

I've recently separated a few birfs on my 40 series project. I found that I couldn't separate the birf straight out of the housing with the pipe trick. Broke a few pipes. Then I noticed that there is a C clip on the outside of the birf - don't remember if the 80 series has it or not. Opened up that clip and slid it up the axle a bit and it separated on the first drop.

One the subject of learning from my pain...
When you go to put it back together, check the slot for the inner clip *very* carefully. Mine had a small chip of the old clip in it. I spent more time then I'm willing to admit trying to get that axle back into the birf ... zip ties, hose clamps, screw drivers, BFH, the works. Finally took the new clip out and took a closer look. Found & removed the chip, and it went in with no problem.

 

[OGBeno]

The 80 series does not have a c-clip set up like the earlier FJ40's (2 c-clip set up at the birf).

When Dan and I were in Japan doing a birf job on Mot's HDJ81, we had a terrible time getting the short side outta the birf. We killed that birf and the pipe we were working with (that I brought with me from the US ).

Luckily, Mot was installing new birfs and we just went to the local Toyota parts joint and bought a new short side.

 

[Land Speeder]

I have a birf in the garage still on the inner axle. I've clamped it in my vise and hit it so hard with a 3lb hammer you saw sparks and whacked it so many times that my arm went limp. That birf isn't coming off any time soon and the whole mess is going in the trash. I really only want to save the shaft.

And I've done a whole lot of axle jobs and have never had any issues separating the birf from the axle before.

Good luck with it

Rick, is the birf broken? before you throw it away... can I break it? I'll pay shipping...

 

[SiRaDuDe]

I have a birf in the garage still on the inner axle. I've clamped it in my vise and hit it so hard with a 3lb hammer you saw sparks and whacked it so many times that my arm went limp. That birf isn't coming off any time soon and the whole mess is going in the trash. I really only want to save the shaft.

Have you tried HEAT?

Like putting a torch to the star...

 

[landtank]

Rick, is the birf broken? before you throw it away... can I break it? I'll pay shipping...

the birf not broken but I'll have to check the splines as that is usually why I replace them.

 

[landtank]

Have you tried HEAT?

Like putting a torch to the star...

It's not worth the effort at this point. But that damn thing is really on there.

 

[Lka1988]

When I rebuilt my axle, I just held the shaft in my hand and beat the birf off with a mallet. Worked for both sides.

 

[landtank]

the birf not broken but I'll have to check the splines as that is usually why I replace them.

the splines are trashed.

 

[shaneiseminger]

Thanks all, I've tried a lot of these things, including putting the axle in the (steel) pipe and slamming the whole thing down on concrete. I haven't tried the large-vise-and-large-hammer yet, mainly because I don't have a good vise. Judging by all accounts I'm giving it a lot more force than it typically takes to separate these two pieces, so I'll cross my fingers and hope I don't have one of the unlucky inseparable ones.

I'll have to hunt down a good vise and see what I can do with that. I also have a theory that if I had a large, heavy piece of fixed steel with a hole in it, I could pull the axle through that and get more inertia on it.

I also noticed that both birfields have dark discolorations on the outside of the bell that line up with the balls inside the bell. Is this on all of them, or does this mean these birfields heated up a lot at some point? The reason I'm rebuilding things is because of that inner axle seal leaking gear oil into the joint.

I also have to wonder -- how the heck were the birfield joints themselves assembled in the first place? I mean the actual joint, not the joint and axle. It occurred to me that if I could disassemble the joint itself I could get at that clip.