hypothetical front birf/axle breakage question (1 Viewer)

[concretejungle]

i was wondering if you have the CDL button installed and were to break either a axle or a birf (knowing the front is a semi float), can you remove the axle/birf, lock the cdl and drive home with the front shaft out and no axle or birf in place?

talking about the front axle only.

I was asking because i have a spare birf, but do not have spare front axles. I was thinking if i broke an axle can i still drive the rig home as described above.

flame away....

 

[Lka1988]

I thought the front was a full-floater?

 

[nakman]

If you locked the CDL and removed the front shaft then you can drive home pretty much no matter what.. if you wanted 3WD and still use the other front wheel then it would depend on how screwed up the axle was, and if you could get the broken piece out, etc. and what exactly is going to be spinning around inside your axle housing. One other option is just remove the drive plate, which I'd do to maybe get out of the ditch I was in but probably not much further.

that would be my opinion at least, hth..

 

[e rock]

Yup. Should work just fine really. I don't think there's any purpose in taking the front driveshaft out though unless you have an autolocker in the front diff (but you'd have plenty of other issues then anyway). With the broken birf and it's associated inner axle shaft out, the front diff can spin freely all it wants and it would be transparent to the front wheels.

Under no circumstances would I attempt to drive more than a few feet with the broken birf still in there.

I thought the front was a full-floater?

It is... What are you talking about?

 

[jonheld]

i was wondering if you have the CDL button installed and were to break either a axle or a birf (knowing the front is a semi float), can you remove the axle/birf, lock the cdl and drive home with the front shaft out and no axle or birf in place?

talking about the front axle only.

I was asking because i have a spare birf, but do not have spare front axles. I was thinking if i broke an axle can i still drive the rig home as described above.

flame away....

No flame required. This has been SOP for those that don't have spares. Clean out the busted bits so you can turn, shove a rag with some tape on it into the axle tube to keep the diff oil from spewing out, re-assemble, and drive.

 

[concretejungle]

i thought the rear axle was full float and the front was semi float?

Anyways, thank you for the info. much appreciated.

Just planning ahead for the "just in case" circumstances.

I was thinking that pulling any broken bits is a necessity to ensure they do not chew up the axle housing. Also, pulling the front drive shaft would keep the front axles from spinning in the case i removed the birfs if they were broken.

 

[e rock]

i thought the rear axle was full float and the front was semi float?

Anyways, thank you for the info. much appreciated.

Just planning ahead for the "just in case" circumstances.

I was thinking that pulling any broken bits is a necessity to ensure they do not chew up the axle housing. Also, pulling the front drive shaft would keep the front axles from spinning in the case i removed the birfs if they were broken.

(*USA-spec) Early 80s have semifloat rears. Yours should have a full-float rear. I think this was a FJ/FZJ thing, but I'm not totally sure if the change was that defined.

All front axles are "full-floating" - the axle shafts can be removed with no effect on the load-bearing capacity.

Yes, pull all broken bits lest something get stuck in between the knuckle and axle housing preventing you from turning.

You should also leave out the inner shaft when you remove the birf and plug the hole with a rag lest the inner shaft decide to get mobile and wander out into the knuckle/spindle which would also hamper steering (understatement).

With the birf and inner axle from the broken side removed, it really doesn't matter what you do with the driveshaft. When it spins, it cannot put any torque to the intact side since the other side is missing.

Even if you took it out, the gears would still be churning in there since the intact side would still be turning the side gears. IMO, it's just not worth the extra hassle.

 

[Ebag333]

With the birf and inner axle from the broken side removed, it really doesn't matter what you do with the driveshaft. When it spins, it cannot put any torque to the intact side since the other side is missing.

Even if you took it out, the gears would still be churning in there since the intact side would still be turning the side gears. IMO, it's just not worth the extra hassle.

Would locking the front diff ensure that the good side got torque?

 

[e rock]

Would locking the front diff ensure that the good side got torque?

Sure. But that would likely drive very weird in 3wd down the road. I've seen guys use 3wd to make it out of a trail, but I wouldn't want to drive it on the road like that.

I was posting under the assumption that he didn't have lockers (not in the sig), so that was all for an open diff. I meant to mention that, but it slipped past the editor.

 

[barCruiser]

The easiest trail fix would be to remove both hub flanges and the driveshaft (then lock up the cdl & drive away). This would immoblize the front 3rd member and axle shafts. Also this method would not require the removal of either of the wheels. it wouldn't really be necessary to cover up the exposed axle stub/innards because your going to be rebuilding it when you get home anyways. Oh and having a semi-float front is impossible because in a semi-floating axle setup the axle shaft supports a portion of the vehicle's weight (this is impossible on front axles because the axle shafts have joints in them)

 

[e rock]

The easiest trail fix would be to remove both hub flanges and the driveshaft (then lock up the cdl & drive away).

Please don't do this to go farther than the nearest flat spot where you're going to disassemble the knuckle.


A broken birfield quite often results in shrapnel all over the inside of the knuckle. Sometimes it just sits there in the grease harmlessly, but sometimes it gets between the knuckle and the end of the axle housing, making it impossible to turn one direction or the other. It's not predictable - not safe.

 

[concretejungle]

thanks all. That's pretty much what i was thinking, but now i'm sure.

I'm going to give her hell this weekend.

 

[jfz80]

I'm going to give her hell this weekend.

this is gonna be fun and we are going to hold you to it.

 

[fj40z]

thanks all. That's pretty much what i was thinking, but now i'm sure.

I'm going to give her hell this weekend.

The black stallion rides again!

 

[cruiserdan]

The easiest trail fix would be to remove both hub flanges and the driveshaft (then lock up the cdl & drive away). This would immoblize the front 3rd member and axle shafts. Also this method would not require the removal of either of the wheels. it wouldn't really be necessary to cover up the exposed axle stub/innards because your going to be rebuilding it when you get home anyways. Oh and having a semi-float front is impossible because in a semi-floating axle setup the axle shaft supports a portion of the vehicle's weight (this is impossible on front axles because the axle shafts have joints in them)

If you have a shatterd birf bell it would be possible to bind the steering up even though nothing is rotating.

It's best to get the broken bits outta there so you don't magnify the damage.

 

[barCruiser]

Very true, I suppose the steps I listed before would only be good for short distances (i.e. getting to the trailhead) where you would have nice flat spot to work on your truck.

 

[therealratfink]

Or just put it in 2wd and unlock the hubs. hehehehehe

LOL