In praise of Slee Offroad (1 Viewer)

[Big_Moose]

Wolfpack

Love to see some videos / pictures - post away 8). Moab Rim is a fun trail! Sounds like a great trip through the desert - how did the SC do in the heat / slow pace?

You mentioned the newfield stub shaft broke - did it break or does it look like it was twisted? Either it was getting ready to give up the ghost, or that was a poorly annealed unit. Wonder with all the recent attempts to strengthen the bell, and some (longs / smurfs) now working on the cage, if the stub / outer shaft is becoming the weak point.

Lets see some pictures of the newfield. Can it be rebuilt for emergency use?

Joe

 

[landtoy80]

The Newfield I have looks the same as the Toyota one. I hope I don't have the same Newfield as Wolf has. Mine is a year old.
kurt

 

[Junk]

It's kind of weird. All these years, no one was snapping 80 birfs. Then starting last fall, we started reading about it and doing it ourselves. My truck is 97 and had low mileage with decent maint on it. Others have been the same. So far, it looks like all the birfs I've seen or read about breaking in 80's is post the ABS ring transformation. WOnder if that has anything to do with it. ??? Maybe it's just guys with the teenie 3fe can't muster enough uumphf to even get out of their driveways flipoff2 .

I dunno, but that's why with 36's now and bigger next week, I'm taking preassembled with me. ... and an extra box of tubs full of grease and a bunch of extra rags.

 

[WolfpackTLC]

Junk-

I'll second you on that one buddy! Prepacked in PVC and some grease tubs just became mandatory in my recovery bag... so did a 3# hammer and some brass punches.

Warthog-

The 80 didn't like it in the high temp/low humidity w/ little to no airflow, and what was flowing was blocked by the lights/bullbar/winch. It started to overheat, so I switched to a higher pressure cap, added some Water Wetter, and put on an aux electric fan. No dice... I didn't think to check the belt-driven fan, and viola! The clutch was bad... replaced that, and no more problems...

Somebody tell me how to post pics, and I'm there...

J

 

[upcruiser]

Congratulations, sounds like a sweet truck. I too have had great experiences with Slee. I was driving through Denver last week, when I heard a U joint making noise. Thankfully I was near Slee's shop. Both Ben and Christo were out of town (busting newfields from what I hear) but Robbie was alone at the shop with a large amount of service work backed up. He squeezed me in, did the work and answered a bunch of my dumb questions while also showing me the ins and outs and tricks of the trade in regards to U joints. My hats off to Robbie for the help and keeping my vacation on schedule. I also got to poke around and check out the yellow bus, Robbie's rig and some others in the shop, good stuff. My business will definately be staying with them. Good guys.

 

[bad_religion_au]

i'm a 40 guy, so my info may be useless, but in regards to the "park" problem, did it start after the busted birf? if so could it be a case of the transmission is locking (ie what park is meant to do) but due to open center diff and open diffs front to rear, it's rolling because the "lock effect" of the transmission is being transferred to the wheel with the busted birf (ie that wheel is locked, but still ablt to spin due to not having the birf between the diff and the wheel... what i'm trying to say is that the diff end of that axle is locked due to Park, and the rest turns freely).

i can't explain it, real well, except to say it's similar to lifting a wheel with all diffs (including center) unlocked, you spin only the lifted wheel. that's the principal i figured...

i know it works in 2wd automatics when mums car rolled off the jack crushing a couple of my fingers in the process, so i assume it would behave the same with the center diff lock unlocked

 

[sleeoffroad]

[quote author=landtoy80 link=board=2;threadid=4106;start=0#msg30305 date=1060026594]
I have to say I am bummed with Slee, but it is becouse they are out of town this week and part of next week. kurt
[/quote]

Kurt, we will be back in the shop on Monday. Got back last night from Rubicon. What a blast, and other than breaking the gears in the transfercase of the Ford in Elko NV, I did not break a thing. OK, I did pinch the rear hard brake-line at the end of the trail when I tried to back up a rock for a poser shot with the group.

Pictures and write-up will be up tomorrow on the site.

Christo

 

[sleeoffroad]

[quote author=WolfpackTLC link=board=2;threadid=4106;start=0#msg30450 date=1060097780]
Well... they're the " new " (prototype) Newfields, that are supposedly stronger than the old style, and claimed to be stronger than the OEM Birfs.

[/quote]

Jason, just a little correction, but it does not really matter. The Newfields in that truck was the original types they had. There was only 4 of the newer style ones where the cage was bigger. I broke 2 and some other guy is running them in a 80 axle on a small rock buggy. So far he has not broken them.

At the time we serviced that truck, the Newfields was a 1/2 price replacement vs oem. We went on their marketing that they were stronger etc etc, but alas, one should always do your own testing. For now we are pulling the Newfields from the website and will not install them unless they can provide something that does not break.

I just ran the Rubicon with two brand new Toyota oem birfields that was treated by Bobby Long. Didn't break anything, but then I did not beat on the truck as hard as I normally do. Also was a little more carefull in putting stress on them. That said, I did run all the hard stuff and no breakage.

Time will tell if the oem Longfielded ones are the way to go. I am sure I will eventually break them as well.

Christo

 

[sleeoffroad]

[quote author=Junk link=board=2;threadid=4106;start=0#msg30642 date=1060181443]

I dunno, but that's why with 36's now and bigger next week, I'm taking preassembled with me. ... and an extra box of tubs full of grease and a bunch of extra rags.
[/quote]

Junk, make sure you get a spare sprindle as well. A lot of the times when you break it, you have to drive it a little and that will trash the brass bushing in the spindle. Makes assembly a pain.

 

[Junk]

[quote author=sleeoffroad link=board=2;threadid=4106;start=0#msg31322 date=1060533962]
Junk, make sure you get a spare sprindle as well. A lot of the times when you break it, you have to drive it a little and that will trash the brass bushing in the spindle. Makes assembly a pain.
[/quote]
Guess you would know. Thanks Christo. Sounds like y'all had a blast. Wish I had been there, although I'd still be on the way home.

 

[CruisinGA]

Hey Wolf-are you in Raleigh? And how long is it from Raliegh to Atlanta? I want to see some slee art work too.

I'll be happy with Slee as soon as he starts making 40 series stuff.
You have my approval to start with rock sliders and a rear bumper, I'll offer my testing services for free.
Seriously I'm not gonna stop bitching about no 40 series stuff until I see some goods.