Longfields or Nitros?

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ginericLC

ginericLC

Wagon Wheeler!
Joined
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MH, IDaho
So I've been on a vacation from 80 tech for almost 5 years. I've built a monster though using 80 series running gear and after 1 obstacle I realized I need to do axle upgrades.

So on the rear it looks like NITRO is the answer.

But for the front I have a choice between NITRO birf and cro mo shafts or Longfields. I had always thought I'd just go Longfields when the time came but now that Nitro is offering front axle shafts and birfs I've been considering them.

Any thoughts, experiences, words of wisdom?

And yes, I did a search and couldn't find anything definitive.
 
I went with Longs based off the fact that Bobby stated that they hardened their design a little in the interest of Longevity. Whether or not Nitro did the same, I don't know. They may be manufactured by the same company anyway for all we know.
 
Longfields but that's partly a personal choice based off of what Bobby has done for toyotas and how he stands behind his products. He told me back in the day that I could throw what ever I wanted at his 80 birfs. 40" tires and 500hp and if I broke it he would warranty it.
 
TheBigBoy said:
Stick with stock rear axles.
Click to expand...

I agree based on advise given to me.

Christo actually talked me out of a set of cromo's based on the fact they are too tough (I'd called ready to plunk cash) - you break more expensive diff parts than the DL's doing those- that was his advise, even if it meant buying more OE DL's in back. Up front was a different story & I have Long's there since I don't street the LX450 too often.They don't like more than 40K was what I was told to expect.
 
I have found the Nitro products to be very good, and have thier cv's for both my 80's. [as well as the gears]

We have installed them before, and any hardened cv seems to wear much faster with awd, the longs we have replaced before seem to get clicky by 20,000km.

We havent seen this yet on the Nitro ones.

I would recommend a 2wd/4wd kit for any cr mo cv for longevity.

Hope that helps.
 
I have the nitros in my rig and so far they've held up great! Will probably upgrade to 30 sp. longs in the future but I'm happy with nitro products
 
I'm running the nitros and FWIW they arrived in a rcv box. The longs are supposed to now have a higher spline count at the birf, I am not sure if the intros followed suit or not.
 
Slee has the Nitros for $765. Longs are listed for the same price. I am also curious are they comparable in quality? Another question while we are at it. Will they wear slower with a fulltime case but with locking hubs up front?
 
Last edited:
Going to add some info that I learned a time or two ago when researching for my 80.
I found that both brands of chromo birfs for the 80 series only,(due to their size) are made by the same company RCV Axle. And that the smaller birfs are made elsewhere our inhouse...not by RCV.
If incorrect, please let me know as I was in contact with all manufacturers above to gain this info.
 
Subscribed, I'm in the same boat.
 
scotia said:
Going to add some info that I learned a time or two ago when researching for my 80.
I found that both brands of chromo birfs for the 80 series only,(due to their size) are made by the same company RCV Axle. And that the smaller birfs are made elsewhere our inhouse...not by RCV.
If incorrect, please let me know as I was in contact with all manufacturers above to gain this info.
Click to expand...

Correct, I got mine during the group buy. At that time all that the guys at Nitro would say was that theirs were made at the same place as longs. I called RCV direct and they confirmed that they were making both axles and as I said, mine arrived in a rcv box sealed with rcv tape. They've been in for 3 years now, maybe 10k miles, AWD and 37's.
 
When Longfield changed the heat treatment on their axles, did it change for Nitro as well? Last I heard,the new Longfields were supposed to last 60-80k on an awd 80.

Nitros were supposedly softer and didn't last as long.
 
I think I remember seeing that somewhere on here. This is all I can find at the moment though. Below is the last post from Bobby on the subject and a link to the thread. I wish we could still call him up and ask him.:frown:

Longfield said:
Yes they use to be for off road only. Know they are a little bit harder so they will wear longer. 4340 chromoly can wear as good as anything else if you treat them right with the rock well hardness. Now you can use them for your daily driver, but they are still not as hard as stock CV. Ours are half the price as stock ones. Ours can be rebuilt. These are the only ones made in the US.
CV unlimited and the others are made in China.
Click to expand...

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showpost.php?p=5557051&postcount=16
 
Not sure....I am not AWD so mine should out last the truck. Either or they have been put through H-ell on my truck. The diff is the next weak link. I bet the diff goes before the Aisin hubs do. That mini truck diff locking collar is poor.
 
I think that there is a good chance that the new Longs and the Nitros are the same joint made by the same manufacturer. They have the same 4340 outer and 300M inner and they are both available in 27 and 30 spline versions. Same price. Even the advertising photos look the same. Your choice.
 
And they both are $765 which sort of lends me to believe that they are the same. The one thing I know Bobby did a lot of was experimenting with heat treating and cryo treatments. I think a lot of that he did in house.

I agree with the statements supporting Bobby. He was a heck of a nice guy and he was so pleasant on the trail. I just am a little worried about their warranty process now that he is no longer with us.

I am running a fulltime transfer case and I'm running 5.29 gears with 37s. The very first time I drove it on the very first obstacle I broke a birf. I've never broken one before. I wasn't overly hard on it and wasn't bouncing or anything. I just think it is a lot of gear and a lot of wheel weight. I used my last 80 in the rocks quite a bit but with only 35s. I've been on the trail with people who have broken rear shafts with 36s and 37s. I wouldn't freak out about it if I had the regular non-locked axle shafts but I'm running the weaker elocker shafts as I have the elockers.

I'm not so worried about wear. I have 4 Cruisers so I'm not using this one that much. I bet this one sees maybe 3-4,000 miles a year and most of which is off road.
 
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