Post Birf Job Wobble (1 Viewer)

[Beast II]

So, I did the birf job 2 weeks ago. After watching the video, I noticed that I replaced the bearings, but did not take out and replace the bearing races. Just thought the races were fancy packaging I guess - I'll beat you to it - what a dums##t I am. I torqued everything to spec and now I notice that the entire front end feels loose and wobbly. What could this be ? Loose bearings, not enough grease, old bearing races ? I don't recall if there were any races on the inside of the bearings, but I am guessing this is not the case.


I don't recall putting the birf in with the flat side up either. Could this be the big problem ?

 

[cruiserdan]

Possibly slop from mis-matched bearings and races. Regardless you need to get in there and replace the bearings and races again. That may or may not solve it but it needs to be done in order to eliminate it as a possible cause.

 

[reffug]

How fat are them pups Dan??????

 

[cruiserdan]

They do not need to get fat this way.......

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Wow Beast, that's an expensive and time consuming lesson! I'll bet the wobbly feeling is loose wheelbearings, since that's pretty common and easy to set incorrectly. New bearings in old races would last a little while at least. Now you need to redo the whole thing, I really don't see any other way. The good part is, you'll do it perfectly this time and forget about it for years.

 

[brownbear]

Its possible the spindle nut(large ones) have backed off. If you put in your outer nut and torqued immediately it could have sheared the lockwasher key titty thing. then the whole nut assy could rotate loose.

I suggest torquing the inner one to spec, as the instructions say. then put in your lock washer, put in the outer nut finger tight, bend one tab, then do the final torque on the outer nut. That way the only thing holding the lockwasher during the final torque isn't that little nub(tit), which could shear.

Then procede to bend the rest of the tabs.

But I agree with replacing the bearings. A bearing and race are matched once they break in. Introducing a new bearing will give it abnormal wear and could come loose or overheat and fail.

 

[mabrodis]

The birf only goes in one way, if you didn't put it in flat-side up then you hacked part of the knuckle away..

I don't think the wheelbearings would cause you any wobble. New bearings in old races would maybe technically not be 'correct' but they would not be loose. You would still be able to tighten them up with the hubnut (even a worn race has worn what maybe 0.005" if that). Obviously check the hubnut, my guess is you'll find it is tight and there is no play at the wheelbearings at all, in which case you now need to figure out what is loose.

Good Luck...

 

[semlin]

i would get the front tires off the ground and wiggle at 12 and 6 o'clock for wheel bearing play and check the lower control arm nuts and studs to see if they have come loose. Do a visual inspection of the latter immediately before you drive it again...

I would also buy me a new set of wheel bearings even if there is no play.

 

[trouser_trout]

Video? What Video? Can someone send the link please? I searched and couldn't find it.

Thanks,

TT

 

[elmariachi]

Video? What Video? Can someone send the link please? I searched and couldn't find it.
Thanks,TT

I am REAL concerned at this thread because I do not think that mismatched bearings and races would result in significant wobble(unless your races were reallllllllllly out of tolerance). I am also worried at your statement:

"I don't recall if there were any races on the inside of the bearings, but I am guessing this is not the case."

You MUST have races installed (they are the other half of a tapered roller bearing), either the old ones remaining or or new ones reinstalled. IMO the wobble being described could only come from a loose hub on the spindle. It is IMPERTIVE that you follow the factory service manual as it pertains to how to tighten and set the preload on the two locking washers. The video is no substitute for using the manual and does not cover the manual process in every single step verbatim.

I would NOT drive this truck any further than pulling it in the garage for disassembly. The prior instruction to jack it up and wiggle the wheel is the start to finding the culprit.

FYI, in the video we may not have verbally noted that you need to bend the tabs back down to lock the star lockwasher (I guess I assumed you would know that given that you had to bend the tabs up to UNLOCK it and assuming you had a manual available as directed)....but again, the video was a guide, not a replacement for the manual. I hope you had one or the other when you did this job.

Video is at https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=42722. Again, the DVD is NOT a substitute for having the the manual on-hand.

 

[alaskacruiser]

Mods- please add this video link to the FAQ!

 

[rgsiii]

I had some "preventive" maintenance work done recently at a well known "Cruiser" specialty shop. Some of their miscues included not using the locking washer correctly on both sides causing some serious problems. These pictures show a nut and destroyed spindle.

 

[Lars]

I had some preventive maintenance work done recently at a well known "Cruiser" specialty shop. Some of the miscues included not using the locking washer correctly on both sides causing some serious problems. These pictures show a nut and destroyed spindle.

Yikes!!! How can someone f' up that part of the job.

 

[cruiserdan]

Quite easily unfortunately. Bending the tabs is just one step in an 8 hour job (flat rate) so if one misses that step the results can be ugly. I know both parties in this instance and I do not wish to be in the middle but unfortunately I am........

I had nothing to do with the repair but both parties are regular clients....

 

[rgsiii]

Yikes!!! How can someone f' up that part of the job.

Unfortunately, this is just part of the "PM" problems. There was the damaged speed sensor, the center cap for the wheel falling off on the way home, the PHH not being replaced when all hoses were to be replaced...

 

[elmariachi]

Unfortunately, this is just part of the "PM" problems. There was the damaged speed sensor, the center cap for the wheel falling off on the way home, the PHH not being replaced when all hoses were to be replaced...

This is extremely unfortunate but a glaring example of why people need proper documentation ON HAND before working on these vehicles. There is zero room for error before someone or something gets damaged.

 

[Beast II]

I took everything apart last night down to the bare knuckle and will reasssemble with new parts (bearings and races) this evening (had to go to the local Toyota Dealer - next time C-Dan). Hubnut was tight and tabs were bent. Actually took no time at all and everything inside looked fine - minus the bearings, which are probably screwed up.


If the birf is not placed in with one of the flat sides up, the damage would be visible right ? Could this damage the third member ?

When I did this knuckle job initially, I also took out the third member to replace a leaking gasket. Everyone I talked to said to disconnect the driveshaft, slide out the third member, put in a new gasket, slide it back in and then tighten nuts. I had to take the birfs out of course to do this. Did I miss something here ?

I'm not using the video soley - I have the service manual and a couple of write ups. I'm just a dumb*ss. But, the video is an awesome reference.

 

[concretejungle]

Beast, the birf will not go in without the flat side up. So i'm not thinking there is a possibility to screw that up.

When you took your drive shaft off did you mark it? It is imperative to place it back in the same location so it is in phase.

 

[semlin]

was there any play in the wheel bearings before you tore it down? Did you check the lower control arm studs?

also, did you replace the kingpin bearings and, if so, did you take the races out of those?

 

[elmariachi]

Hubnut was tight and tabs were bent.

And you did set the preload with a gauge and not "feel"?