if i were to break a birfield on a trail, how would i get home without a spair? do i drive it as is? do i have to do anything?
question about broken birfield on a trail (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter hadji_85
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Do not drive it as is, it'll cause big problems.
I don't know if you could pull the axle shaft from that side, then lock the diff lock and still drive. (someone confirm?)
But you could always drop the front driveshaft and drive home in 2WD (rear). If you can get out of where you are in 2WD, that is.
I don't know if you could pull the axle shaft from that side, then lock the diff lock and still drive. (someone confirm?)
But you could always drop the front driveshaft and drive home in 2WD (rear). If you can get out of where you are in 2WD, that is.
Droping the front DS still keeps everything moving up front. Causing more damage. The damaged Birf needs to come out. Getting the truck to a place where repairs could be made would be ideal.
You can leave the birf in, but you have to pull the drive flanges and lock the CDL, RWD only.
even though the broken birf might not be turning it could hinder the turning ability of the truck. Not at all what I would want to drive.
- Thread starter
- #6
ok so i could either pull the whole birf out (which seems like it would take a couple hours to pull the birf out and put the stuff back together.
or i could leave the birf in, let it roll around for a bit and do some damage, and remove the drive flange.
or i could leave the birf in, let it roll around for a bit and do some damage, and remove the drive flange.
Trunk Monkey
Moderator
If you leave the birf in and turning it can mess up your knuckle and damage the trunion housing (= new axle). Replacing on the trail isn't bad. There's a trick you can do by removing the felt wipers on the rear, undoing the steering arm, and popping the c-clip on the end of the birf, the whole knuckle (spindle, rotor, hub) will come off.
If you didn't have a replacement, I'd do what Kleirs mentioned. That will disable power to that wheel and won't spin the birf.
If you didn't have a replacement, I'd do what Kleirs mentioned. That will disable power to that wheel and won't spin the birf.
sleeoffroad
Supporting Vendor
UHm, have experience with this. You can do it in about 45 mins on the trail 
You can drop the shaft and remove the drive flanges. The catch is, you are normally in a spot where you needed 4wd to get out, and that is why you broke it. 2wd is certainly not going to get you out. 3wd will help but you will soon break the other side as well (assuming you have lockers).
If you leave it in and just drive it, imagine a blender with metal parts in it. BTDT, lasted about 10 miles until it would not turn anymore.
I would be prepared to fix and swap in a spare on the spot. Stopped counting how many times I have done that
You can drop the shaft and remove the drive flanges. The catch is, you are normally in a spot where you needed 4wd to get out, and that is why you broke it. 2wd is certainly not going to get you out. 3wd will help but you will soon break the other side as well (assuming you have lockers).
If you leave it in and just drive it, imagine a blender with metal parts in it. BTDT, lasted about 10 miles until it would not turn anymore.
I would be prepared to fix and swap in a spare on the spot. Stopped counting how many times I have done that
I would disagree with this as it does not address the spindle that goes into the trunion bearings.
Let's say you bust the ps birf. We all know the birf is in the front axle so no need to discuss front or rear. My suggestion would be to pull the birf and button her back up. Then drop the front drive shaft and drive home with the center diff locked. (Now, I don't know whether or not it would be ok to drive in three wheel drive so playing it safe in two wheel drive is why i stated dropping the d shaft) Now remember, if you don't have a center diff lock switch you will be driving home in 4 low. If you do have the swich and have done the pin 7 mod, drive as fast as you please.
Buck Buchanan
Box Rocket
SILVER Star
It also won't necessarily take 2 hours. If you or someone in your group know what they're doing it's a pretty quick job. We timed one on a 40 at Cruise Moab a few years ago and it was 28 minutes from breaking out the tools to tightening the last lug on the wheel.
That's quick, but gives you an idea that it won't always be a long process.
That's quick, but gives you an idea that it won't always be a long process.
You can also pull the jumper from the CDL plug (if you don't have the switch) while in Low, and then when you put it back in High, the CDL will stay locked.
Trunk Monkey
Moderator
Funny, that's how I pulled an axle apart two weeks ago to transport it, two complete knuckle assemblies and the axle housing.
It would be a bad idea to drive very far at all with a broken birf. Better to extract it to a place wher you can work on it and then remove the broken birf and axle. Drop the front drive shaft and drive home in 2wd. If the birf is broken enough you should be able to remove the hub assembly as detailed by FZJFilmore without breaking the ball joint. Then extract the busted parts and close her up. You will need to have the CDL Switch or else it will be drive home in Low Ratio, which would be tedious. I drove My truck all day while the rear drive shaft was rebuilt with the CDL and front wheel drive only.
When I broke the PS birf I pulled the flanges and the front driveline, locked the CDL and drove it home. It would not turn full lock one way due to the bind inside the knuckle. I didnt force it and made it home(30 miles)without other damage.
Trunk Monkey
Moderator
Here's what you can do to the housing by driving with a broken birf.
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I would have never thought the nuckle would come off without removing the spindle for the top trunion bearing. Learn something new every day.
Buck
Trunk Monkey
Moderator
I think we're calling the steering arm and top trunion bearing the same thing.
BTDT.
First of all, unless your life or someone's life is in danger there is no reason to drive with broken bits. That's just silly. Get the truck positioned so you can safely work on it.
Remove all the broken bits, clean out what you can, stuff a small rag into the axle tube and re-assemble the knuckle and be done. Check the steering, lock the center diff and away you will go.
Get strapped/winched off the trail (easier said than done) and replace at your leasure. Remeber to refill the front diff.
First of all, unless your life or someone's life is in danger there is no reason to drive with broken bits. That's just silly. Get the truck positioned so you can safely work on it.
Remove all the broken bits, clean out what you can, stuff a small rag into the axle tube and re-assemble the knuckle and be done. Check the steering, lock the center diff and away you will go.
Get strapped/winched off the trail (easier said than done) and replace at your leasure. Remeber to refill the front diff.
