Real time birf question...

[KliersLC]

Howdy Folks,

I am about halfway through a birf job on the 80, and noticed that there are heat marks on the outers. This seems to me to be a case of over heating, but I looked in the FAQ (thanks Romer) and some pics of birfs have the heat marks and some don't. So... before I put it back together, are the heat marks OK, or will that be a weak point down the road?

FWIW, the birfs in both of my pigs, my 81 mini and my 85 mini did not have heat marks, but they are obviously part time, so they would have less heat....

Thanks,

Dan

 

[KliersLC]

Couple more

 

[Hants]

Normal. Comes from the manufacturing process.

When you start assembling the felt seals, use the FAQ assembly order. I found the FSM to be ambiguous in this regard... Now one side is "correct" and the other is not. So far, no leaking from either.

 

[psfpilot]

That's normal due to factory heat treatment, IIRC. Mine had those colors and were not clicking or showing any signs of wear in the cup area.

 

[KliersLC]

Cool, thanks.

I suppose that the pics in the FAQ of birfs without marks are aftermarket??? Longfields maybe??

 

[concretejungle]

my heat marks are not quite that distinguished but they are there.

 

[nakman]

Did you pop the birfs apart & clean up the balls real well then swap sides? All is still assembled in your pics, but you're this far may as well follow through with the complete job.

Oh and for the 5th or 6th time, those marks are normal.

 

[turbocruiser]

Did you pop the birfs apart & clean up the balls real well then swap sides? All is still assembled in your pics, but you're this far may as well follow through with the complete job.

Oh and for the 5th or 6th time, those marks are normal.

Yes you definitely do want to bust them apart and clean the crap outta em, in my opinion there is no other way to do the job properly; even after soaking overnight in my parts washer both birfs still had some dried out dirty grease at the very bottom of the birf bell cavity.

Ohh, for the 6th or 7th time, those marks are normal!

 

[IdahoDoug]

Normal X8.....

 

[KliersLC]

Did you pop the birfs apart & clean up the balls real well then swap sides? All is still assembled in your pics, but you're this far may as well follow through with the complete job.

Oh and for the 5th or 6th time, those marks are normal.

No, the complete axle service was done lass than 20k ago and I don't have any clicking, but it was also done at Les schwab or some other H/A shop. I checked out the work order and they had torn everything down and replaced the seals and whatnot, but I had it apart to replace my spindle bolts due to one of them backing out and wreaking havoc and I noticed that I had purple grease on one side and black grease on the other. So I pulled everything else apart and cleaned it, the seals looked good and there was no gear oil in the knuckle. I filled the birfs with gas and cycled them through the full range of motion for a couple minutes, dump and repeat X6 until the gas came out clean, then took a can of chemtool per side just to make sure. Repacked it and got it back together for a date with the Mrs. this evening.

Happiness is an emty set of jackstands....

 

[barrypt5]

Did you lock your lockers(do you have factory lockers?) before doing the birf job?

thanks

barrypt5

 

[KliersLC]

No, I didn't lock them up. I read in the FAQ to do so, but I've been pulling axles in and out of military trucks for the last seven years, and they all had lockers that were not engaged. I didn't have a problem with them, so I figured I give her a try on the 80. Maybe I got lucky, but I didn't have any problems.

Dan

 

[cruiserman]

IMO it's not worth splitting the birfield to clean it.

 

[nakman]

You don't need to lock the front, just the back. It's a different locking mechanism that won't screw you if left unlocked w/o an axle up front there. The back is another story, with the dog gear that rests on the long side, you do want to lock that up.


And some would argue that the complete axle job also involves switching the trunion bearings. Do tell!

 

[Cruiserdrew]

IMO it's not worth splitting the birfield to clean it.

Having done it both ways, I have come to agree with this statement. It is satisfying, though, to pop them apart!

 

[psfpilot]

Having done it both ways, I have come to agree with this statement. It is satisfying...

Say no more!

 

[Ringmaster]

The Birf's look normal to me, like the others have stated, heat treating from the factory.

 

[pismojim]

X9 ?

BTDT circa 2000

http://home.off-road.com/~cruiserhead/birfield/birfield.html

Funny to read the comments back then - particularily the "dissenting" opinion. (NameWithHeld - are you still out there )

 

[landtank]

I've always separated the birfs which seems pretty damn easy to me. I clamp the inner axle in a vice and 2 hits with a 3lb hammer and a brass drift and they are off. I don't know what the other way is but how much easier could it be?

 

[turbocruiser]

I've always separated the birfs which seems pretty damn easy to me. I clamp the inner axle in a vice and 2 hits with a 3lb hammer and a brass drift and they are off. I don't know what the other way is but how much easier could it be?

It is even easier with a 2" PVC pipe about four feet long - put the axle shaft in the pipe and center the pipe inside the inside perimeter of the inner cage of the birf, then drop the assembly straight down on the bottom of the PVC pipe from about two to three feet and viola the axle shafts spit out and you can really clean the birf. This not only makes it much easier to clean the birfs but also much easier to regrease them and in my opinion it is the only right way to really inspect the cage for cracks. HTH.