Repackin' the Birf' (1 Viewer)

[Rogue]

Well, at the end of day one (only spent about 2 hours) I managed to get the whole PS assembly apart and it is all laying on the floor of my garage. It would have been quicker if I didn't end up having to use the 2-arm gear puller to remove the hub. She just did not want to let go. Anyways, the PS is clean and ready to be reassembled.

Hopefully tomorrow I will complete the job. I'm not rushing too much because I scored an '02 Tundra for the week as my backup vehicle. Not a bad ride I might add.

Wish me luck... :G

 

[DRTDuck]

Good Luck with it!

I have read many of the posts here and on SOR about the re-pack and am ready to tackle someday.

Is there a good indicator of when this needs to be done or should be done. Is by mileage or is there a way to tell if they need it? Thanks to anyone for their input. Mine is a 96 with 113,000 mi.

 

[Beowulf]

Byron,

>> Is there a good indicator of when this needs <<
>> to be done or should be done. <<

You'll get different opinions, some informed, some uninformed. Toyota's opinion is this service should be done every 60,000 miles. You're at 113,000 so if it hasn't been done at least once, then you should start getting the parts together ASAP and plan a weekend or save up $1,000+ for your friendly mechanic.

Lack of lubrication will kill the birfields, the axles, diff gears, and many other knuckle parts; some are very expensive. &nbspo the job right and forget about it for another 60k miles; probably 3 to 5 years for most of us. Put it off and you'll send your Cruiser fund for Slee bumpers, sliders, and S/C to C-Dan for new parts. That's OK, 'cause his dogs need to eat too. :G

There is a guy on the 80sCool list that kept putting off this service. He had about the same mileage as your truck. He broke both birfields the same weekend. Add $800-1000 to the job. The moral of this story is obvious to the casual observer.

(Junk... isn't Chris B in your club? &nbspid I get the story right?)
-B-

 

[landtank]

Definately get on this right away!!!!!! People who let this go usually start hearing clicking noise when turning anywhere after 115k. The birfield goes down hill FAST once this starts so if you hear anything STOP driving the vehicle immediately.

 

[DRTDuck]

B- and Rick-

Thanks, you have now scared me into a panic!! I guess I will re-read some of the posts, find the one that had all the part listed and plan for greasy afternoons in the garage.

 

[cruiserman]

I'll disagree and say that a clicking birfield is not a sign of the end of the world. Re-pack it and move on with your life .

 

[cruiserdan]

8)Re: Repackin' the Birf'

I kinda like clicking birfs, in other peoples' vehicles that is..... 8)

In a sort of odd way :


$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ = dog food

 

[Junk]

Cdan is sick.
Cruiserman must be smokin something.

B- yeah, I was with Chris B when it happened. He just drove his mallrig down to the house for a quick

(maybe more info that you wanted ) and when he backed up you heard click click click pop - both were toast. His were bone dry.

Byron - get on this. It isn't tough - just takes awhile. Some of the most frustrating part will just be getting off the cone washers if they don't want to let go. Take you time, soak everything, easy on the wrench (don't use too much power or you'll be spending more $$$$ and time than you wanted to).

Call either Cdan or Hocker asap and start accumulating parts.

 

[sleeoffroad]

It is the end of the world. However it could cost you a lot more $'s. I know of two cases, both customers at the shop, that bought used trucks, never drained the front diff, then when they were going to do it, they pulled the plug and nothing came out. The grease was all in the axle and third member. That meant we had to pull the third member, clean it all out, inspect the bearings etc etc. Also most of the parts, including the birfields were trashed. That is about the worst case.

 

[DRTDuck]

I have read the pages on the IH8mud tech page and am accumulating thoughts and part list.

Not to dig up posts that have already been done, but, C-Dan, didn't you post a comprehensive list of parts and suggestions on SOR? If it was here on IH8mud, I didn't find it. If so, could you do a quick cut and paste here or via instant message. Thanks.

 

[cruiserdan]

I did not,

The Wulf did that. I'm lazy, I just grab the book and go..... :ugh:

 

[Beowulf]

http://www.ih8mud.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=80and100;action=display;num=1051794438;start=13

and use Jim's excellent step-by-step write up of the procedure. It's a link on the ih8mud tech pages.

-B-

 

[Junk]

Nasty pic Christo.

Drtduck - no, cdan don't have the time to post like that, he's too busy being a post whore. just kidding cdan.

 

[cruiserdan]

Junk,

I could post much more efficently if I were properly attired The brown truck came and went today without so much as an attractive T-shirt......... :

 

[Beowulf]

C-Dan,
I have news for you, the brown truck is stopping at my place. You'll get yours when I'm good and ready!   :G

Now, what did you do with my S/C ? ? ? ?  Maybe we can work a trade.

-B-

 

[Junk]

hmmmmm I'm hearing from a lot of folks that got theirs'. Maybe the FDA stopped yours' when they whiffed it.

 

[Rogue]

Is swapping the birfs from side to side a good idea? I have the entire front end on jackstands and it will be out of commision for awhile.

Any tricks for getting the radius arms off? I want to do the caster bushings while it's up there.

 

[Gumby]

My mini front end looked like Christo's. It's holding together so far. No hard wheeling for it anyway. I can't imagine it'll see the hubs locked more than once a year.

My shirt is here. I got it last night. It's gotta hole in it and an oil stain 'cause it was so damn cool I wore it to work. Gonna get another one for fancy occasions so i can wear this one when I wheel. Can't wear anything I would need to take off before I crawl under my junk or wade out into the mud. Someone might get a picture of me in my thong and I would be on the internet like Wrench's Winch Wench.

Packing birfs is fun and easy. When you have a hoist, a parts cleaner tank, the proper tools and an army of unpaid minions. In other professions they call them slaves, I prefer the term auto shop students.

 

[cruiserdan]

Robbie swaps them(birfs). You will need new snaprings. The arms just unbolt. DONOT undo the nut, undo the bolt. The nut has ribs on the back of the flange that bite into the axle housing. Toyota says do not re-use the bolts. I imagine a lot of people ignore that, I didn't. I don't know if it's a good idea to just drop the arm leaving the spring and shock in place. Anybody?

 

[Gumby]

I did. It rotated on the tower jacks a little, making it kind of a pain to line back up, but not too bad.