Stock birfields VS LONGFIELDS

[kennyv0826]

OK, what is the deal? I recently heard that the Longfields for the 80 series are stonger than stock, but only marginally. Is this true?

How much abuse can the stock birfs handle?

I don't want to pay that much cash if there is only a small strength benifit.

 

[4WD Toyota Owner Magazine]

Longfields vs stock? The Longs, no question. Some of the best cash you'll spend unless you like to get greasy and dirty replacing birfs on the trail.

Get them today! He also makes ultra-strong front axles to go with them; get them at the same time!

When I was trying to summit (and eventually did) the hill in this link I was banging on those axles, spinning the wheels...and the Longfield birfs and axles took it all and begged for more.

Must have mod.

http://www.4wdtoyotaowner.com/FZJ80.html

 

[medtro]

I don't want to pay that much cash if there is only a small strength benifit.

Longfield is cheaper, you pay more for OEM birf.

 

[ded6080]

Talked to the guy @ Longfield - said they're stronger - good for rock crawling, but go for OEM or equivalent if most of your diving is on road. I put 25,000 + miles/year - said I'd wear out the longfields pretty quick.

The guy in NC that has the other birfs (basically the longfields under a different name) said the same thing.

95 FZJ80
OME - BFG 315/75/16 AT KO's - ARB - Kaymar - Sliders ...

 

[OGBeno]

OK, what is the deal? I recently heard that the Longfields for the 80 series are stonger than stock, but only marginally. Is this true?

How much abuse can the stock birfs handle?

I don't want to pay that much cash if there is only a small strength benifit.

Stock birfields (especially in the 80 series) can take a lot of abuse...you would have ot wheel pretty hard to bust them. Compare the 80 birf to the 40/6x birf and see the difference.

Personally, I like the weakest link idea that I read about recently in TT. IF you know you are going break birfields, then make that your weakest link. Know it and be prepared for it (ie: get a bunch of cheap birfs and swap out as needed). If you know that u-joints are your weakest link, prepare for it and have a bunch of u-joints ready to swap out as needed. I'm developing strategies in this manner and I am preparing for issues like this with this philosophy in mind.

I would hate to see you get Longs (no doubt they are a great product if you need them) and barely use them for what they were meant to do.

Good luck.
-o-

 

[MaddBaggins]

My understanding is that Longs (chromoly) is more resistant to twisting forces but will wear quicker under normal driving. If you have a road rig, get the OEM for longevity. If you have a trail rig, get chromoly for flexability off road.

 

[bjowett]

I am considering have the inner race and the ball grooves in the outer bell dry moly coated to further improve durability and possibly strength.

 

[OGBeno]

I am considering have the inner race and the ball grooves in the outer bell dry moly coated to further improve durability and possibly strength.

Brian--

Is Bobby going to do this for you or are you sourcing this locally?

I'd be interested in seeing a report on this....including $$$...

Thanks
-onur

 

[kennyv0826]

I ran longfields in my Mini truck axles and they did great. I only broke one and that was with a lot of abuse. There were a couple of times I cringed becasue I thought one was gonna pop but it didn't happen.

The 80 is full time AWD and I take it about 300 miles to Bend, OR to wheel and I think I may wear out the longfields too quickly. I may see how mine hold up and upgrade if I break one.

 

[kennyv0826]

Longfield is cheaper, you pay more for OEM birf.

I know, but mine aren't broken yet and I can get used OEM units for super cheap

 

[kennyv0826]

Who makes high strenth chromoly rear axles for the 80?

 

[bjowett]

Onur, I will be sending these out to be done. I am not aware of anyone coating CV joints for any reason.

 

[kennyv0826]

has anyone the Redline lube to grease thier birfs? I did it on my part time Toyota mini axle with good success but didn't know if it would be too thick for the full time awd.

Also, where can I find the high strength rear axles? After hearing Shawn Jackson's horror story with what happens when you break a rear axle with the diff locked I don't want to take a chance.

 

[extremetoy1]

What happens when u break a rear axle?

 

[kennyv0826]

What happens when u break a rear axle?

I guess it's impossible to pull it out if the diff was locked when the axle broke. You actuall have to cut into your housing with a torch and it is a major pain in the arse. It happened to Shawn and someone else apparently and it was the same story both times.

 

[sleeoffroad]

Breaking the axle has nothing to do with not getting it out of the carrier. You can experience the same thing without the axle breaking. The design of the rear e-locker is goofy. The axle shafts are not locked to the carrier on both sides. The long side axle is attached to the spider gears (or called pinion gears) and so is the short side. The e-locker mechanism locks uses a sliding collar to lock the axle shaft on the short side to the carrier, however the long side is not. So what happens with enough force the long side (via the spider gears) twists the inside part of the short side shaft inboard of the locking collar.

Once that happens you can not get the shaft out since the locking collar of the e-locker can not move past the twisted section of the splines. I have removed two of these by removing the actuator on the diff and using a cutting torch to cut the shift fork and locking collar. $170 each time you trash those parts. Both times the axles were not broken, just twisted.

Stronger axles might not help this, because just like Longfields, they are made to take more twist and not shatter, so they might be prone to more twisting.

Believe it or not, we have seen a rear tire do a full revolution without the opposing tire moving with the locker engaged. The only way that happens is when the axle shafts twist.

So, when running large tires I would suggest and ARB over the e-locker any time. 37's or larger with heavy rock crawling

 

[kennyv0826]

Breaking the axle has nothing to do with not getting it out of the carrier. You can experience the same thing without the axle breaking. The design of the rear e-locker is goofy. The axle shafts are not locked to the carrier on both sides. The long side axle is attached to the spider gears (or called pinion gears) and so is the short side. The e-locker mechanism locks uses a sliding collar to lock the axle shaft on the short side to the carrier, however the long side is not. So what happens with enough force the long side (via the spider gears) twists the inside part of the short side shaft inboard of the locking collar.

Once that happens you can not get the shaft out since the locking collar of the e-locker can not move past the twisted section of the splines. I have removed two of these by removing the actuator on the diff and using a cutting torch to cut the shift fork and locking collar. $170 each time you trash those parts. Both times the axles were not broken, just twisted.

Stronger axles might not help this, because just like Longfields, they are made to take more twist and not shatter, so they might be prone to more twisting.

Believe it or not, we have seen a rear tire do a full revolution without the opposing tire moving with the locker engaged. The only way that happens is when the axle shafts twist.

So, when running large tires I would suggest and ARB over the e-locker any time. 37's or larger with heavy rock crawling

That's a bummer. I was told that chromoly axles would solve the problem. I imagine it would only happen when one of the tires can't move right?
If I end up breaking the shift fork and locking collar will I have to replace anything else in order to install an ARB?

 

[4WD Toyota Owner Magazine]

Who makes high strenth chromoly rear axles for the 80?

www.polyperformance.com

 

[kennyv0826]

www.polyperformance.com

Thanks David

Off the subject, but what do you think about using fox 2.0 adjustable air shocks with 6" lifted springs on an 80?