broke 1st birfield today
 

was out on the trial ride today with the club i belong to East Coast 4x4 Experiece. was stuck on this rock and was spining some to get off and heard this loud crack in the front.it was a big rock that i got hi centered on with my 35's and 4 1/2 inches of lift. not sure what the noise was so i keep on going and a little bit later i would have problems sometimes turning to the left. checked it out nothing bent. we got to this open trial and were cruising along in second gaer low range then the birfield finally bit the dust. the whole truck started shaking in the front and made a really loud cracking niose's and made me almost run off the trial over a steep bank. i broke the passenger side birfield since that wheel would not do anything the rest off the day. even with the hub unlocked it would still bind up and make the wheel drag for a while since i got a detriot locker in the front. during the rest of the day the wheel would barely turn to the left sometimes it would work fine depending where the broken pieces were at i quess.:( made for a very interesting day. just thought you mite find it funny to hear about my adventures:D another guy from are club with a 81 toyota truck snapped the arm where the drag link attaches to the axle housing. and a guy with a 86 cj7 broke both stock lockout hubs. was wedged against a rock and when he went to move the hubs split into 2 pieces.

Sorry to hear about your breakage.

Try "toyota parts dude" for parts....oh wait, that's you. :laugh: I guess fixing it up won't be much of a stretch for you...

birfield
 

it sucks now i have to use some of my parts instead of selling them. :laugh: there goes some profit out the window oh well it was a fun day. it happened at 10:00 so the rest of the day i was stuck with 3 wheel drive. it suprising the difference it makes without the front locker. i guess i was spioled.:D

buy some longfields and never worry about it again!!!

kelly

you know you should never drive on a broken birf. unless you have pulled the inner axle and broken birfield. it can, and will cause massive dammage inside the axle housing.

i figured it'll not look good inside there when i take it apart. the housing kindof needs replaced anyway the spring perches are bent slitely and the springs don't sit totally flat on the perch. plan to take it apart tommorrow and see the carnage. i got a bunch of extra housing so it's no big deal they don't hardly go for anything on ebay. your lucky to get $50 for a gutted housing. the longfeilds are tempting thats alot of money though. i've been going out with the club for 3 years and had the detriot for the last year. this is the 1st one i broke.

Take some pics when you tear it apart tomorrow!

i'll let you know what it looks like in there. it'll mite look a little grusome:laugh: i'm kind of interested myself i've never seen a broken one before.

Bummer- If you drove on it all day, you've likely ruined the axle housing. The broken pieces undoubtedly have destroyed the seal surface beyond repair. Changing a busted birf on the trail should take considerably less than an hour, and your on your way.

The 4x4Wire has a good
artical on front end maintenance.

Later

took it apart
 

it took it apart today. the inner part of the birfield broke into a bunch of pieces where the inner axle shaft slides into. it was in about 8 pieces. the outer part birfield was still intact that did not even have a crack in it. the inner part of the housing is a little scored up. the inner axle seal surface will be okay it did not hurt it that bad. i'll get a new seal after work tommorrow and put it back together. it'll be as good as new. :D :bounce: