How to remove a Toyota 4x4 Birfield joint off an inner axle shaft

[@WheeliePete]

20 years of working on these. Removed hundreds of shafts. Never had one not come apart. The short shaft side is the harder of the two because there is less weight on the inner axle shaft, but they've always come off with enough slamming. Sometimes you really have to beat the $&% out of them though. I suppose the splines could have started to strip the inner star and have jammed up, but that is pretty unlikely, usually the bell explodes before splines let go on a stock birfield.

[@kristianhermann5971]

Thanks for the video - good tip - the brass drift method did NOT work on my FWD CV axle car - it was a mother - I elected to remove everything from the other shaft end (like you did) - I soaked the Birfield end on the shaft in Varsol for 24 hrs, flushed, rinsed a couple times with brake clean, then dried with compressed air - to grease I loaded CV axle grease into my grease gun and used a needle tip to get past the balls to the backside of the Birfield - next time I'll probably skip the cleaning and just grease - with the needle you can flush the old grease out by pumping new grease in from behind - just like greasing a suspension

[@stonercba]

My ears perked when you said “stand fast.” Go Navy! ⚓️

[@WheeliePete]

Yup, it's a one-time use kinda deal. Sometimes you get really lucky and it pops off in one piece but most of the time it just shears. The factory service manual tells you to drive the birf off with a brass drift on the inner star which has the same effect. They are cheap and easy to get from Toyota. You can also eliminate the circlip by putting a tack weld or two down on the splines of the inner axle shaft near the carrier.

[@TheKRAKR]

My first set of Longfields lasted almost a whole month, but warranty works out. I'm currently on my 3rd set with 37 13 boggers. That being said while waiting for my replacement short side, I did install a stocker and it lasted almost an hour in the snow, almost.

[@WheeliePete]

Martacks as they are called are tack welds that will keep the inner axle shaft from walking into the differential (which is exactly what the circlip does by retaining the inner axle shaft inside the birf.) If you're replacing your birfields, just pony up the cash and get some Longfields and never worry about it again.

[@ryanoffroad]

Thanks man, nice tip. I just took my axle apart to rebuild for a SAS on my 88'. Ill add this info into my ever expanding knowledge of all things toyota pickup, lol.

[@analog56x]

@WheeliePete yea, i dont know about upgrading all that stuff haha, cause the next weak link would be either the carrier, or the manual locking hub body :P

[@nicholasclinger1737]

Club Car 1500 XT 4x4 39 up diesel inteltrack Separated inner c.f. With small sledge hammer.. Your idea for birfield worked slick!!! Thanks

[@vwbeetlefuelgaugesystem]

perfect procedure, beats beating the race to get it to release.. Go to the head of the class! Samurai axle for me.

[@learysinsight5796]

Thanks for the tip about the Longfields upgrade!

[@WheeliePete]

If you've got the money, these guy's products are the best you can buy currently: www.rcvperformance.com/categories.aspx?catID=RCVP_TOYOTA_CV_AXLES If RCV performance isn't in your budget, Trail Gear bought Longfields name and technique when he passed away and they are making good joints (not as good as RCV in my opinion). www.trail-gear.com/category/70/chromoly-birfield-kits

[@ioanmiller5870]

I just slammed the thing against a log and it came apart with two hits. Works well.

[@kobekain2088]

This was a great video! Thanks.

[@18624100]

Hey thanks pete thats just what i needed to know i ve got a diahatsu hijet 4x4 which i needed to get the cv end off you are a bloody rippa mate thanks .

[@jat1992jat1992]

I used slide hammer with axle shaft in vice Took 2 hits low effort too

[@cruza1289]

Really good video. Very thorough thanks. I would have liked to see you put it back on though with the new snap ring in place

[@CKrol]

thankyou this saved my bacon

[@WheeliePete]

The wire clip inside the birf keeps the inner axle from walking into the differential (it traps the inner axle from moving around. The birf is held in place by the lockring on the end of the stub in the locking hub.). I'd have to look at it, but I would guess you're inner shaft is walking into your side gear splines possibly disengaging? I'm not sure if can walk far enough in to do that or not, just an idea...

[@ckddaun1067]

Thanks you😀

[@analog56x]

nice video dude :) i need to get a set of longs before i get my tires haha! im planning on running 37's on my 94 4runner :)

[@markreynolds3850]

Thanks for sharing this video, interesting information.

[@TheKRAKR]

@WheeliePete steering is accurate. I built a Keith black 22r same case set up as ur buddy, 5.29 locked in both, it just likes to eat them. Rather than breaking the birfs themselves it rips the joint out of them. At least I don't pay for them anymore lol.

[@WheeliePete]

@analog56x But that's why they make V6 carriers and extra pin kits for the locking hub body...lol... eventually it gets back to the R&P for the weak link and you can just carry a spare third... ;-) Of course the best solution is just a D60.

[@nisalgamage8450]

Thank you

[@robertgarrard5350]

standard UK scaffold pole works perfect (aluminium pole even better)

[@TokenTombstone]

Good info thx.

[@WheeliePete]

@analog56x I ran 37 goodyear MTR's for years on a couple of my rigs. Longfields are the only way to go.

[@tijoe2609]

I am using a 2" OD diameter pipe, ID 1.75", 3 ft long. Fixed to the end pipe I have a smaller coupler that fits up into the outer CV joint and rests onto the Inner bearing. The tube and union combo weighs close to 15 pounds. The weight with the axle is close to 25 lbs. I've tried slamming the CV joint down into the tube as well as slam both down together from about a foot+ off the ground. Nothing. Direct hammering and brass drift hasn't worked either. I will try pressing it off next

[@littlehplayer]

Thanks for the information.Thats very helpful.Keep posting videos their very helpful...

[@littlehplayer]

awesome information thanks.I have a question maybe someone can help me.I have a fj80 and when I step on the throttle it hits really hard on the front differential.I took that front differential apart and nothing is broken the only thing that I found was that the Birfield driver side axle came apart without me trying to take apart from the clip.If that clip is broken would that be making it to hit hard on the front differential?Thanks guys

[@thatdude4000]

I didn't even realize this was wheelie Pete until after I watched the video lol

[@tijoe2609]

Be aware that this techniques doesn't always work. I spent close to $50 to build a tube similar to the tool shown in the video. I've slammed the axle in the tube at least 20 times to no avail. After this, I directly pounded on the shaft and tried using a drift punch. No GO! Be prepared that your axle may not come out!

[@analog56x]

@WheeliePete yea :) i like the warranty haha! if you break one, just call Bobby, and he'll send you a new one :)

[@guadalupecovarrubias3487]

Great technique 👍🏻

[@WheeliePete]

Not to be a dick, but do you have your steering stops set up correctly? Steering stops are CRITICAL, even with Longs, if you exceed the working angle, or, more importantly, fail to balance the stops left to leading/trailing you place insane loads on the joint and the inners. I have a buddy that ran longs with 39" iroks, full coil, 3RZ, 2.28+4.7 t-case crawler buggy for years in rock/sand/snow with an ABUSIVE right foot and they held up. What engine you running? You might just need D-60's?

[@WheeliePete]

should say....balance the stops left to right, leading/trailing...

[@fejus303]

Thank you for this!

[@dixiemudtoy]

How is it whenever i have a one-of-a-kind problem / project with my old yota, you already have a video covering how to do it?! Preciate the info Pete. Btw...you kind of remind me of Wilson from the old Home Improvement show...your face is never revealed! haha

[@josevillalobos4287]

Awesome video, Thank you!

[@WheeliePete]

That is really strange. How much spacer you running? You might want to limit the turning radius a few more degrees. If the inner is failing it's usually because of hyperextension. Those inners get pretty exposed as they reach their max working angle No way the 22R is overpowering it. ;-) The dangerous part is to break one and still be driving and have the grenaded pieces lock up the joint in a turn (in 2wd) which locks out the steering. That happened to me once...scary!

[@jasonhood4765]

Awesome video - and informative! Thank you! Can I ask about putting it back together? I can't seem to get the circlip to close enough to get the Birfield back on. I've tried zip-ties, 2 or 3 or 4 small screwdrivers pushing the circlip inward with someone else tapping on the end of the axle shaft. I've tried new circlips from Specter Off Road, and then from the dealer. So I called a few driveline shops to see if they would assemble it for me and they said they wouldn't touch it. Any advice from you?

[@WheeliePete]

You put the circlip on the end of the inner axle shaft (the end that goes into the birfield's inner star). When you look at the splined section of the inner star you'll notice that there is a bevel all the way around the leading edge of the splines on the inner star that should help to guide and compress the circlip as you drive the inner shaft into the birfield. I clamp the birfield in the vise and then hammer the inner shaft and circlip into the birfield with a heavy plastic deadblow hammer. Usually works just fine. If you've got a second pair of hands to try and compress the circlip that might help, but it sounds like you have been trying that. I'd just do what you're doing and really give that inner shaft the old what-for with a dead blow hammer. That inner circlip is there to keep the inner axle shaft from walking into the differential (the flat snap ring on the inner shaft keeps it from walking too far into the birfield.) Years ago the guys at Marlin Crawler came up with a way to avoid having to use the circlip by putting a couple of tack welds on the end of the inner axle shaft that goes into the differential. YOU HAVE TO GET THE TACK WELDS IN THE RIGHT PLACE so the shaft goes into the differential the right distance and still engages the Birfield and the inner axle seal properly. To find the location of where to place the tack welds you wrap tape around the splines and put the shaft into the differential and then watch where the inner axle sealing surface lines up with the axle housing seal. You want the shaft to stop going into the differential carrier where the seal currently rides on the sealing surface of the inner shaft. Pull the inner axle back out and see where splines of the differential carrier pushed the tape to and then put your tacks in that location. When you do it right you don't have to use the circlip as the tack welds on the differential end of the inner shaft keep it from walking into the differential. If you have a solid mechanical locker you most likely won't even need the martack as the locker body keeps the shaft from migrating into the diff. Now, a word of caution on doing the Martack....You have to be careful not to get weld spatter in the splines of the axle shaft otherwise it won't go back into the differential. Before you weld, I would tape it all off, spray anti-spatter, etc. When you're done you'll want to file the tack down so you don't tear the seal on the way in, and you'll want to make sure the splines are really clean. The martack makes changing a broken birf in the field a LOT easier, but you can screw up your inner shaft if you get it wrong (or at least cause a lot of grief grinding your tacks out of the splines with a dremel and doing it again.

[@varmint223]

How do you get the cage and balls out of the inside I have inner axle chunks stuck inside

[@WheeliePete]

You basically have to stick the Birfield joint in a vise and then take a brass drive and tap one edge of the bearing cage/inner star down into the bell until you can raise the opposite side enough to get a ball out. Then you work your way around like that getting the balls out and then the star and cage will come out. This might be problematic if there is still the stub end of a broken off inner axle in there. The inner star and outer bearing cage and bearings also go together in a very specific way like a little puzzle when you go to put it back together. I really need to do a video of that process. Now, if the stub of the inner axle shaft is stuck in the inner star and it won't come out because the wire snap ring is still in place up inside the bell, and you can't get the guts worked around far enough to start disassembling the balls and inner star and bearing cage, you'll probably need to weld something to the broken off stub of the inner axle shaft and then hammer out that broken off stub. If you do end up going the welding route, try to protect the guts of the joint from weld spatter as best you can. Also probably should de-grease it before you weld to keep it from catching fire...

[@gtr71torana]

thanks mate great info thanks for posting

[@rev1910]

Great Video !!

[@toyotalandcruiser8248]

Great idea

[@stevewilley7108]

I am rebuilding knuckles on an fzj80 stock 254 k and found what looks like half a circlip in the grease up by the abs sensor . The only place I can figure it’s from it i the clip but how could it break and get out of the joint it’s so tight and the birfeld and axle are still firmly connected ? Could that piece be left from a previous repair that got missed in clean up ? Should I take it apart just to see if it’s only a half in there holding it together or is that improbable ?

[@WheeliePete]

It seems very improbable that half the circlip may have broken off and worked its way down and out of the joint. I'm wondering if someone grenaded a joint previously and didn't get all the pieces cleaned out. Is there any damage inside the knuckle (scraping etc.) that would indicate a joint broke in there? If the joint is still firmly affixed you're probably fine. In order to inspect you would have to separate the joint which would ruin the circlip if it is good.

[@WheeliePete]

@analog56x Bobby's the man! longfieldsuperaxles(dot)com His inner hub gears are nice too.

[@WheeliePete]

Toyota part # for the circlip is: 90520-27091 you can get them cheap online. Just google the part #.

[@-slemantech6136]

🤩👑😘😘🤩👑