Hi everyone,

So I've been a fan of Marlin Crawler for quite a while now, but never posted. I have a '91 Toyota Pickup, and I'm finally at a point in my life where I can give it some much-needed attention. I bought the truck with most the upgrades already present (SAS from '85, dual marlin t-cases, lift, custom flatbed conversion, etc) and have only had to do a small amount of work myself to get the truck where it's at. Anyways, there are a few problems I'm trying to work through, and being the novice that I am I need and would greatly appreciate some advice from the community.

I recently noticed gear oil leaking from the warn lockout hubs on the truck and decided that I'd go ahead and rebuild the front axle to replace the inner axle seals.

The front axle has the Warn Birfield Eliminator kit installed and alloy axle shafts. I've read mixed reviews on the Warn kit, and also read that they stopped making the kit over a decade ago. I keep hearing that 30 spline Longfields are the way to go now.  If I were to put Longfields in the truck, it seems I'd have to go back to the Toyota axle shaft, spindle, axle housing seal, hublock, etc.. which might be a bit expensive.

The axle as-is has been put through quite a bit and has proven strong, so my question is will a standard front axle rebuild kit give me everything I need to rebuild the axle as-is? OR will I have to dump the Warn kit and go with with something else?

I'm open for any recommendations. And here are some pictures of my rig, and the disassembled axle since this is my first post.

Okay, thanks for the information. I checked out your axle rebuild thread btw and I think I'll use it for reassembly. If I were to go with Aisin hubs, would I need to change anything else? I wasn't sure if they would mate up to the spindles that came with the Warn Birfield Eliminator kit.

Easiest thing to do now is just replace those seals and rebuild what you have on it now.

At least you'll be up and moving again sooner than later.  Then do more research about going back to Birf's if that's what you wanted to do.  I'm sure the leaky fluid is from the Inner Axle seal.

I upgrade/replace once something breaks.  If the only issue was the leak I am guessing what you have on there is good....for know.

Good luck!

Good luck!!

One of your front springs should have come with a spacer for this exact reason.

Well, I guess I'll have to fab up a spacer and probably hunt down some longer u-bolts because the ones on the truck now won't accommodate a spacer. 

http://jesterfab.com/collections/toyota/products/front-spring-perch-shim

I can't fathom why any u-bolts wouldn't be long enough unless they have been cut...

Stock springs were arched different to make up the difference. Aftermarket are arched the same hence the need for a spacer to get it to sit level. On stock housings I used a piece of 3/8 flat bar welded to the stock spring perch. Drill a hole in it for the spring pin.

I ran a Birfield Eliminator kit (not Warn) for about five years until one day it let go. Not only did it blow the kit but the shock load took out the ring and pinion, the u-joint on the other axle and the locking hub.

The bad thing about the Warn locking hubs is they do not use the cone washers to keep them tight, when they loosen a bit it shears the studs and the locating pins on the hub that hold the locking hub on, We had it happen on a friends rig this year on the Rubicon. After a couple hours we replaced the studs and he checked the tightness a bunch of times on the way out. every time he checked, they were loosening up.

here is a picture of the broken Birfield Eliminator kit . You can see it is junk!!

Was that the same guy who had Marlin drilling out his knuckle for him?

No this was another guy a couple of weeks later.