Author Topic: anyone had problems with longfields fitting? (Read 3284 times)

ticketguy · « **on:** Dec 17, 2006, 09:35:51 AM »

i have an 84 xtra cab pickup and only one of my longfields fit in my front axle housing. i was wondering if anyone has had problems and if they could tell me what they have grinded to make them fit? thanks

kneedownnate · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 17, 2006, 09:41:50 AM »

DO NOT GRIND ON YOUR LONGFIELD! Do you have the flat spots lined up right, top and bottom? If they don't fit in your housing then it's probably bent. They're a tight fit too, so keep at it a little more.

79coyotefrg · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 17, 2006, 09:42:35 AM »

you need to fix your truniun bearings

that or your housing is bent

79coyotefrg · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 17, 2006, 09:44:40 AM »

if the trunion bearings are worn they wont let the bell clear the bottom of the steering arm

ticketguy · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 17, 2006, 09:45:22 AM »

bobby was saying that i had to grind on the housing because the birfield is a little deeper than stock ones. the passenger side fits but the drivers side is hitting

79coyotefrg · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 17, 2006, 09:51:07 AM »

Quote from: ticketguy on Dec 17, 2006, 09:45:22 AM

bobby was saying that i had to grind on the housing because the birfield is a little deeper than stock ones. the passenger side fits but the drivers side is hitting

you could take a LITTLE odd the edge of the ball where the trunions go but you have got to pull the knuckle off so you dont get metal in the lower bearings

chances are you housing is bent though

ticketguy · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 17, 2006, 09:54:49 AM »

i was gonna use the pneumatic grinder and do some grinding. i was worried about getting metal in my bearings, i don't want to take my knuckle off. i probably will just cover it up with some rags and paper towels or something

lilbuddy · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 17, 2006, 09:59:08 AM »

Yeah theyre a pretty tight fit, you just have to work it in though. Its fun

ticketguy · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 17, 2006, 10:02:42 AM »

you guys might be right. that front housing might be bent a little bit. the long side is probably the weak side. i used to have a samurai and i bent my front housing so bad that my front tires leaned in. i fixed it with a new housing and some 3 inch channel welded on the top to the end of the housing. i drilled some holes in it so my spring pins fit right in it like a perch. why is it only the front housings bend?

ksmith · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 17, 2006, 11:36:20 AM »

I don't think it's the housing becuase I had problems getting my longside in last time and when I pulled the third it went right in but I left teh third in kind of loose and had no problems. On mine it wasn't because the longs weren't lined up right either. I had to knock them in with a rubber mallet and no probs. I don't know but I haven't had any problems with them since so "don't fix it unless it's broke," right?

Hyena · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 17, 2006, 11:40:57 AM »

a lot of people had to grind the inner bell of the housinf to make them fit since they are a little bigger then stock. sometimes it helps to just loosen up the steering arm and bottom plate.

topar · « **Reply #11 on:** Dec 17, 2006, 11:46:16 AM »

Mine were a real pain to get in but I finally got them. Just keep at it.

Hyena · « **Reply #12 on:** Dec 17, 2006, 11:54:32 AM »

mine went right in. just don't use a hammer or anything else to smack them in.

ticketguy · « **Reply #13 on:** Dec 17, 2006, 12:11:20 PM »

why do you say not use anything to hit them in?

Hyena · « **Reply #14 on:** Dec 18, 2006, 05:31:16 PM »

the birfield will push past the inner c-clip and then the axle will bind inside the birfield causing it to explode. bobby won't warranty it since it was installation error.

Shamb · « **Reply #15 on:** Dec 18, 2006, 05:51:03 PM »

#1 killer of longfields is people installing them incorrectly, "tapping" the axle shaft and birfield in..

and like Hyena said, he will not warrenty these so put them in correctly and you'll have no problems.

ticketguy · « **Reply #16 on:** Dec 19, 2006, 03:25:02 PM »

thanks for the info. i never really thought about that. i got em in and i love my front aussie locker. i thought it would be a lot harder to turn. i was going to buy an arb, but i am glad i spent my money elsewhere. thanks everyone

Hammer Hog · « **Reply #17 on:** Dec 29, 2006, 04:51:20 PM »

I had the same problem...Tight fit.

I thought the same thing...bent housing, and or shims need to be balanced.

I started off with switching the thinest shim and then the new 30 spline hit on the opposite side of the bell.

I then compared the new and old birfs side by side and noticed that the 30 splined birfs were just a fuzz bigger.

So it became obvious that it's a close tolerance fit...that needed to be clearanced.

That's what I did, and they went right in and never had a problem since.

I also noticed that my ringed Bellfields were making contact prior to swapping out the birfs. I had a small amount of metallic glitter in the grease. Then I noticed small amounts of wear on the inside of the bells.

The ringed birfs a bit longer than stock and being tight tolerances, it too made contact. I never noticed it when wheeling.

Here are a few pix:

This one you can see the scars from the ringed Bellfields just past the trunion bearing.

Here is a closer look.

This is where I clearanced the bell...pretty much where the pre-existing scars were.

This is the old ringed Bellfield...with corresponding scars.

Here is a side by side comparison of 3 birfs. 30 spline, ringed Bellfield, and a stock birf.

BTW, The ringed Bellfields never failed. I ran 1 pair for over a year in my Formula Toy with no problems. I upgraded to the 30 spline just because.

Hottrod81 · « **Reply #18 on:** Dec 29, 2006, 05:47:16 PM »

Quote from: Shamb on Dec 18, 2006, 05:51:03 PM

#1 killer of longfields is people installing them incorrectly, "tapping" the axle shaft and birfield in..

and like Hyena said, he will not warrenty these so put them in correctly and you'll have no problems.

X2, do not tap them in.

toyman2 · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 06, 2007, 07:26:16 AM »

when i did mine i called boby and he said you cant push them on to far anymore,the axle has been shorten with a clip to stop them.he also told me to tap on them slightly

Shamb · « **Reply #20 on:** Jan 07, 2007, 02:17:46 PM »

Black and White, coming form Bobby himself. Yes they have impoved them by putting a clip in and shortening yet it doesn't excuss the fact that if your forcing the axleshafts in with a hammer it will fail or cause premature damage which will eventually cause something to break.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=496486

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