Review:
Redline Off Road's Birfield Eliminator Kit
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| Http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/reviews/birfield_elim/ |
Short Cuts |
| Author: John James May 2001 Edited by: Scott wilson |
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| John's rig "desertoy" |
If you have done any extreme 4wheeling in a solid axle Toyota 4x4,
then you probably have broken a birfield joint. Often you have your front locker engaged,
your dual transfer cases shifted into the lowest range, your front tire crawls over a big
rock and when it goes down the other side you get hung up on your rocker panel. To get out
of your predicament you shift into reverse, turn the wheel, begin backing up and SNAP, you
now have a broken birfield. If continue down the trail the front axle grinds and pops and
soon the wheel locks up and you can’t steer. If you are smart enough to carry a spare, it
takes anywhere from a half-hour (if you’ve had practice), to around a full-hour to replace
it. It’s a greasy, nasty, time-consuming job. Wouldn’t it be nice not to break birfields
any longer?
Over the last few years there have been a handful of aftermarket
birfield solutions that have been created. Some of the solutions have been factory
birfields with alloy rings welded to them, all-new birfields, all-new larger birfields,
and also kits that replace the birfield with a u-joint. The most exotic solutions have
involved modifying Toyota axles to use Dana 44 or Dana 60 knuckles. These hybrid axles
seem to be working better than any other solution, but their cost is very high, putting
them out of range for many 4wheelers. For most people the solution to birfield breakage
is going to be to find a low cost, birfield replacement.
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| Complete Kit |
Spicer 297x U-joint |
Redline Off Road believes they have the low cost solution to birfield
breakage. Similar to the Warn kit (which Warn stopped producing some time ago), Redline’s
solution involves replacing the birfield with a u-joint. However, Redline has recognized
some of the shortfalls of the Warn kit and has addressed those in their product. You won’t
find any custom hubs, machined rotors, or new locking hubs in the Redline kit. They’ve
designed the kit to work with all of the existing hardware in the Toyota axle, and as a
result they’ve kept the cost of the kit very low (Around $600). For around $800 you can
upgrade from the hardend axles to high strength alloy axles.
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| New axle in place |
Machined Spindle |
The Redline kit includes two new Spicer 297x u-joints, new inner and
outer axle shafts, machined factory spindles, new axle seals, and new brass washers.
The kit can be installed in about 4-6 hours by the average do-it-yourselfer.
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| John's truck in Johnson Valley |
I have only one wheeling trip on my rig since I installed the Redline
kit. We went to Johnson Valley, CA, and ran 3 of the Hammer trails. The kits has been over
Big Johnson, Wrecking Ball, and SledgeHammer, and so far so good! Keep in mind, this kit is
not the end-all for axle breakage, it is simply an upgrade for the stock birfield. The axle
kit is designed for 38" tires, 180 to 1 gearing and a 200 hp. Motor. Any more than that will
push them past the warranty coverage. For more information contact Redline Off Road.
- Redline Off Road
Email
Dept ORN
11710 Airport Road Suite#A-200
Everett WA 98204
Phone 1-(866) 744-2953 toll free
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