Birfield debate

Cobweb · Oct 27, 2011

Anyone with toyota birfields knows that there comes a time in a boys life to dump the stockers, and get a quality birfield joint (without doing d60's yeah yeah...)

So.... in my search i have came up with three contenders. Trailgear's "better than stock" birf ($99 ea), Marlin Crawler Marfields ($130 ea), and of course the famous Longfields ($215 ea)

My mother always said, "you get what you pay for", and i can see that in almost every disscussion ive read comparing birfields.

But..... i have not read anything on WHY they are better. Marlin has a nice picture and description of their birfield with thicker walls and smaller ball bearings.

Can anyone shed some light on this for me? I know Longfields are the sh!t, but i am opperating on a tight budget.

Also, (knock on wood) i have never broke a stock birfield with 37-12.5 MT's with 5.29 diff and 4.70 t-case and 22r.

HELLLLPPPPP!!!! :redneck:

WHITE TRASH1 · Oct 27, 2011

Tg birfs are better than stock but that isn't saying much.

Marfields are better than tg's due.to materials and design.

I ran 27 spline longfields and never gwen an issue with them. Busted some stock and cromo immerse but that was expected on 38" sx's with dual ultimates. :redneck:

Cobweb · Oct 27, 2011

WHITE TRASH said:
Tg birfs are better than stock but that isn't saying much.

Marfields are better than tg's due.to materials and design.

I ran 27 spline longfields and never gwen an issue with them. Busted some stock and cromo immerse but that was expected on 38" sx's with dual ultimates. :redneck:

So when it comes down to it, its either Marfields or Longfields. what is the difference besides price? Both are 100% Made in USA, both have thicker shell and smaller bearings. both are 27 spline 4340 chromoly.
Or am i missing something here?

boardbysled · Oct 27, 2011

I would just say buck up for the 30 spliners. Then you never have to worry about them again.:awesomework:

Cobweb · Oct 27, 2011

boardbysled said:
I would just say buck up for the 30 spliners. Then you never have to worry about them again.:awesomework:

that would require me to change my carriers, is that right? With an ARB carrier, i dont think my "money tree" has enough coin to change carriers, and upgrade to a 30 spline set.

WHITE TRASH1 · Oct 27, 2011

Cobweb said:
that would require me to change my carriers, is that right? With an ARB carrier, i dont think my "money tree" has enough coin to change carriers, and upgrade to a 30 spline set.

No all mini truck inner shafts are 30 spline at the diff and locking hub its 27 spline on the outer end of the inner shafts where they go into the birf.

If you are tight on cash and NEED the upgraded birfs (which it sounds like you don't) I'd suggest getting 27 spline longs and upgrading to 30's later. Since you still haven't had issues with the stock parts just save your nickels and get 30 spline longs and hub gears and be done once and for all.

ain'tstuckjustresting · Oct 27, 2011

I would say if your open in the front and not replacing the stock inners then just keep running stock birfs and keep a spare handy just in case.

Save up money until a set of 30spl Longs is in the budget. Even then w/o a locker it's overkill (piece of mind).

Jaws runs a open front with 42" TSL's and stock birfs. Only seen him break 1 and it was bound up on a stump. He flogs the piss out of it nearly every weekend.

Trashy beat me to it

"S"-box · Oct 27, 2011

nope, its not the inner axle thats referred to as the 27 or 30 spline, well at least not the part that goes into the third. you don't have to replace a thing other than the inner and outer axles.

I rocked the 27 spline "cores" for a long time....origionally the longfields with the ring welded to the outside, still running strong, in a buddy's rig now, I 've also rocked the chromo 27 splines, beat on em pretty tuff until....present, and love em. both the 27 spliners with 36 swampers of different varieties.

I know several people with the 30 spliners and nobody even with longs 27 spliners have ever had a problem.:awesomework:

Bobby Long is a pimp, and has developed a great product...support him and buy local... my $.02

CHOP SHOP · Oct 27, 2011

Get the 30 spline Long set.

The rest of them are JUNK. I have a twisted off dirty30/nytro birf here too, junk.

Nothing compares to the longs heat treating process and their ability to take a twist and never damage.

I wheel 40 times more than all these goobers and I run 38 x 16 wide TSLs and I **** parts regularly and run Longs and will never run another axle in a toyota.

I can destroy a stock birf on command with 33s, stock shits JUNK.

Cobweb · Oct 27, 2011

WHITE TRASH said:
No all mini truck inner shafts are 30 spline at the diff and locking hub its 27 spline on the outer end of the inner shafts where they go into the birf.

THAT clears a lot of my confusion and has pretty much set my path for axle choice. I guess I never actually counted the splines and just assumed a 27 spline was a 27 was a 27... :scratchhead:

Now that I know what I am going to do (someday), I guess there still is the question of what is the physical difference between the birf options.... Just out of curiosity... :corn:

ain'tstuckjustresting · Oct 27, 2011

If you want straight talk, swing by Bobby's house and get the lowdown. I'd like to see ya try that with TG or Marlin. Hell half the time I can't get MC to answer the damn phone.

whatthe? · Oct 27, 2011

I ran BL 30 spliners behind a v8, no problem. Just get the hub gears. If you want to do an upgrade then save your bucks and do a proper upgrade....B. Long.

JAWS · Oct 27, 2011

Bobby can also cryo ur stock shafts for add strength untill u save ur pennys for the 30 splines....

Ive bought tons of parts from Bobby (Longfield superaxles) for both my customers and my fleet of wheelers... Never had a single problem.. Great guy great product...The only way to go if you ask me....

LiftedZuki · Oct 27, 2011

How bout treated r&p to go with chromo shafts?

Ty. · Oct 27, 2011

JAWS said:
Bobby can also cryo ur stock shafts for add strength untill u save ur pennys for the 30 splines....

...

This is what I'm doing.. Bobby Longs FTW.

YotaMike · Oct 27, 2011

I run Bobby Longs in my toyota and have never had a problem, 5.29s lockers front and rear but only on 33's for now. I also have buddies on 40in tires and they run bobby longs. Save up and go with the Longfields. You also get a cool shift knob. haha

Mallcrawler83 · Oct 28, 2011

Bobby Long and FTW!!! Really though, search this subject on pirate4x4.com brand specific toyota mini truck. You'll get the same answer your getting here. Save the money and do it right.