Replace a sammi burfield...

FireballXL5 · Feb 9, 2013

Replace a sammi birfield...

Never done it... Any helpful links/tips?

So... Until I can get my hands on another longside axle(zukkev) I think I'm gonna clean up my axle splines as best I can and swap the birfield with another that I've got on a broken axle... It will get me back on the trails in a hurry, rather than waiting to pick up the other axle...

I'm fully aware that it may break on the first outting, but I'll be fully prepared next time to do a trailside axle/seal swap with parts and tools on hand.

So... I'm gonna start researching how to accomplish this, and any help/tips would be appreciated.

Thanks!

LiftedZuki · Feb 9, 2013

Put shims back where they go.

Rest ise asy.

FireballXL5 · Feb 9, 2013

Where are the shims?

I'm more interested on how to get the other burfield off safely... And then reapply it to the other axle.

Looks like there's some kind of a circlip in there... And from what I was told on the trails, I'll most likely have to 'break' that to get the burfield off...

Here's what I gathered from the trail tips... Slide the axle shaft in a tube, and drop the axle down hard/fast til the burfield hits and pops that circlip off/in two and releases the axle...

Then somehow put a new circlip back in, and slam the axle back into position until the circlip snaps into place... Holding the axle again...

FireballXL5 · Feb 9, 2013

Found a good vid...

[youtube]http://youtu.be/S0_jL83jMH8[/youtube]

LiftedZuki · Feb 9, 2013

Trunnion shims

Never taken a birf off the inner. Ive heard the same. Pretty much break it and be done.

FireballXL5 · Feb 9, 2013

Ahhh... Trunnion shims... At the kingpins...

I've only ever pulled them, and replaced them back where they were...

Is there anything else I should be concerned about?

LiftedZuki · Feb 9, 2013

No. Its easy, much more enjoyable than a dana axle lol

FireballXL5 · Feb 9, 2013

So... Got the extra birfield off super easy... Even saved the circlip! But... The axle I pulled outta the sammi yesterday on the trails is beyond repair...

Tried taking a file to it... And it's not going to be worth the effort... Thought about beating it on there with the P Hammer... But... That's just not the right way to do things. So... It's going up on the wall of shame...

2D2E0B41-6811-4EE0-BD4E-5BC8DE863084-448-0000007560E3544C-1.jpg

zukkev · Feb 9, 2013

Ack...That don't look good at all...Most of the time if you rap the birf with a good dead blow mallet they pop right off the axle without breaking the clip...
I'm gonna be around all day & evening! :redneck:

CHOP SHOP · Feb 10, 2013

Just use a cuttoff disc to cut/groove that spline.

Or just grind the bad spot out. Just enough to get it to slide on.

Blackout · Feb 10, 2013

How did you end up getting the birfield off? Did that blue towel hold up well enough to keep some oil in your diff?

FireballXL5 · Feb 10, 2013

I found a flat piece of metal with a hole in it big enough to fit the axle, conveniently welded to a chunk of 86' suburban frame I've got sitting around... Two hits, and it was out!

I think I'm gonna add a 'birfield breaker' to my rig somewhere... So I can disassemble birfields in the field if needed...

The blue rag is still there, and worked perfectly! I'm sure ill lose a little bit of content when I pull it out from what it soaked up... But there was no gear oil in the knuckle when I opened that up.

jprcrpr94 · Feb 10, 2013

FireballXL5 said:
I found a flat piece of metal with a hole in it big enough to fit the axle, conveniently welded to a chunk of 86' suburban frame I've got sitting around... Two hits, and it was out!

I think I'm gonna add a 'birfield breaker' to my rig somewhere... So I can disassemble birfields in the field if needed...

The blue rag is still there, and worked perfectly! I'm sure ill lose a little bit of content when I pull it out from what it soaked up... But there was no gear oil in the knuckle when I opened that up.

You know what's easier than building something special to change birfields? Toy axles and longs. :fawkdancesmiley:

LiftedZuki · Feb 10, 2013

Dont do it haha.

FireballXL5 · Feb 10, 2013

Problem temporarily solved... Picked up a complete long side front axle, three rear longsides, and one rear short side for $70... Gotta love sammi parts on Craigslist!! Oh, and a window crank handle thrown in to sweeten the deal! Lol

So... Try to put the burfield ring on this axle.. Or leave it off so the birf breaks before the axle shaft does? I've got lots of spare birfs... Not so many axle shafts...

Blackout · Feb 10, 2013

When your birf broke on Friday it messed up the splines on the axle shaft. Either way you still take a chance of one taking the other one out

FireballXL5 · Feb 10, 2013

When my birf broke... It broke on the inside, not the outter bell... And I'm assuming it did this because of the birfield ring adding extra strength to the cone. And I only messed up the shaft because I didn't put it in 2wd and unlock my hubs... Forcing the axle to chew itself to pieces in the birfield soup...

Of course, anything can happen at any time... I'm just trying to be proactive on which parts need repairs on my next outting... ;-)

Blackout · Feb 10, 2013

I would try it without the ring on the birfield. Make sure you unlock the hub and put the t-case in 2wd right away if you need to move it to get to a better spot to repair. Have a few extra clips on hand and spare birfields with you. Maybe weld the piece of pipe you need to get the birfield apart on one of your bumpers? Having some grease and gear oil on hand wouldn't be a bad idea either. Oh and some axle seals.

zukkev · Feb 10, 2013

Pretty sure I just heard the birf go "pop" from the thought of not running a ring! :redneck: :haha: If the birf break the outside, it'll spread to the point of not being able to turn...Make sure you unlock BOTH hubs AND put in 2wd, or the alxes will still turn since you're locked up front...