The fallowing is from Bobby Long in regard to the SuperBirfields:As far as the snap rings, I don't care if you run it or not, or put a tack weld on the end of the inner axles either, so if you break the inner axles and can't get it out of the Birfield that's ok with me. I will sell you another Birfield. Just for your information though, if you don't put the C-clip(Snap ring) on the hub end of the Birfield and grease it properly I will not guarantee it. We don't change our mind back and fourth so quit your bitching. We are only trying to HELP YOU! If you think you can do a better job, than be our guest. I am selling to the public and dealing with all the crap, core hassles, and UPS, but that's ok. I could sell new Birfields to Downey OffRoad, and Randy's Ring & Pinion, and make more money. The axles would cost about $250.00 each. Or if this is really that difficult for you, you could keep your stock Birfields and when you break, get off the trail so we can get by. Those of you who have bought, at last count "440" of them, We Thank You very much!!! We hope you enjoy them.:usa:

:confused: :confused: :confused:

Give us a little more info;)

so im not shure if I under stand.

if I break the axel will he remove it from
the birfield for me ?

if I think I can do a better job will he
tell me exactly what he does so I can improve
on it?

Is he saying that ther is a proper way to
greese a birfield?
I stuf it full of what ever grease I have on hand.

sounds like he is a very bitter man

is he recomending that we leave other
cruzers in the woods just because they
havent bought his product?

ps :rolleyes: :rasta:

Guys, this is a cross over post from the Toy secton. The short version of a thread going on over there is that Bobby Long wants you to run a martack on the inner axle, not run the inner clip in the birf, and cun the clip on the end of the birf stub. App if you don't, you will kill your inner axle seal, and maybe fawk up your superbirf when it binds to the hub housing while trying to turn etc etc yada yada yada. If you don't do the above, he won't warrenty the birfs. This all started cause some guys saw their super birfs were distorted, and they were noot running clips or martack etc etc. Check the thread for info.

Ross

He doesn't sound bitter, he sounds like he has come to the reality that dealing with the public sucks and after working hard to create a new product he has to deal with bad checks, bad cores, shipping morons and the nail in the coffin......criticism.

Henry has a knack for spotting the obvious!:D I've dealt with Bobby, very happy actually. I guess taking his advice is an option when you are forking out the dough. Too bad the internet has become a way to share your wisdom when you avoid taking responsibilty for your "options".

Each of the points/recomendations he (Bobby) makes are very logical.

Bobby knows the next likely thing to break is the inner axle. What exactly is the trick for removing the splined stub that just broke off flush in the inner race, and has the circlip installed? Hope I can get off the trail and let you guys by!

The "Marlin tack" it's been debated for a while, but since it keeps the inner axle from walking into the side gears (on some setups) and out of the inner birf race when the clip is left off, seems straight like a good plan.

The added welded ring increases the size of the outer birf, want it to bind, and likely wreak havoc on the inner race, leave that outer clip off, gotta save you a sec or two when you do replace the inner axle.

I'm sure this can be taken many ways, but the most obvious thing for me is that "someone will always find something wrong with everything, and it won't be the user/customer 's fault". Unnecessary customer service is what drives the cost up, just look at all the perfectly good merchandise being return to a Wal-Mart every day.

Rant mode off.

I hope that people realize the service that Long is doing for us wheelers. His prices are incredibly reasonable, and his product is unmatched.

If you think that you know better, don't go whining back to the retailer. NO retailer would warranttee an installation different from what they recommended.
I have not gotten mine yet, but be assured that when the time comes, these are the ones I want- and I hope that he does not get sour on the whole deal because of a few people who thought they knew better than the manufacturer.

Not that I would blame him if he did.


Seems like some people will have an issue with anything.

i've never heard of leaving the outer clip off.....somebody wanna fill me in on why this would be a good thing?

max

The outer clip as I refered to it is the one on the end of the birf. Some have chosen to leave this off to eliminate the need for snap ring pliers in the event of a trail repair, and to speed the removal of the hub. At least that is my understanding of the reason. Regardless, it has less of an impact on an otherwise stock setup.

I suggest you run the clip unless you have changed enough broken birfs to make the determination from experience, for yourself. And I just realized it adds+ maybe 3-4 extra minutes to pull the hub apart to get to the clip, so you can spend a sec or 2 removing the clip.

Rabid: I'm sure you'll be as happy as I am :)

but in the event of an inner axle break, wouldnt the birfield back out of the hub and do damage?

That is a distinct possibility. I "personally" have not heard of or witnessed an inner axle break. I assume because the birf is toast long before the axle goes. My point was to run the clip, unless you have the experience to make he decision based on your own analysis. This would come from the misfortune of braking several birfs and witnessing the damage done. I suspect there are more than a few inner seals missing because the surface area is toast on dedicated trail rigs.

see, if i had a longfield (practically unbreakable) i would think the next thing to go would be the inners....so i would keep it on, because if the inner broke, the birf would slide out from teh hub and that would not be fun.:rasta:

I think the guy's got big brass one's to try to sell a product that he re-manufactured and made better, people should just accept that nothing is truly bullet proof, there is allways somebody who is going to manage to break it!I just hope he sticks with it, cuz when I can afford, it I'm getting a set!

Originally posted by Mr McGee
but in the event of an inner axle break, wouldnt the birfield back out of the hub and do damage?

Not if you use the hub clip. There are only 3 clips in the front per side. One clip locates the birfield and it is in the hub. This clip should ALWAYS be run, as stated. The other 2 clips locate the center axle. The clip outside of the birfield should also ALWAYS be used, it keeps the axle from walking into the birf. There is no advantage to not running it. The third clip, inside the birf should not be run with the Longfields. Not running this clip will save you time. See how far into the 3rd the shaft will slide to determine if you need to do the "mar-tack" thing. If you install a block on the centering pin, or have certain lockers, you don't need to do the mar-tack. The only bad thing that happens when the axle slides out of the birf and into the 3rd is that the axle seal may be breached.

what i meant was if you're not running the clip in the hub, it will back out of the hub when the inner breaks, thats what i meant.

I know it has been said and i should search but since a thread is open about them, where do i contact about longfields? I need to get some PU birfs for FDB and might as well go to longs right? Correct me if i am wrong but are they 300 +core?
thanks
ben

You can call 253-847-8254. Bobby will give you all the info.
Enjoy!! :D


:usa:

I broke the inner axle on my cruiser last year sometime.Then a couple of months back Bobby broke his inner axle.There was a rumor of somebody else breaking one lately,but we never confirmed it so it may not have happened. I would say we had about one hard year before we broke an inner axle. The strange thing that happens when you break one is you dont hear a pop or anything,your wheel just quits working all of the sudden.The nice thing about it is when it breaks off,it looks like it was machined off right where the groove is. It steers just fine and you can finish the day out in three wheel drive.On another note. when you buy the Super Birfields from bobby your gonna get snap rings with them from now on.Please put them on.

Good point Chris! I know that you have just helped a lot of people understand about the SuperBirfs.

:usa:

The Dog House has the bolts and stepped washers to keep the birfs from floating in. Are these as good as the snap rings for keeping them in place?:confused:

Yes, the old "washer and bolt in the end of the birfield" trick will be just fine. It performs the same function as the hub clip.

that sounds pretty cool.....how does it work (washer and bolt)

pics would be nice too:D

Originally posted by Mr McGee
that sounds pretty cool.....how does it work (washer and bolt)
Look at your birf. There is a threaded hole in the stub end. You use a bolt and a big ass washer to locate the birf against the hub inner body, instead of the more logical c clip. It's not science. Sorry, no pics. But if you want to see it, go to your truck and pull the end of the hub off: takes 2 minutes.

Originally posted by rustycruiser

...instead of the more logical c clip....

whats the difference?

The difference is in which length birfields and which hubs you are running. If you pull off the 6 allen screws on your lockout, you will see the end of your birf there. If you can see the groove, then you should be running snap rings. If you cannot see the groove, then you should be running a bolt-fender washer there.

I run Superwinch hubs and Newfields, and run the bolt-fender washer setup. IMO, this prevents the "wandering" Bobby mentions above and helps with any internal binding. 76-77 fine birfs are slightly longer than minitrucks or Newfields, and Superwinch Cruiser hubs and Warn Cruiser hubs are different than the minitruck stock aisins. If I were running Aisin hubs, I'd need the snap ring.

For this reason, the longer length of the 76-77 birfields combined with the shorter body of the Aisin hubs means they are incompatible. All other combos should interchange.