Smurfields

[Mudslug]

So how many here have been watching the smurfield thread on Pirate? It seems a Canadian company is heat treating birfields now and welding on the "safety ring" to keep everything where it should be.

They are doing Zook and Toyo birfs which is why I thought some here would be interested.

Here is the link for the company
http://members.shaw.ca/smurfield/

Here is the link for the test on Pirate.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=205875

As an FYI my air next day rates from BC is $10 for the first 5lbs and $2.00 for each additional pound. Ground is $10 for the first 10lbs and $0.15 for each additional lbs.

If its a larger order with lots of weight the cost will drop.

[Mudslug]

So 40 sumtin reads but no input.

Anyway these have been holding up really well....maybe an addition for this season.

[TheSarg]

curiosity got me, but im runnin D60's so no input here, good read tho for peeps lookin into something stouter

[Mudslug]

D60's?!? See the new OX joints for them?? BEEF....oh ya, we found the beef....

[TheSarg]

shhhh dont ruin my surprize lol, yeah its gunna be kinda keen if i can get it awl dun in time. 1 man show, kinda rough movin crap.

[Fullload]

You want beef? her's a birfield that'll make an toyota or D60 jealous

[MuddMachine]

Well Mudslug...... this is my conclusion, please gimme some feedback if there's anything Im missin.

First off lets talk tire size. Running on zook axles, 33 or 34's are about the outside limit on what someone will run on a zook axle. Toy axles I can see people wanting to do the 40" thing.

Now lets talk Toy birfs. I can see the requirement for a smurf/longfeild in this case. Along with a ring you get a triple hardening process. That makes for one mighty birf. We all know the inner axle is just plain beef so we dont have to worry about the inner. You just may need that Smirf/Longfeild with a big ass tire and agressive driving on nasty trails or comp.

Now lets talk about these zook smirfs and zook axles in general. Of course the birf is week and prone to breakage. But so is the inner axle. This is the big thing here. I can take my birf rings and install them. Personally Id feel quite confident In saying I wont break the birf with JUST a ring. Im only running a 33. The benifit of the Smurfield would be a hardened stub shaft. But the stub shaft is already way bigger than the zook inner axle. In stock form I believe breakin a zook stub shaft would be the least of the worries. With the smurfields I would have a birfield ring installed and heat treating making an indestructable birf.

Now the inner axle. The smallest part of the whole drivetrain. What do we do here ? I think the inner zook axle is the section that needs to be addressed most but all we have is a stock axle.

Whatcha think ?

[SJKrawler]

Would a samurai u-joint be stronger than the birfield? Maybe we need a birf elimimator kit with 26 spline axles?

[Fullload]

Why not call the guy in B.C that does the smurfields and ask him to treat the inners as well. I know that bobby Long (longfield creator) does them with toy axles.
So what do you really lose by trying? $80.00 CAD plus a couple of bucks for shipping? God knows we have all made bigger mistakes in our lives that cost more than that. In all honesty it would be cheaper than just putting a rebuilt caliper on an old toy axle.
Think about it, cause bottom line it is your ass and your truck (even though you know i'll be the first in line if it does break to get you up and running again) and then call the guy and see what he says.
Got nothing to lose by calling him.

[Mudslug]

Mudd I agree with you to a point, yes the weakness in the Sammy axle is or would be moved to the inners but I would rather have the stronger birf because I can front dig in reverse with the wheels cranked and not have to worry about "pop".

Fullload your right, we should call buddy and ask about getting the inners hardened, if its cheap it may be worth it....then again it could be polishing a turd....

[Fullload]

I agree this has been discussed till the cows come home but a couple people here including myself was not happy with a 31-33 inch tire so we decided to go big. Big to the point that no amount of beefing in the world on a sammy axle could hold.
Muddmachine on the other hand and a few others wanna and can run a 33" tire but just want it to be reliable. Doing these processes (smurfields and cromo inners etc...) obtain that and keep a low dollar budget.
Everyone has a certain tire size in thier head and wana stick to it until the size goes up. Last year for example i was so stuck on running 31's cause they are bulet proof and light, but it soon (really soon) got to the point that i wanted to climb obstacles that were almost twice the size of the center line of my tire.
Open diff makes that for an interesting bounce.
I'f i were mudd and had my truck already trussed and sleeved and freshly rebuilt 1 year ago i would stuff some smurfield crap and try it for a year. So what you spit some stuff out, just go back to stock with an open diff and make a new tire size in your head!!!:beer:

[Fullload]

I E-mailed the smurfield guy ( travis) on behalf of grasshopper in case he decided to lock the front with 31's. and i kknow that mudd wants to try 33's. here is what i sent.


Hi there i have heard that your product is as good as any other of the
vendors out there. Recently before i found your website and product i
purchased a competators product at a vey good sale price.
I have a friend that has a suzuki, buts he wants to lock the front and
is
worried about his birfields and is afraid that the 31" boggers will just
spit them out like water. I am sure they will, but my question is, do you
treat suzuki birfs? Have you had many, if so and what have been the
results?
After a treated birfield the next weak link would be the tiny inner
axle.
there are other vendors out there that treat inners in the same manner. Do
you?
Would your toyota birfield prices be the same as a suzuki birfield? I
am
curious to learn more about your sucessfull product.
On a side note if you never had treated a suzuki birf would you, and
have us expierment with it?
At worst, we just take out the front locker and prepare for a toyota axle
swap and wheel open diff in the meantime.
Do you weld on rings or are they needed? would you suggest "pressing"
on
rings with a treated birf for suzuki.
There was a thread posted on www.zookpower.ca which is a canadian
suzuki
based forum and this topic came up. with your permission could i post your
answers in relation to that thread.

As a Canadian we are loya,l and love seeing a good product come from
the
great white north. Keep up the good work and thank you for your time and
patience with my letter.

Sincerely Brian A.KA fullload ( on zookpower.)

[Fullload]

this is the reply i got the very next day!!! i think grasshopper will go this route for sure so i'll keep you all posted to see if he breaks anything. we all know he likes the skinny pedal!!!

Hi Brian,
I have done some Suzuki Birfields, and so far none of them have broke.
I am still somewhat in the testing phase of treating axles, but I am vey
confendent in them so far.
If you send me your inner axles, with the birfs, I will treat them for
free, as an offer, and as I would like to get some more out there for
testing.
Yes, my prices are the same for Suzki's
I weld a ring onto them.

Feel free to use anything I say.

Thanks for all your questions, and feel free to ask any more you may have.
Travis

[MuddMachine]

Then maybe Grasshopper and myself should send a pair out at the same time. If he'll do the inner Im definitely interested.

[Fullload]

Don't know if he will do two sets of inners for free but give him a PM he is on the board now as TRDV.

[MuddMachine]

Originally posted by Fullload
Don't know if he will do two sets of inners for free but give him a PM he is on the board now as TRDV.

Oh, OK, kool. I'll discuss this with him. TRDV, are you reading this ???