ARB Lockers

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spressomon

spressomon

glutton
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So...apart of having the wonderful opportunity to fix what River City Differentials in Sacramento fawked up...after my new diff guy opened the front diff he saw the various ARB locker o-rings and rubber bushings were starting to fail. The then new front ARB locker was purchased and installed in 2006.

The kicker: ARB doesn't support the prior gen ARB lockers anymore. Apparently they sold all their parts inventory for these lockers to a retailer. WTF? Luckily my diff guy was able to source these inexpensive parts...to renew while the diff is all apart...from the retailer that bought ARB's inventory.

Didn't expect or see that one coming from ARB. As much as I like my ARB locker this sheds new light on same. If I was looking for an 80, which I have been hot/cold to do the last couple of years, it would be presumably better to find one with e-lockers than without lockers/with ARB lockers because of the issue of ARB not supporting prior gen lockers anymore.

You've been warned.
 
Thanks. Good to know. I'm sure that extended your down time (waiting for parts).
 
A little but right now waiting for the front diff support bushing (the bushing for the front diff cover) and one of the front diff support arms. And I installed 864's on the rear again...the suspension height is coming down...in an effort to extend CV life. At 20.5-21" I wasn't out of reasonable range but tired of the PM frequency on CVs. I'll probably need to find a good front end alignment guy post 'de-lift' since my caster will probably be > 4 degrees.
 
I am "glad" I was forced to do a ARB refresh on mine about 8 months ago...after removing the diff twice and spending about $250 on various ARB parts, seals, etc., it's all back together and working...an 80 sounds better and better all the time....
 
bluecruiser said:
I am "glad" I was forced to do a ARB refresh on mine about 8 months ago...after removing the diff twice and spending about $250 on various ARB parts, seals, etc., it's all back together and working...an 80 sounds better and better all the time....
Click to expand...

I've been on the 'sell my 100 and find an 80' teeter totter for the past several years.
 
So Les you'll love this...sorry if it causes you any consternation :/ Bruce, my current diff guy, called and has my diff ready. But get this: The ring gear bolts were only hand tight! He was able to remove them using only his fingers...no wrench! So dufus Sean at River City Diffs more than likely forgot to torque them down #1 and #2 didn't use Loctite.

And...ARB must have changed the air fitting where the airline connects to the fitting on the diff case...its now about 1/2" taller. And since Sean, again in his infinite wisdom ignored ARB's instructions to install the bulkhead fitting on the bottom of the diff (plenty of room and easy to service without pulling the diff) mounted mine on top of the diff. Its tight...but crossing my fingers there's enough clearance for the air line to come straight down and into to the new bulkhead straight on (the old bulkhead fitting was a 90 degree)...me thinks not.
 
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The LC should be rolling tomorrow...just ran out of time and energy after a long day wrenching on it today. Fill the front diff, double check all my nuts/bolts, adjust the t-bars and take it for a test drive. And then some warm-up/cool down the front diff to break in the bearings...

I'll save you all the long story...but don't use the rubber air hose assembly ARB provides in their rebuild kit...mine came with a leak...at no extra charge :rolleyes: (looks and feels like chinese fittings...not solid like Parker/Brennan fittings). That cost me several hours today...
 
Woah, just saw your post! Is my front diff a ticking bomb? The location of the air fitting at the top of the front diff IS pissing me off. It was loose and I tightened it a few months ago. Took it up for some snow wheeling near Shaver Lake and it was leaking again. I get back home and it stops leaking. It's right at the threshold of being temperature sensitive, I guess. Anyway, the location sucks.

ARB did switch to a new style fitting after we installed our lockers. I will likely run Harrop/Eaton lockers if I decide to buy a 200. I do like the performance of the ARB locker over the OE E-lockers in terms of quick engagement. If I can get quick engagement AND reliability, I'll take it. And maybe I'll have your diff guy install it. Gives me an excuse to drive down!
 
The original rubber bushing on the inside of the diff at the bulkhead fitting was very deteriorated. I've mostly run Amsoil syn in the front...not sure if there was an incompatibility issue or not. Regardless it now has the new style rubber bushing/bulkhead fitting. FWIW: The last few years when the locker was engaged the ARB compressor would cycle on/off a bit...indicating a small mostly minor leak...

I'm with you Les if I had to do it over again today I'd give serious look at the Eaton. Not much track record here though...

So...the top of the diff air fitting location has its benefits: 1) Its up and out of the way of trail mud, snow and other debris; 2) Since it isn't mounted to the inspection cover its simpler to install/deal with when/if the diff has to come apart. And with the diff drop I can actually get to the fitting...if need-be...as yesterday when I had to remove the ARB rubber hose fitting and swap in a real (Parker) 90-degree flare to flare fitting. Without the diff drop it wouldn't be possible to access the fitting without lowering the diff (access via the PS inner fender area...remove the skirt and its not bad).

So...just got it off the jack/jack stands and did a 5-mile test for leaks, etc. No leaks! The locker always, very typical of all the ARB lockers I've been around, had a solid and loud "pfftt" when I disengaged the ARB; the release of the air psi within the diff. Now that pfftt air noise is almost imperceptible.

So...about the only thing I didn't replace on this tour was the front u-joint. But its tight and no reason to invite trouble :)

I also went back to 864 springs...allowing me to take the front height down another ~1"+. The CV angle now is nearly horizontal...I'll loose packed weight to keep the 864's...I'm going low to get good CV angles.

Time will tell but the only little complaint I have with Bruce...is that he's busy with ag equipment repairs and my little diff project took backseat. But some of that was indeed my fault as I had to source some needed parts...and he had to source bearings that added to the timeline.
 
And, after a week, ARBUSA never got back to me regarding old locker parts support. Maybe I should gather some ARB maintenance parts before I really need them.
 
After getting 150+ miles on the rig for shake down after all the front end/diff R&R I noticed the front pinion seal is seeping today. So much for getting out of here tomorrow as planned.

Another 100-Series owner on the forum just experienced the same thing right before CM2014: Bought complete 3rds with ARB, 4.88's, etc. from a MUD Vendor, to the tune of $4,500, and after the 200-mile trip back home from having a mechanic install the 3rds in his rig...the outside of the rear diff was covered in diff lube. Bad pinion seal install.

How in the fxxx did we ever get to the moon? Oh wait a minute...
 
The companion flange, with 218k miles on it, had a slight wear line from where the seal lip interfaced. Bruce, my diff guy, thought it would be OK but obviously the new seal lip is probably riding just a few thou on the outside of the old wear line...and given the outside of the surface has some corrosion its not a good mating surface for the seal.

Computer shows qty 1 of the companion flange in Toyota KC dist/warehouse. Will find out later today if the computer inventory is accurate...but all bets are always off when a computer only shows 1 of an item...in any industry. Best case is I'm down for another week...worst case is who knows if the part has to come from Japan.

Oh well...it gives me time to figure out what my rig is worth on the used market.
 
Then I'd have to fix it (again) ;)
 
I remember when Brian posted that Les...but had forgotten. Obviously as problem free as the 9.5" has been for all engines including the VVTi 2UZ-FE they must have determined it was on the edge of being prudent with the higher output of the 3UR-FE and 1VD-FTV engines (and TRD SC for the 3UR-FE). I think it speaks very highly of our 9.5" set-up actually.

I don't recall seeing this...but I wonder if the axle diameter is the same on the 10.5" and/or different axle seal system. That is, IMO, more deficient in design than the 9.5" for us...
 
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