ARB ?

[CruisinGA]

I've got an ARB on the way, what type/size of fitting does it use for the air supply at the rear diff?
I would like to know before it comes so I can go ahead and order the fittings/line to hook it up.

Another question: What type of air line do ya'll run to the ARB?
I've heard of people using that good clear blue coiled line that CO2 kits use, I've thought about using the clear vinyl tubing that mcmaster sells, or possible just running full size pnuematic hose the whole way.
What would you recommend?

 

[73lndcrsr]

Did you not get the install kit? It will have everything you need. The fittings are 5mm tube to 1/8 bst. You can get the fittings at Mcmaster as well as the tubing. I used the 1/8 bst to 1/4" tubing. I got the nylon 5635K16 tubing and the fittings are 5779K385. I also used the 90* swivel on my air manifold 51495K218.

 

[Jim Dahlquist]

There is a stainless air-line upgrade available. Check with Rocky Road Outfitters. (3) Different lengths available. I believe the web-site is rocky-road.com.

Jim Dahlquist

 

[cruiseroutfit]

The ARB will come with the blue plastic line...

Others are available from any ARB dealer...

Check Dave's catalog...

 

[sherwood]

ARB ? (kinda' longish)

Because I march to a different drummer................

I decided to make everything SAE. At the diff, I found a compact brass fitting that screws into the ARB bulkhead fitting and allows me to run 1/4" nylon tubing. The (Parker NN-4-040) tubing has a working pressure of 310# and a burst pressure of 1250#, with a large temperature range. This stuff was recommended by guys at Livingston & Haven, who do nothing but hoses and valves for a living.

I decided to go with the MAC solenoids which, along with everything else, regulators, pressure guages, valves, etc. are SAE. As sort of an experiment (which seems to be working just fine), I used the Parker "Prestolok" SAE brass fittings, otherwise known as "push-in" fittings. Another manufacturer is Alkon, with similar items. A big selection of "T"'s, "Y"'s, 90 deg elbows, swivel fittings, bulkheads, plugs, etc are available with the push-in feature.

http://www.parker.com/brassprod/prestftb.htm

Once you've made mounts for all the valves and solenoids and regulators, etc., you can plumb the dang thing in 10 minutes ! The tubing just "pushes" into the fittings and you play hell pulling it out without manipulating the little collar on the fitting. The more you pull - the tighter it seals.

If a valve or something goes out while in the field, you can just grab a short hank of tubing and re-route. If a line gets cut, just splice it pronto with one of their double-ended fittings (which surely is cheaper than that ARB metric splice). (BTW, they make metric versions of most of this stuff, plus BSPS, etc.) If my rear MAC valve quit, I could swap in the front locker MAC valve in it's place in 30 seconds or less.

So far, it's worked between 90+ degrees F and 18 degrees F. No problems.

Additionally, I have a quick-disconnect air hose line below the variable regulator and a Williams Balloon 140# (actually ~120#) fixed regulator straight off the CO2 tank.

I'm sure I'll rethink this as time goes on.... but it's doing fine now.
Plumbing the front locker should take me all of 3 minutes once I route the tube from the front diff to inside the cab (I've already mounted the MAC valve for it). Want to pneumatically power something else ? Just use one of their "Y" or "T" fittings.... another 3 minute job. ;~}

Oh, no detectable leaks, so far.

Hope this helps,

PS: Larger line would probably help for airing up or running your impact wrench.... at the cost of more "clutter" in the cab and possibly larger bending radius. Th 1/4" is more than adequate, IMHO, for the ARB, as it's more of a pressure application than a volume application. Also, watch you I.D. vs O.D. for each size tubing. Some larger tubing can have lower working pressure limits because of lesser wall thickness.

John Sherwood
Charlotte, NC
'79 FJ-40 TLCA Upstate Cruisers

 

[CruisinGA]

So the ARB will come with enough blue plastic line to make it to my air manifold in the engine bay? I may change it around to use commonly available SAE stuff at some point, but if it has everything I need and it works.....

What is BST? I'm only used to NPT for pipe fittings. I need to know what I should drill and tap my air manifold to accept.

 

[Poser]

Been running ARB supplied A/C, fittings, and tubing since '92 with no issues....


Good luck!

-Steve

 

[Medusa]

Those crazy Aussies drive on the wrong side of the road, celebrate Christmas in the middle of the summer and use British Standard Pipe Threads (BST) These have a different pitch that the U.S. standard pipe threads (NPT), and you can't mix and match the two. The only real place you will run into difficulty is if you have the ARB solenoids and you want to thread them into a custom air manifold. In that case you will either have to buy a BST to NPT adapter or purchase a BST tap and cut the appropriate threads. I prefer the latter approach.

 

[HJ65]

[quote author=Medusa link=board=1;threadid=9886;start=msg87879#msg87879 date=1073689855]
Those crazy Aussies drive on the wrong side of the road, celebrate Christmas in the middle of the summer and use British Standard Pipe Threads (BST) [/quote]

 

[CruisinGA]

[quote author=Medusa link=board=1;threadid=9886;start=msg87879#msg87879 date=1073689855]These have a different pitch that the U.S. standard pipe threads (NPT), and you can't mix and match the two. The only real place you will run into difficulty is if you have the ARB solenoids and you want to thread them into a custom air manifold. In that case you will either have to buy a BST to NPT adapter or purchase a BST tap and cut the appropriate threads. I prefer the latter approach.
[/quote]
Shoot. Thats what I was afraid of. I'm using the ARB solenoid, in a custom manifold. The whole point of me making my own manifold is to eliminate any adaptors and hence lower the places for potential leaks, so I guess I will have to find a BST tap.

Which brings me to the question, which size BST tap do I need? I assume 5mm is for the tube and not the screw part of the fitting?

 

[73lndcrsr]

Correct. You can order the parts from Mcmaster and not have to worry about the tap though. I have my rear setup this way now.

IIRC the tap will need to be 1/8 x 28. 1/8" npt is 1/8 x 27. I have one from a craftsman set if you would like to borrow it.

 

[fjcruiser]

Hey Bailey, where did you get your arb?

 

[Rock_Hugger]

I'm using the ARB solenoid, in a custom manifold and I used an 1/8" npt tap. I have built several manifolds and have never had a problem with the 1/8" npt fittings and ARB working together.
The Blue line is more than adequate if routed properly and away from hot exhaust. I have been running ARB's since 95 and my father in law has since 93, the blue tubing that comes with them has never let me/us down.

 

[CruisinGA]

[quote author=fjcruiser link=board=1;threadid=9886;start=msg88077#msg88077 date=1073705855]
Hey Bailey, where did you get your arb?
[/quote]
DD113
davidd113@aol.com

I'm using the ARB solenoid, in a custom manifold and I used an 1/8" npt tap. I have built several manifolds and have never had a problem with the 1/8" npt fittings and ARB working together.
The Blue line is more than adequate if routed properly and away from hot exhaust. I have been running ARB's since 95 and my father in law has since 93, the blue tubing that comes with them has never let me/us down.

Thats what I REALLY wanted to hear
It's worth a shot, If it worked for you I don't see why it wouldn't work for me! Sounds like the blue line is plenty good enough, I'll just be careful to route/shield it properly and buy the emergency repair kit.

 

[73lndcrsr]

Don't spend too much on an "emergency" repair kit. I just had to do a trail fix on my blue line. I also have some of the 1/4" stuff on my rear ARB and it is a very tight fit over the ARB tubing. It worked like a charm.