OEM vs ARB lockers

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tone33

tone33

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I searched around for this a bit on the forum but couldn't find much (maybe my search skills suck though). I am looking to buy a LC in the near future and want to hear folks thoughts on OEM vs aftermarket (ARB or others) lockers. I had the suggestion to try and find a cruiser with lockers b/c i do want to offroad it, but I'm not opposed to buying an unlocked LC and installing ARB lockers later, mainly because excluding lockers from my search criteria greatly widens the number of cruisers available for me to purchase. Other things like low mileage, no rust, good shape, etc are important to me. It seems a bit rarer that i have seen cruisers with lockers that have not been excessively or at least moderately offroaded. I am really interested in details about the advantages of ARB air lockers over the OEM electric ones.

Thanks,
Tone
 
I know that an awful lot of the hard core crowd who really want to totally rock crawl don't like the stock locker setup and they often try converting to ARB's. Having stated that except for extreme crawling concerns, I specifically shop for factory locked 80's. My stock locker setup has never let me down during my travels. HTH. :cheers:
 
Stock should more than get you around if you are just light wheeling but I would suggest an aftermarket locker system for extreme rock crawling mostly out of safety concerns
 
Tone33 -

There is lot written on this board about ARBs vs. E-Lockers. The main difference is that E-Lockers (the stock Toyota lockers) can take a bit to engage. When I say a "bit" it could be a second or two or it could be a little longer...it depends upon what the vehicle is doing. The ARB lockers are instantaneous...you throw the switch and they lock. Some of the disadvantages are that ARB lockers are not stock...some folks don't like that. There is also the fact that you have an airline running to your differentials (front and/or rear). This airline can be damaged...but, it very easily field repairable.

I disagree with the way Turbocruiser worded his response. Lots of people convert their unlocked 80s into locked 80s with ARBs. There is no "try" involved. It is an easy drop in and wire installation. I have never known anyone "try" and install ARB lockers and fail. It just doesn't happen...there is so much history with the 80 and ARB lockers that it is a no-brainer.

I personally bought a non-locked 80 because I wanted ARB air lockers. The reason being is that if I need lockers...I want them at the flip of a switch and I don't ever want to have to wonder if they are going to lock.

None the less...to each their own. I would not rule out an 80 without lockers. Buy the best vehicle you can find...if you find one without lockers and feel you need them...just be prepared to spend about $2,000 on lockers (front and rear) and an air compressor. The great thing about an ARB setup is that you can do one differential at a time. You can install the air compressor...and then install the front or rear...wait a bit and then install the other one. Another thing some folks do when installing ARB air lockers is re-gear. Usually folks that are "needing" lockers are going to be running at least 315s. So, re-gearing during an ARB install is a pretty common thing.

Hope this helps.

- Mark
 
ARBs are better. they are stronger, engage faster, disengage faster. They won't lock the broken axle stub in the housing.

Electric lockers are way cheaper, because they come with the truck and typically do not raise the price of the truck. They are perfectly adequate 99% of the time.

Both have reliability issues. Minor, but real. ARBs need o-rings replaced periodically, OEM electrics get gooped up and stop working.

If you want to run tires over 35 inches, I would say ARBs are the only choice.
 
ok this helps. Basically if i find the right vehicle and it has oem lockers great, if not, great too and i'll have a reason to get the ARBs. if i do end up going ARB, I will likely do one at a time - i'm assuming it would be better to do the rear first - then front?

I was also wondering about the "try converting to ARBs"... seems like a simple enough install to me.
 
Personally I would have picked up an 80 with lockers without question...but an S/C unlocked one came my way. So, I went with the ARB route, and am very happy with how they work.

Also, you can wire the OEM switches (need to add) to run the ARB lockers, including the dash lights. So, my ARB-equipped rig looks like it has the OEM E-Locker setup, yet runs ARB AirLockers. Thanks to the guidance of fellow Mudders, I was able to get my head around the whole wiring, and making an inexpensive Locker ECU emulator (Radio Shack parts), which works perfectly, and was plug and play.

So, if you find an unlocked 80 that you like for the right price, go for it.

:cheers:

Steve
 
For me an unlocked truck would definitely have to be the "right" truck just due to cost of adding ARB's. $2g is a lot of money on a truck most likely under $10K to purchase. Especially if you want all the other goodies. 2 grand will fix a lot of other issues too. Or buy a lift and bumper. Just my $.02

But if money was equal I'd rather have the ARB's for strength and speed of engagment
 
any thoughts on Aussie lockers? they seem to be less expensive than ARBs, and of course have a different mode of operation. I realize i can't put aussies in the front, but if i found the right truck, i could settle for rear aussies for now, and still have some money to buy a bumper, etc.
 
I love my ARB lockers!

web.jpg
 
thanks for the pic.. gives me some ideas if i go that route.. did a little reading up on aussie's for the rear not sure if i want to go that route. The wife may be driving this truck sometimes and she is not really the off-road i want to drive a truck type :). Plus we get a little snow and ice here sometimes and don't want to deal with the rear end sliding around.
 
tone33 said:
...if i do end up going ARB, I will likely do one at a time - i'm assuming it would be better to do the rear first - then front?
Click to expand...

Absolutely. 90% of the time you just need the rear locker. I'm still waiting to get around to installing a front ARB on my truck. In the past 3 years I've used my rear ARB many times. If I had it, I could have used a front locker maybe 2-3 times. Might have saved me from using my winch, but otherwise I really haven't missed it. Will probably add a front ARB when I do my next Birf maintenance.
 
Interesting thread. I bought my 80 about 6 years ago primarily as a family truckster, camping and hauling trailering motorcycles rig. I've been wheeling with Scouts forever, but the wife wanted something a bit more comfy. hahaha. In my Scout that pre-80 was my driver/light wheeler, I had the factory limited slip in the rear and an ARB up front. The limited slip was OK for daily stuff and light off road, and did not cause problems during regular driving, and the ARB was there when I needed it, but unobtrusive otherwise. On my hardcore Scout I run ARBs at both ends.

My 94 80 has passed it's prime as a family truckster so I've set about modding it a bit. :clap: It's factory unlocked and right now I have a LockRight in a box AND the factory e-locker I just got from another member. Right now I am leaning towards using the factory e-locker in the rear and ARB up front, like in my light duty Scout. Any thoughts on this set up would be appreciated. Not trying to hijack, but figured this set up fit nicely into the thread.
 
Stock locked trucks aren't that hard to find still. I would go with a stock locked just to save the $2k. Not sure where you live, but you say you get snow so I would spend a little more money to get a southern truck. It's nice not to have all the rust that northerners get. I have a factory locked 96 that I love and I used to have a 94 non-locked from the rust belt (Iowa). It's night and day the difference when you crawl under them. That said, if you find a great deal and by great a mean atleast $2k lower than what it would cost you, I would pass on the unlocked. Lockers don't really change the price either, most soccer moms have no idea what that switch does. When I bought mine last year, I'm pretty sure I'm the only one that has ever engaged them. The guy I bought mine from said, "I turn that knob and a light on the dash just blinks, I don't think it does anything." He was turning it while in hi, lol.
 
fjfar80 said:
Tone33 -


I disagree with the way Turbocruiser worded his response. Lots of people convert their unlocked 80s into locked 80s with ARBs. There is no "try" involved. It is an easy drop in and wire installation. I have never known anyone "try" and install ARB lockers and fail. It just doesn't happen...there is so much history with the 80 and ARB lockers that it is a no-brainer.


- Mark
Click to expand...

Ohh for f**k sakes that's not what I meant at all. I meant that some people try out the ARB's not that they try to install them and then fail to. Have you ever tried out a new pair of boots or a new pair of socks but then failed to put them on? Sheesh.
 
For budgetary reasons, I am electing to go with an Aussie rear and will add an ARB in the front first and then if I see a need for it I will go back and add an ARB for the back.

I am not doing anything too extreme, mostly just trail riding and minor rock crawling and I don't think I will have too much of a need for a front locker but I would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
 
I'm clearly an outlier. The 80 comes with dual factory lockers available. Mine work every time and I have never had an engagement issue that was of any concern. You buy an 80 with lockers and you have a dual selectable locked rig on day one.

I have wheeled with so many people who have dual locked ARB rigs but are running partly open that day because something is wrong with the ARB system. An electrical system is so much more reliable than an air system. In four years of reasonably serious wheeling with my 80, I have never one time been unlocked when I didn't want to be.

The factory e-locker issue is with the rear, because you can twist the axle splines inside the locking collar and then you can't get the shaft out. This is not a small thing, but it's also a very strong full float axle and moderate wheeling is not going to break it.

If you get an unlocked rig, I'd put an Aussie in the rear because a AWD auto tranny 4x4 will make a rear auto locker essentially transparent, and then find an e-locker front at some point. That will save you the cost of ARB's and the weak spot of the rear axle.

Having said that, I'm not worrying too much about it :D
OCG 053109 Squeeze.webp
 
I should be ordering my ARB lockers, gears and rebuild 'stuff' later this week. I have looked for e-lockers and could not find any local. If I did find them I would ahve rebuilt everything any way just because I have no idea the history of them. So when I calculated the cost of the axles, shipping and rebuilding it justified going the ARB route. I would "think" if you route the air lines carefully you should never have any problems ripping them out.
 
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