Welp, it happened. I blew my front diff (1 Viewer)

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Im considering the harrop in my 98 w rdl. That way Im rid of the 2 pinion before I run into trouble. I like the elocker route bc then if I ever want to run a 2 battery setup I dont have a compressor to re-locate.

sorry that happened to you op
 
Im considering the harrop in my 98 w rdl. That way Im rid of the 2 pinion before I run into trouble. I like the elocker route bc then if I ever want to run a 2 battery setup I dont have a compressor to re-locate.

sorry that happened to you op
I am running that setup too. Wiring up the front elocker to work with the rotary locker switch is straight forward too!
 
I’m seeing a lot of people who have gone with e lockers. Is there anyone out there with air lockers? Anybody out there with an 06/07 running 34+ sized tires and regeared? I can’t see any other extra benefit from going with air other than being able to air up my tires...air tools have been replaced with batteries. E lockers seem to have less things available to go wrong on the outside of the unit since it’s just an electrical wire.
 
Several in this thread have all of the above- have a look at the sig lines. Seems either option has it's pitfalls- and depends maybe if you've already got an onboard compressor or not- that adds another $500 to the equation that an E-locker overcomes. But wires fail and so do air lines. I'll be adding a front airlocker when I re-gear, since Ive got the compressor wired for my rear air locker. Moving up a size to 295/70-18 soon (34.5).

To me the decision comes down to reliability, durability and equally important service support. ARB seems to tick the boxes and very good on the product support-warranty answering the phone etc, Harrop via Cruiser Bro's seems to be well supported, TJM- its a great product but I'm not sure how responsive they are these days and what product support from them looks like.
 
I have had Harrop e-lockers in the front and rear in my LX470 for two years now with no issues. I have ARB lockers front and rear in my 40 and they have been trouble free for over 10 years and I have wheeled the crap out of it. You probably can't go wrong with either choice.
 
I’m seeing a lot of people who have gone with e lockers. Is there anyone out there with air lockers? Anybody out there with an 06/07 running 34+ sized tires and regeared? I can’t see any other extra benefit from going with air other than being able to air up my tires...air tools have been replaced with batteries. E lockers seem to have less things available to go wrong on the outside of the unit since it’s just an electrical wire.
There was a sizable cost difference for me. The air lockers were around $900 each and my compressor was included when I bought both. The e-lockers were around $1350 each and I was still going to need an air compressor for tires. The reliability was also an unknown to me at the time so I was definitely not going to spend $1k+ Additional for them.
 
There was a sizable cost difference for me.
The e-lockers were definitely more expensive but if you decide to go with them Cruiser Brothers may occasionally have them on sale. I ended up getting both e-lockers for a total of $300 off, which made the price a little more palatable. Check this thread to sign up for a sale notice: Harrop Eaton Elocker Special

One of the reasons I went for the e-locker was at the time I didn't want to add an air compressor since I had a decent portable one. However, last summer when my portable started falling apart I ended up adding an ARB compressor for airing up. So in the end, I spent more but so far no regrets...
 
How many of yall have actually experienced leak issues with the ARB lockers? I seemed to see quite a bit of complaining about that online which made me lean e-locker. Also didn't really want to add a compressor, it's nice but adds another fail point in my opinion.

Seems like if your e locker isn't getting power it's more than likely a wiring problem you can figure out on the trail. If you compressor dies or your gasket in the diff leaks your air locker just ain't gonna work, but maybe it's not a common enough issue to really worry about. Costs for air or electronic seem similar if you include the compressor cost so I'm just wondering about reliability
 
When mine blows I plan to throw an E-locker in there. I've been seriously considering it with my stimmy $$$, but I know as soon as I do something will happen like the dreaded brake booster or something.
Food for thought, my booster blew and i was able to pull the electronic booster motor out of a Mitsubishi Montero at a pick a part junk yard...scary driving without front brakes and no power rears
 
How many of yall have actually experienced leak issues with the ARB lockers? I seemed to see quite a bit of complaining about that online which made me lean e-locker. Also didn't really want to add a compressor, it's nice but adds another fail point in my opinion.

Seems like if your e locker isn't getting power it's more than likely a wiring problem you can figure out on the trail. If you compressor dies or your gasket in the diff leaks your air locker just ain't gonna work, but maybe it's not a common enough issue to really worry about. Costs for air or electronic seem similar if you include the compressor cost so I'm just wondering about reliability
I think ARB addressed that issue a long time ago but the stigma lives on.
 
Yes. Really what got me/us was that trail is narrow AF and it was wet.

well, to be fair, the first 11 miles or so was great trail, it was really only the last 1/2 mile or so that caused all the problems :doh:
 
I blew my front diff up about a year ago--had East Coast Gear Supply in Raleigh put in a new R&P and a Harrop locker. I'm pretty sure the install cost for the Harrop was significantly lower (like a couple hours' labor cost) than it would've been for the air locker, which makes sense as it's soooo much simpler inside the diff and less fiddly to get set up correctly. So if you're not doing the install yourself, take that into account.

EDIT: @Jerzywerzy5 is absolutely right—same labor costs at ECGS for electric or air lockers...disregard some of what I said above!

I have since installed a compressor for tires and airlift bags, but have no regrets at all about going electric--it's sooo simple, and using the factory rotary switch is dead easy.

And I'm super impressed at how helpful the front locker has been. With IFS we're way more likely to have a front than a rear wheel off the ground, which perhaps is a factor underrated when folks say "rear locker is better" flatly.

Also, OP, if you don't want to get into this for $2k+, I'd recommend getting a new R&P installed vice buying a used diff--it'll be a couple hundred more bucks, but a lot stronger. Toyota set these up loose at the factory, since a properly set up diff requires a serious break-in routine (ECGS recommended not exceeding certain speeds or distances for the first 500 miles, then a gear-oil change--who wants to do that with the car they just drove off the lot)? So these diffs mostly left the factory weaker than they could've been. And now they're old! Getting new R&P installed will probably give you a diff that's not as strong as one with a locker, but way stronger than any diff that left the factory. Loose. 20 years ago.
 
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I blew my front diff up about a year ago--had East Coast Gear Supply in Raleigh put in a new R&P and a Harrop locker. I'm pretty sure the install cost for the Harrop was significantly lower (like a couple hours' labor cost) than it would've been for the air locker, which makes sense as it's soooo much simpler inside the diff and less fiddly to get set up correctly. So if you're not doing the install yourself, take that into account.
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labor is the same for both. Most shops just charge a flat setup fee for a diff. Air lockers are very simple things and the rotary switch is easily wired for them as well.
 
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I put on an ARB Air locker on my front and now it feels like it is permanently on. Anyone know a good shop in Arizona where I can take it and feel comfortable that they know toyotas?
 
Why not contact ARB directly for support??
 
Why not contact ARB directly for support??
I don't really know what I am doing with a differential. I have not taken one apart in over 20 years and I would just rather pay a shop to do it. The problem is that most 4x4 places out here specialize in Jeep, so I would like one that knows Toyota a little more, and I don't trust or want to pay a dealership.
 

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