Diff Lockers - user impressions

[Drew Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Drew]

G'day all,

Given my recent diff woes, I'm seriously considering fitting a rear diff locker.

I wonder what you PradoPointers with diff locks think of your set up after having it for some time.

Do you feel it was worth the money? Are you more confident in your Prado's rear diff? (Stupid question I guess!)

I'm thinking of the ARB set up. I've been quoted $1,650 supplied and fitted with the bigger compressor suitable for airing up tyres also.

Bloody hell, this things gonna be worth $80,000 if I keep adding things to it. :shock:

Cheers,

Drew.

[leachy_9 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close leachy_9]

Drew,

I was told by ARB (and this may just be sales BS) that when they develop a new diff they bench test it with the standard axles and every available after market axel and the axels must also break before the diff.
Regardles of strength, I love my rear locker and have found it gets me much further then mates with LSD rear 120's.
Not sure how good a relationship you have with your Toyata dealer, but mine is vey flexible. If they are going to replace your diff under warrranty I'd be asking them to give you credit for the cost of the new LSD and have them fit (or have fitted) an ARB air locker.
If you do go down the ARB route make sure you get the full sized compressor, the samller compressors they offer for just locker operation are a piece of crap.

leachy

[Chuck Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chuck]

On the ARB site they have a special on lockers till the end of may.

http://www.arb.com.au/new-products/a...er_2-for-1.pdf

Go the whole hog and make it a $90 000 vehicle!!!!!! :twisted:

[Drew Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Drew]

If you do go down the ARB route make sure you get the full sized compressor, the samller compressors they offer for just locker operation are a piece of crap.

I disagree.

{SNIP}

The larger one also does a good job of operatin lockers and only does a moderatly acceptable job of anything else such as airing up tyres.

G'day Trojan,

Thanks for the feedback, I'm wondering what you are basing your opinion of the larger compressor on? Do you know someone with one? Reason I ask is that I was keen to go for the larger compressor and ditch my portable one.

Thanks for the feedback everyone else also. Looks like the way to go. Leachy, I decided to avoid complicating the issue with Toyota by just getting them to replace the dead diff, given the ARB upgrade requires use of the original crown wheel and pinion gear, and it's these items that I suspect are rooted.

Cheers,

Drew.

[lc120_man Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close lc120_man]

{SNIP}
Thanks for the feedback, I'm wondering what you are basing your opinion of the larger compressor on? Do you know someone with one? Reason I ask is that I was keen to go for the larger compressor and ditch my portable one.

Drew,

Have a look at my ARB lockers setup - I got MAX Air Compressor
and by the time I pump up all my tyres guys with ARB Compressor
are lucky if they only got 2 done...

As far as experience using them - don't know yet. Will use them for the first time on Sunday

Stan

[Drew Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Drew]

All opinions and hearsay aside, I found an awesome compressor review here:

http://www.parksoffroad.com/prodreview/ ... ormain.htm

Check it out.

Jeez I love the Internet. :-)

Drew.

[Grandeman Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Grandeman]

Re: Diff Lockers - user impressions

Bloody hell, this things gonna be worth $80,000 if I keep adding things to it. :shock:

I know what you mean - it probably would have been cheaper for me to just have my entire rig gold plated!

BTW, if you already have a Max Air (or similar), I'd follow Stan's idea of installing it and drafting it for air locker duty as well...

[Drew Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Drew]

Re: Diff Lockers - user impressions

BTW, if you already have a Max Air (or similar), I'd follow Stan's idea of installing it and drafting it for air locker duty as well...

My portable compressor is a twin cylinder no-name I bought at the show, it performs alright but I question it's long term reliability, it was only $70! It's also out of warranty.

ARB have a deal with a free compressor at the moment so I reckon that is the best way to go, the ARB compressor has a two year warranty, spare parts availability and exploded parts diagrams are available on ARB's website.

I've just got to negotiate a deal where they throw the tyre inflation kit in and I think I'm sold.

Drew.

[120GXV6 Member Find all posts View Profile Close 120GXV6]

I have diff locks front and rear in my Troopie and find that just the rear one makes a big difference over the original LSD, which operated more effectively than the one in my 120. So far I haven't been able to get the LSD in the 120 to engage properly!

One big advantage of the diff lock is that while engaged it prevents the shock loading to the diff that can occur when a fast spinning wheel comes back down to earth. From what I have heard & read about various diff failures this seems to be a common contributing factor, if not the entire cause.

That's why my 120 will be getting a rear diff lock very soon!

Another advantage is better hill descent control - with diff locked it can prevent the skipping that occurs when one rear wheel has limited contact with the ground.

There is a good article on the topic in ARB's Autumn 2007 Newletter on page 11 - http://arb.com.au/News/Australia/Autumn ... letter.pdf

Matthew

[Drew Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Drew]

There is a good article on the topic in ARB's Autumn 2007 Newletter on page 11 - http://arb.com.au/News/Australia/Autumn ... letter.pdf

Interesting article, thanks Matthew.

Drew

[Justo Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Justo]

Might be worth considering a TJM compressor. 5 year warranty indicates a tough unit.! http://www.tjm.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=63 I have the red tjm comp which is a light to medium use compressor, but happy with it so far. I have no idea on costs of the under bonnet unit though.

[lc120_man Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close lc120_man]

All opinions and hearsay aside, I found an awesome compressor review here

4x4 Australia mag had similar review couple of years back...
Max Air came out as a Winner for speed/value for money/warranty/price...

[Grandeman Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Grandeman]

Max Air's the go - if you want the real biggun' - there's the Super Max.

However, the Max Air lends itself to conveniently mount under the bonnet of a 120 series.

[Justo Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Justo]

I have heard the bushranger max air is good. Same output specs as my TJM.! For me they would have to last a lot longer for the $100 extra.! Each to their own I guess.! 8)
Actually make that about $200 extra.!! Was forgettin what I paid.!! ops: :roll:

[zookcubr Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close zookcubr]

Ive got Air lockers in the front and back in my Vitara and it goes really well and out drives my Prado with just the rear air locked. The problem with the air lockers in the front is that you lose all streering once you hit that nice button on the dash, so its only good in a straight line. The other alternative in the front is a Lockrite. It only comes in once you lose traction and you still get some streering and you have less chance of breaking your CVs, your got a better chance breaking something in the front with an Air Locker then the alternative. It all depends what you expect to do with your rig that gives you the requirement of lockers. I have no plans what so ever in putting in a locker in the front, but if I chose to it wouldnt be the Air Locker. As for compressors are concerned, if you are running Air Lockers the ARB unit is fine, although if you only use it to pump up tyres buy a bigger unit for around the same money. Ive got the smaller ARB unit to run the Lockers and the last generation ARB compressor to pump the tyres, although slow it does the job. The new ARB compressor now comes with a thermal cutoff switch which the earlier models didnt have. You have the cash, spend it wisely. Just because its got a good name means nothing once its used outside its capabilities and fails at the worst possible time, when you need it.