Considering ARB rear locker for v6 SR5 - cost and durability implications?

[Seymore Butts]

It looks like I can get one on-line for around a thousand bucks and I already have an ARB compressor to activate it.

What should I expect a very experienced mechanic to charge for installation?

If you have had an ARB rear locking differential in a T4R - what was your experience in terms of long-term durability compared to OEM equipment?

 

[Drunner97]

It looks like I can get one on-line for around a thousand bucks and I already have an ARB compressor to activate it.

What should I expect a very experienced mechanic to charge for installation?

If you have had an ARB rear locking differential in a T4R - what was your experience in terms of long-term durability compared to OEM equipment?

Only 3 things can go wrong with the ARB locker. The o-rings start leaking, the copper air line inside the diff gets chewed up, or the air hose bursts. Short of destroying your gears, the locker itself isn't likely to break and all 3 issues are easily fixable in the driveway if you have some mechanical experience.

 

[atalarico]

Only 3 things can go wrong with the ARB locker. The o-rings start leaking, the copper air line inside the diff gets chewed up, or the air hose bursts. Short of destroying your gears, the locker itself isn't likely to break and all 3 issues are easily fixable in the driveway if you have some mechanical experience.

That's good to know, especially for those of us who miss our 3rd gen RR Diff locks and are budgeting for an air locker down the road.

Are the air lines usually put in easy to reach locations to check and maintain?

 

[Drunner97]

That's good to know, especially for those of us who miss our 3rd gen RR Diff locks and are budgeting for an air locker down the road.

Are the air lines usually put in easy to reach locations to check and maintain?

You're the one that routes the air lines from the diff to the compressor so however you route them. The copper line inside the diff there's no way to check without pulling the 3rd member, but as long as you don't spiff the install like I did then it's not really anything to really worry about.

 

[alia176]

It looks like I can get one on-line for around a thousand bucks and I already have an ARB compressor to activate it.

What should I expect a very experienced mechanic to charge for installation?

If you have had an ARB rear locking differential in a T4R - what was your experience in terms of long-term durability compared to OEM equipment?

I'll concur with what other's have said already about the install. I've done ARBs on four or five rigs in my lifetime and managed to mess up one time by routing the copper line inside the diff a *tad* too close to the ring gear. Eventually it rubbed through. D'oh.

If you're a confident DIY, it's not super rocket sciency to install an air locker, at least on a full floating axle anyway. I have one on the shelf ready to go into my 4th gen so I'm not sure if I'll *need* to replace bearings and other parts.

But usually, you simply put back the shims and bearings just as you found them once you took everything apart. You simply replace the center carrier with the ARB carrier and button everything back up. Of course, you should check the pattern on the ring gear using a marking compound before you touch anything and then try to put everything back so that the same pattern occurs.

I maybe over simplifying this a tad but that's the general idea. Zuk gear installs have several ARB locker install, along with gear pattern and etc with awesome pics and explanation. For the DIY folks, his site is priceless. Lots of folks toss their 3rd member in a box and ship it to him because he does great work and goes the extra mile that most shops don't do. That's another option for you as well.

I know that the Harrop Elockers are gaining lots of traction for about the same cost as ARB while being simpler due to no air requirements. Have you researched those lockers?