Cost ARB air locker install?

[dhatcher]

Hi Everyone,
I'm new here. My wife and I are seriously looking at purchasing a 2015 4runner and we're having a bit of a quibble with each other on which model to get. She wants the limited edition because of things like JBL speakers, the automatic floorboard pop out, she likes the wheels, etc.

I of course want the trail edition because of things like bead locked wheels and locking diff.

What I was wondering, were we to get the limited edition, what would I be looking at cost wise to get ARB air lockers installed (front, back, +compressor and lines, etc) from a local 4x4 shop (like 4wheelparts or something)? Also, what is the general opinion on what is better, the factory installed locker or something like an ARB setup (better being defined as reliably works well and does what you expect it to do)?

Thanks for any info you can pass my way!

 

[Marcocopuffs]

Hi Everyone,
I'm new here. My wife and I are seriously looking at purchasing a 2015 4runner and we're having a bit of a quibble with each other on which model to get. She wants the limited edition because of things like JBL speakers, the automatic floorboard pop out, she likes the wheels, etc.

I of course want the trail edition because of things like bead locked wheels and locking diff.

What I was wondering, were we to get the limited edition, what would I be looking at cost wise to get ARB air lockers installed (front, back, +compressor and lines, etc) from a local 4x4 shop (like 4wheelparts or something)? Also, what is the general opinion on what is better, the factory installed locker or something like an ARB setup (better being defined as reliably works well and does what you expect it to do)?

Thanks for any info you can pass my way!

Bead locked wheels? I don't think that comes standard on a trail. But the limited has a center locking differential. Don't know how it works, but I assume it should work just as good as front and rear for the most part.

 

[dhatcher]

Oh right, not standard but, we did see a trail model over the weekend that had the optional TRD bead lock wheels on it.

 

[jpclark]

Those are not bead locks... They just look like it.

 

[dhatcher]

Never mind, I'm an idiot. You're right, I looked closer and it says "bead lock style." Bleh.

 

[VA4Runner09]

a center locking diff is 100% not the same as a rear locker. and pretty sure the trail edition only has a rear locking diff. the cost of installing a new arb rear air locker would be around 1100 for parts and then tap on another 500 or more for labor depending on where you are. Just guessing on labor but it will be that or more.

if it was me, 100% go for the trail, but then again I go offroading. so if you don't do much off roading go with the limited.

Just my 2 cents though...

Bead locked wheels? I don't think that comes standard on a trail. But the limited has a center locking differential. Don't know how it works, but I assume it should work just as good as front and rear for the most part.

 

[dhatcher]

Yeh that's a big part of the discussion. We don't do hardly any off-roading. The occasional trip up to the snowy areas of California... BUT! I do want to get more adventurous and so I'd like to make sure when we're purchasing a $40k + vehicle that we get the capability I'm after in a 4x4. Her argument is, we drive it on the road 99% of the time and she wants all the creature comforts. I guess the real question is do I want to be right or do I want to be happy?

 

[dhatcher]

Incidentally, I called the local 4wheelparts store here and they said rough ballpark would be $2500 for a rear ARB locker with onboard air (parts and labor).

 

[2014 Warthog]

$2400 is a bit high.

If you are willing to do a little hand work yourself, you can get the compressor for about $230, the locker is about $1000 but you might find it for $950 or less.

If you install the air and the switches yourself (Really not to hard), then you can get the locker itself installed for like $450

So... That's about $1700 (For just the rear) Even if you have the shop install the compressor and switches it shouldn't be over 2k!

As for reliability, I'd probably personally give the nod to the electronic actuator overall but most people seem to say their ARB never has any problems. Mine is only a month old or so so I don't know about that

Oh but having the onboard air for tire inflations is an amazing feature all by itself so it's sort of a 2 for 1. You could logically even delete the cost of the compressor from the "locker install" since you would probably want that anyway, even if you had the electronic locker!

 

[bimrunner]

$2400 is a bit high.

If you are willing to do a little hand work yourself, you can get the compressor for about $230, the locker is about $1000 but you might find it for $950 or less.

If you install the air and the switches yourself (Really not to hard), then you can get the locker itself installed for like $450

So... That's about $1700 (For just the rear) Even if you have the shop install the compressor and switches it shouldn't be over 2k!

As for reliability, I'd probably personally give the nod to the electronic actuator overall but most people seem to say their ARB never has any problems. Mine is only a month old or so so I don't know about that

Oh but having the onboard air for tire inflations is an amazing feature all by itself so it's sort of a 2 for 1. You could logically even delete the cost of the compressor from the "locker install" since you would probably want that anyway, even if you had the electronic locker!

Depends on which compressor. Dual compressor with manifold and ARB air up kit will put total over $2k, plus if he wants a custom bracket to mount under the hood I can see them charging for that and getting closer to the 2400. Hard to say if 2400 is good or not unless we know the parts etc.

Perspective: Front/Rear ARB lockers, front and rear gears, all the install, dual ARB compressor, manifold, custom mounting bracket... about $5K. YMMV

 

[mxer]

Are you seriously going to take a 40k truck offroading? You have to ask yourself that question and it may save you some coin.

I could be wrong but I don't see any model having a rear locker even on the TRD pro edition. Are you thinking center diff locker instead? It's quite a bit different. If you don't know the difference you probably don't need either no offense.

Personally I would get the limited just so I wouldn't have to see that ugly ass wide mouth bass front end everyday.

 

[CrazyNorwegian]

My sugustion is to go with the limited. Having the unlocked center diff will work better in the snowy areas. I highly doubt you'll ever need a rear locker unless you plan on seriously modifying and off-roading. Plus you'll be agreeing with her so you get a automatic points card towards future upgrades. A-trac will get you through almost everything. The stuff it won't get you though will likely cause trail damage without sliders and upgraded skid plates.

 

[bimrunner]

Yeh that's a big part of the discussion. We don't do hardly any off-roading. The occasional trip up to the snowy areas of California... BUT! I do want to get more adventurous and so I'd like to make sure when we're purchasing a $40k + vehicle that we get the capability I'm after in a 4x4. Her argument is, we drive it on the road 99% of the time and she wants all the creature comforts. I guess the real question is do I want to be right or do I want to be happy?

Both! Just going to cost some $$$ to get there. Lol. I personally love wheeling mine.

 

[Titanpat57]

Just get the Trail...

That way you can listen to "you're the only moron I know that takes a $40,000 dollar truck out in the woods over rocks" for the next 4-5 years...

Very capable platform:thumb:

 

[dhatcher]

Ha! You guys are too funny. I would consider going off-road with my 40k vehicle, yes. Would I consider crawling up hells gate in moab? Uh, maybe I'll ride along my 1st time. Would I take a back trail to a pretty cool campground, drive over some crap in the way of a great fishing lake, head up north to get in some snowboarding, snow camping or hiking? Absolutely.

 

[dhatcher]

BTW, my limited, under experienced understanding of a center diff lock versus a rear diff lock is that the center diff lock splits power 50/50 to each axle but, a rear (or front) diff lock splits power 50/50 to left/right wheel of whichever axle the diff lock is on. I believe the theory is this forces the vehicle to apply some power to a wheel (touching a surface) that it might not otherwise supply power to because it interprets a spinning lose wheel as losing traction and tries to add power to it. Correct me if I'm wrong?

 

[bimrunner]

BTW, my limited, under experienced understanding of a center diff lock versus a rear diff lock is that the center diff lock splits power 50/50 to each axle but, a rear (or front) diff lock splits power 50/50 to left/right wheel of whichever axle the diff lock is on. I believe the theory is this forces the vehicle to apply some power to a wheel (touching a surface) that it might not otherwise supply power to because it interprets a spinning lose wheel as losing traction and tries to add power to it. Correct me if I'm wrong?

Correct.

 

[2014 Warthog]

BTW, my limited, under experienced understanding of a center diff lock versus a rear diff lock is that the center diff lock splits power 50/50 to each axle but, a rear (or front) diff lock splits power 50/50 to left/right wheel of whichever axle the diff lock is on. I believe the theory is this forces the vehicle to apply some power to a wheel (touching a surface) that it might not otherwise supply power to because it interprets a spinning lose wheel as losing traction and tries to add power to it. Correct me if I'm wrong?

You seem to have it right. Course they are not mutually exclusive you could have a center diff lock and a rear diff lock or even front, center and rear though after market addons.

Center diff unlocked and no other locker = Minimum one driving wheel (any one of the 4) at all times.

No center diff and in 2x mode = Minimum one driving wheel in the rear only.

Center diff locked (or no diff but in 4x4 mode) = Minimum one front and One rear driving wheel at all times.

Center Diff lock (or no diff but in 4x4 mode) and rear locked = Minimum one front and 2 rear driving wheels at all times.

I've got a standard "4x4" in my SR5p, no center diff and an aftermarket rear locker so I can get 3 full time drive wheels going, then atrac gives me what might be called 3.5 driving wheels

P.S. And yeah I take my 40k+10k of addons offroading all the time! Not super tame with it either, though not super crazy either. Already full of scratches and not even a year old. However if I had bought an 80k land cruiser with 10k of addons, er... I dunno O.O

 

[bimrunner]

You seem to have it right. Course they are not mutually exclusive you could have a center diff lock and a rear diff lock or even front, center and rear though after market addons.

Center diff unlocked and no other locker = Minimum one driving wheel (any one of the 4) at all times.

No center diff and in 2x mode = Minimum one driving wheel in the rear only.

Center diff locked (or no diff but in 4x4 mode) = Minimum one front and One rear driving wheel at all times.

Center Diff lock (or no diff but in 4x4 mode) and rear locked = Minimum one front and 2 rear driving wheels at all times.

I've got a standard "4x4" in my SR5p, no center diff and an aftermarket rear locker so I can get 3 full time drive wheels going, then atrac gives me what might be called 3.5 driving wheels

P.S. And yeah I take my 40k+10k of addons offroading all the time! Not super tame with it either, though not super crazy either. Already full of scratches and not even a year old. However if I had bought an 80k land cruiser with 10k of addons, er... I dunno O.O

The LE is always in 4wd. Just a choice between center not locked, locked or locked and low gearing.

 

[nitrag]

If you install the air and the switches yourself (Really not to hard), then you can get the locker itself installed for like $450

Installing the locker into the third member is between $375 (shop in atlanta) and $450 (high quote).

But don't forget...the shop will also charge you another $300-400 to drop the axle to remove/reinstall the third member.

So if you buy the locker and compressor, do the switches/compressor/air lines yourself. You are looking at $600-850 for install. So $1800 minimum all together, less if you get deals on the parts. Budget for $2k.