Air Locker Question

For those of you who have installed an ARB air locker, where is the best place to mount the compressor? Thanks

Dog

I don't have a locker yet but do have the ARB comp mounted under my hood. I followed CD's lead.

Here are some pics of CD's:
CD ARB Comp Pics (http://voy.com/14174/5256.html)

Thanks for the help, but according to CD the extra parts involved when using a locker with the compressor make it a bit too large to fit there. At least that's what the thread on Voy indicated.

Mosi has his compressor for his locker under the hood, not sure about Toyman's setup.

i have he ARB compressor under my hood and there is plenty of room for the attachments for an air locker. i just need the locker now. :)

Thanks for the help guys. Synchro, when you get your locker, I think I may have found the best price for install in the DC/MD/VA area. I was referred to a garage in Glen Burnie, MD by Eastern Offroad. Talked to the guy today and he wants $300 for the locker install or $350-400 for the locker and compressor. He sells ARB lockers and apparantly installs quite a few of them (I had to make an appointment for 9 OCT b/c he is installing ARBs on 11 trucks before he can get to mine). Anyway, something to consider as 4x4connection quoted me at $500 for locker only. I still haven't decided about whether to install the compressor myself...for 50-100 bucks I might just have the shop do it. Got any pics of your compressor installed?? Thanks


Dog

dont have work done at 4X4 connection. i've heard nightmares about their installs, they arent very experienced. there's a place in frederickburg called ProTrucks who install lockers, lifts etc. seems like a good place.

yea, i know...i've haven't heard great things about 4x4. i was considering pro trucks, but they quoted me $100-150 more than the place in glen burnie.

Maddog,

The smart move is to do what you are doing. I contacted a local Jeep club to find out where they had theirs done. I figured if they had a place they had them done and were happy with the work, then that would be a good place to go. Fortunately for me, it was a place that the company I work for does business with on a regular basis. That gave me a good price and a rapport I couldn't have got elsewhere. You can't go wrong going where the happy customers are. Also you can save yourself some money by removing the third member yourself. I paid $150 to set mine up and it took about an hour of my time plus a new third member gasket to get it done. Obviously you have to be mechanically inclined and know how to bleed the brakes, but it was worth it since it saved me $300.

Originally posted by Maddog
I was referred to a garage in Glen Burnie, MD by Eastern Offroad.

Do you know the name of the shop?

Originally posted by KillerX


Do you know the name of the shop?


MID-ATLANTIC 4X4
7216 RITCHIE HWY
GLEN BURNIE
410-766-2727


I've been trying to go by there for more than a year to check out their shop, it's just never been convenient. :(

Actually the place I'm referring to is located on Crane Hwy in Glen Burnie. Super Suspensions 768-8332. I have contacted Mid Atlantic 4x4 but they quoted me at over $800 labor only. That's the highest price I've seen. I was so astounded by it, I actually called them back to make sure that wasn't the price of the locker and the install. However, they confirmed that $800 is the price of the install only.

Originally posted by Maddog
Actually the place I'm referring to is located on Crane Hwy in Glen Burnie. Super Suspensions 768-8332. I have contacted Mid Atlantic 4x4 but they quoted me at over $800 labor only. That's the highest price I've seen. I was so astounded by it, I actually called them back to make sure that wasn't the price of the locker and the install. However, they confirmed that $800 is the price of the install only.

YIKES!

800 bucks is ton! ARB agood though, better than Detroit, cuz' its only on when you need it, and wont break axles coming powering out of a turn.


Could you put up some phone numbers for where to get the locker (my Uncle wants one, but he wants a good deal, as he's kinda short on cash right now)

Originally posted by Chris
800 bucks is ton! ARB agood though, better than Detroit, cuz' its only on when you need it, and wont break axles coming powering out of a turn.



Yeah but a Detroit doesn't need air lines which can break, split or become faulty in some way so that you CAN'T use your locker when you need it.

There's good and bad sides to everything.

Also you will never have to rebuild the Detroit. It either works or it blows up. The ARB can leak and require a rebuild within a few years. Most cases have them lasting about 5 years before reseal.

I have attached (I hope) a picture of my compressor (before the front locker installation.) I think if you install it with the air switches pointing towards the engine instead of the firewall, you have more room to work with. The alarm horn was relocated.

The blue thing is a condom to protect the 'pump-up' (air hose) outlet.

The pump-up kit option is about $30 from your ARB dealer.

I paid $1200 for the compressor, rear locker and install.
Another $1000 for the front locker and install.

Warmonger had a excellent suggestion about inquiring at a local 4x4 club. This is what I did and I am very happy with my installer. (Leonard's of Hillsboro Oregon)

Hey Toyman, I like your attachment on the oil filler cap. I have heard of people having problems with them falling off but I have never experienced it myself. I take it you had trouble?

Hey Toyman, I like your attachment on the oil filler cap. I have heard of people having problems with them falling off but I have never experienced it myself. I take it you had trouble?

No problems, just preventive maintenance.

Also, in cold climates teh air lines can freeze, rendering the locker inoperable.

Originally posted by Toy Man
I have attached (I hope) a picture of my compressor (before the front locker installation.) I think if you install it with the air switches pointing towards the engine instead of the firewall, you have more room to work with. The alarm horn was relocated.

The blue thing is a condom to protect the 'pump-up' (air hose) outlet.




Nice condom! :D


Looks like a good set-up, congrats!

Yea, great set up Toy Man, thanks for the pic. I plan on installing my compressor in the next week or two and this will definetly help.

Dog

I plan on installing my compressor in the next week or two and this will definetly help.

I forgot to mention you will have to fabricate a mount. Not possible to take a picture of how my installer did it but you just need to attach a horizontal platform for the compressor to sit on to the fender well.

I think Mosi found some parts at Home Depot do his.

Chris,

You can cure this problem by using braided stainless steel lines like I did. Also my air system in general uses primarily 300 psi rubber lines. In fact, I have a total of 9 feet of nylon line in my truck, 6 of which goes to the air gauge in the dash. No one made a really good 1/8" air line to use on my gauge. The only other issue I could run into is if humidity is in the line and that freezes. I had to reconfigure my air sytem due to some problems with humidity here in Florida. I still have a little more work to do, but that waits until my front air locker goes in.

Originally posted by Chris
Also, in cold climates teh air lines can freeze, rendering the locker inoperable.

War,
Thanks for the info. Where did you get the stainless steel line for your hoses? AC offered them to me when I purchased locker and compressor but I opted not to get them due to the extra cost. Since I'm saving a bit on my locker install now I might order them from AC, unless their is another source? Thanks

DOG

I looked at the one AC offered (it is an ARB unit) and I didn't really like it. I bought one from Advanced Off-Road Research, a Toyota 4X4 house. You can reach their website at www.aor4x4.com. I don't have a good photo of mine on my website, but can easily shoot one on the digital camera for you to see how it looks. It is an Aeroquip hose with AN fittings. It uses a tapered seat, so there is no need to seal threads. It is a real nice line. Not cheap at $80 for the rear, but I don't have to worry about it breaking from cold or road debris. Let me know if you want to see a photo. I will check in the morning before I head off to work.

thanks for the offer man. i'd like to see a photo of the line when you get the chance. the more i think about it, i'll probably end up ordering a more resilent hose and keep the ARB hoses as spares. thanks again


MD

Thats great, I didnt know that. That solves a lot of dilemas for when planning a rig, which I hope to do someday (probably for dunes or mud)

I'll shoot some photos tomorrow and post them for you either tomorrow night or Sunday Maddog. I will make sure I get a close-up of the fittings so you can see what they look like. It is one TOUGH setup!

I just edited the photos into this message. Photo number one is of the line where it hooks to the air solenoid provided by ARB:

http://personal.mco.bellsouth.net/~warmongr/lockline2.jpg


The second photo is where the line attaches to the air locker line at the rear diff:

http://personal.mco.bellsouth.net/~warmongr/lockline1.jpg

If you have any other questions about it, fire them at me. So far the line has performed flawlessly with no surprises. In fact, most of the air system has performed unbelievably well with only a few surprises thrown in, some of my own doing.

War,
Hey man, thanks for the pics. That is some set up man, looks tough as hell. I'm planning on installing my compressor this weekend hopefully, if i can free up the time. I'm looking into ordering some of the stainless tubing this week, but have been contemplating installing the stock ARB tubing for now, and then maybe ordering the stainless as a spare and replace it as needed. To be honest, I haven't even had time to carefully look over the install instructions for the compressor and tubing, will changing to the stainless line later pose a problem? Thanks again for the pics, great setup.

DOG

Maddog,

I would do it in one fail swoop for reliability's sake. Why leave yourself stranded with a broken air line if you don't have to?

In the air line, couldnt you just use pure Nitrogen, that way there wouldnt be any moisture (Oxygen would pose an exploding risk). Just a thought.

The only way to accomplish the perfectly clear airline in an automotive app is to use a Power Tank. I know one of our members here has one as I understand it and could probably tell you more about it than I. If you use an air compressor in a high humidity enviroment, ridding yourself of all humidity is almost impossible. It just comes with the territory.

So it is best to wait until really cold and low humidity, then put in the air.

Chris,

The problem is, here in Florida that would happen twice a year. Since I only have 2.5 gallons of available air, making that last all summer (9 months) would be impossible. Also keep in mind that in dry climates it is not an issue. Areas like the NE, midwest, etc. don't have anywhere near the problems with this those of us in the SE (and other high humidity areas) do, at least not until they go off-roading in an area where humidity is a factor. For those who want to get technical, I know there are other areas with both high and low humidity, I just used those as an example.

War,
Just an update on my install. I went with your advice and didn't skimp on my air hoses. I ended up ordering the same set up from the toy site you listed. My hoses should be here in the next couple of days and I feel good about the durability. Thanks again for the help, I'll let you know when I get the system up and running.

dog

You won't be disappointed. Once you hit the off-road, you'll be glad you went for reliability.

I am worried about the lines freezing, which wont happen in Florida. But I have learned quite a bit in this forum, though.

Chris,

Seeing where you are from, you have every reason to be concerned. I am taking my X with me to NH for the first time since I put the airlocker in and will be putting it to the test XC skiing. I will let you know how I fare. With the heat of the air put out by the air compressor I am using, I am not too concerned about it though.

Thanks.