Front locker experience

[Toy Man]

The good news: - I had a chance to test the front and rear ARB lockers at the Oregon Trail Jamboree 8/3 and 8/4. This was a series of all day runs put on by a jeep club but other makes and small SUV's were welcome. The first day was a class 3 - 5 warmup run. I got to test the lockers in a few sections then the trail guides had me do a 'stunt' with the lockers that really opened my eyes as to the potenial of using both lockers. I won't describe it but hope someone sends me a picture of it (which I will post.). At the end of the day I considered the lockers as one of the best investments I have made. Using is rear locker is nice, using both rear and front is amazing..

The bad news: - At the start off the second days run, I switched on the compresser and pressed the switch for the rear locker. Nothing. Using ARB's controls, the front locker will not work if the rear locker is not working. (Warmonger - this is your cue to post the reliability of your all pneumatic setup.) This day's run was a class 6 down an old mining trail. I could have really used the lockers but made it pretty well without them. Only needed a short tow in one place.

I will take the X to the ARB installers shop Monday to find out what happened.


Monday: The problem was the rear locker switch or more correctly the switch face plate. The face plate has a plastic 'finger' sticking out the back that operates the switch and the 'finger' broke off. It looks fairly fragile. You can pull the face plate off and work the switch with a small screwdrive or other match stick sized implement.

[warmonger]

My air locker setup is independent. My solenoid for the rear locker is on the right side of the truck and the one for the front will be on the left side. My setup will allow me to run both or each one independently of the other. You can wire the ARB up to do this, but most shops won't do it, you are on your own. You simply install a tee at the reservoir on the compressor and hook one to one side and one to the other, BAM, problem solved. Your installer won't support it though and neither will ARB. This info is courtesy of a Toyota shop in CO I dealt with in purchasing my braided stainless steel air lines for my locker.

[Aussie]

Why won't they support it? What is the problem with running them independant of each other?

Richard

[warmonger]

Aussie,

I am not sure why they don't support this. When I spoke to ARB on the phone about it, they said it could be done but they were not allowed to discuss it. There is some safety concern they have about it, but no one has really made clear why that is. If anyone knows for sure, I would love to hear the story. Every truck owner I have talked to who has an on-board air system running their air lockers has them set up the way I do. Some reconfigured their ARB compressor to run this way also. Few run them the way ARB says they should be run. Their complaints were the same as Toy Mans. If you rip a rear hose or have a rear air locker leak, your front air locker is incapacitated. Since that locker can make or break your way out of the woods, this is not a good scenario.

[Lance]

Hey Warmonger...

On a side note...you have the ability to run the front locker w/o the rear on....or just the rear, or both diffs open....

Are there any instances where you could experiment to see which locker (Front/Back) makes the most difference on various terrain? I've read some (2 Jeep based) tests where they found that the front only lockers out performed the rear only lockers...

Do you want to perform an X specific test? (The Jeep based tests found that for some terrain/situations the rear was better than the front, but that for most terrain/situations, the front was better...and that either locker was better than open diffs (Duh).

Inquiring minds want to know.

Of course, you'll be famous...the test results will be quoted and referenced throughout the offroad community...

Whatcha Think!? A hill climb, mud slog, rock waterfall, whatever you have access to - with one vs the other?!

[warmonger]

As for the test being quoted, it will probably be with a few choice colorful metaphors thrown in since I don't know jack about off-roading.

I don't have my front air locker in place yet. It will be going in with the lift next month. I have THOROUGHLY tested the rear though and I am very impressed. This weekend I drove into a wash-out in Ocala and the left front hub decided it didn't want to engage. I wound up sitting on my hitch and spare tire with rear wheels flailing uselessly. I took apart the hub, fixed the problem and engaged four wheel drive. Believe it or not, I drove out of it. By all rights I shouldn't have been able to drive out of it. In fact, the rest of the crew with me was getting out the snatch strap to pull me out.

I also demonstrated its usefulness to the Ocala Jeep Club. Even without the lift in place yet, I walked the truck through a series of washouts that put me on two wheels at several points and kept right on ticking. When I add the lift and front air locker, this truck will be deadly. Of course my wife was screaming bloody murder while this was going on and told me if I did it again with her in the truck she would kill me. Mind you I was dragging trailer hitch and spare tire all the way through the wash-outs. The most positive thing of all is there is no need for momentum in most cases. Cuts back on some of the danger.

Originally posted by Lance
Hey Warmonger...

Of course, you'll be famous...the test results will be quoted and referenced throughout the offroad community...

Whatcha Think!? A hill climb, mud slog, rock waterfall, whatever you have access to - with one vs the other?!

[Lance]

So do the testing when you have both lockers!

I can't wheel with the wife anymore...too hard on my hearing....she just screams the whole time too.

Actually, in FL....I guess just mud? No hills? Maybe some sand?

Actually, you should drive to the Rubicon, Moab or Tellico, what the Hell, all three....

And do the testing there too after you get the hang of FL.

Call me if you need directions or hearing protection....

[warmonger]

Lance,

Already been to Tellico. Although not with the front air locker installed. The first use I will have for it after install will be my annual ski trips in TN, Ver, NH and Maine. I go X-C skiing and use the truck to get me down unmaintained roads. Should be interesting to see how it works in the snow with the lockers and stuff in place. Trust me when I say I am not a newbie to off-roading. I am just being sarcastic when I say stuff like that and the person(s) who it may be directed at know who they are.

[superjens]

Of course my wife was screaming bloody murder while this was going on and told me if I did it again with her in the truck she would kill me.

So I'm not the only one! We should start a support group, Men Who Offroad Who's Wives Hate Them For It.

[xterra2k]

Hi, My name is Lance, and I have been offroading with an angry wife for 2 years now ...

[Lance]

War - I was kind of kidding about doing a test involving you driving all over the country to test the lockers out thoroughly....unless you'd do it... (Not implying you needed experience, just the hang of the lockers...)


Men who froad, and the wives who's screams gladden the hearts of audiologists....who use the extra money for off road mods....which makes their wives scream...

[warmonger]

Lance,

I can see the Oprah episode now, "Men who off-road and the women who hate them". Sounds like there needs to be a support group for this for sure.

[Lance]

[gothamist]

I'm pretty sure this is the point where he steps in and kindly asks that this thread make it back on-topic...

[Lance]

Men with Front Locker Experience, and the women who divorced them....?