Author Topic: E-Locker VS ARB (Read 7583 times)

chim · « **on:** Aug 18, 2005, 02:55:54 PM »

What would be your choice.. Toyota E-locker front and rear, or ARB air lockers front and rear.... and why??

88runner · « **Reply #1 on:** Aug 18, 2005, 03:11:03 PM »

e-locker, it won't leak

mcfly · « **Reply #2 on:** Aug 18, 2005, 03:40:46 PM »

Arb's only leak when they are installed incorrectly.

FIREBALL · « **Reply #3 on:** Aug 18, 2005, 07:06:00 PM »

Quote from: mcfly on Aug 18, 2005, 03:40:46 PM

Arb's only leak when they are installed incorrectly.

That's not exactly true. I've seen some that never leak, but i've also seen many that were installed by professionals that have installed many that still leaked.
Do a search on this subject, it's been talked over extensively on this board with all the pros and cons for both.

mr4x42u · « **Reply #4 on:** Aug 18, 2005, 11:35:30 PM »

with the e-lockers the motor could be damaged on rocks and from what I've seen is somtimes unreliable..same with the arb..good and bad for both..one think is the e-locker can have the motor pulled off and locked by hand,,the arb is not so easy if its an internal leak that goes,,,or if you loose an air compressor..

WHITE_TRASH · « **Reply #5 on:** Aug 19, 2005, 01:01:20 AM »

With an E-locker you could rip the motor off of it completely and still shift it by hand. What happens with the air line goes out? I doubt even Mr4x4 could blow at 90-105 psi.

mr4x42u · « **Reply #6 on:** Aug 19, 2005, 01:10:22 AM »

Quote from: WHITE_TRASH on Aug 19, 2005, 01:01:20 AM

With an E-locker you could rip the motor off of it completely and still shift it by hand. What happens with the air line goes out? I doubt even Mr4x4 could blow at 90-105 psi.

your right,,i can't..not even with your lips

dirtyskivies · « **Reply #7 on:** Aug 19, 2005, 04:49:48 PM »

my daily driver is a trd tacoma, the Elocker is SLOW, sometimes like 10 seconds to engage....junk for the front of a trail rig, i run an ARB up front on my crawler..

hornett22 · « **Reply #8 on:** Sep 14, 2005, 09:54:07 PM »

e-locker with out the ECU.they make a guard for the servo now.

hudlenutz · « **Reply #9 on:** Sep 15, 2005, 07:17:11 AM »

I think there's some home-brew ideas to run a manual cable on the e-locker. That would be sweet.

My bro's got an elocker on his 2000 taco, and my friend has an ARB on his 60-series cruiser. They both work really well, so I wouldn't say that either is necessarily a 'bad' option. I think the heated elocker/arb debate vastly overrates the differences between two reasonably effective options. I'd take either one, ... if they were free.

blackdiamond · « **Reply #10 on:** Sep 15, 2005, 07:24:12 AM »

Personally, I run a detroit rear and trutrac front, but if I were to install manual lockers I think that the ARB might be the way to go. They don't reduce any ground clearance and seem to work great if installed perfectly (I know several people that have had problems with them).

Have Marlin install them, he runs ARBs on his truck

hornett22 · « **Reply #11 on:** Sep 15, 2005, 02:05:08 PM »

e-lockers are highpinions in the front.i don't notice any loss of ground clearance front or rear.

BigMike · « **Reply #12 on:** Sep 15, 2005, 02:23:08 PM »

Everyone is missing the biggest selling point for the E-Locker, It's the strongest 8" third members Toyota has ever made.

See, in order to fit the locking mechanism of the e-locker inside of the 8" diff, Toyota had to use an enormous carrier bearing, so not only is the operation of the e-locker better and more reliable than the ARB, it is also the strongest differential available.

I have heard about e-lockers taking time to engage and disengage, but mine has never taken longer than about 3 seconds to work.

As for ARBs, I grew up wheeling Marlin's truck, and his front ARB air locker would sometimes not unlock for up to 20 or 30 feet of driving while turning a corner. And you know what? I'm sure this is the same with a e-locker. If the diff is in a bind, then it shouldn't matter what kind of locker you have, it will take time for it to disengage because you'll have to wait for the load to be settled by rolling on flat, straight ground...

I will take a Toyota E-Locker any day hands down no compromise no questions asked right away today where is one in a heart beat over an ARB immediately.

In addition, E-Lockers are much much cheaper than ARBs. You can pick up a good used e-locker for around $400, and about $70 for a cable setup or about $20 for a couple relays and wires if you wire it up. And that's it, you are done. But an ARB is like $600, then you still need to get an on board air compressor, there's another $200?

I've been on a snow run and seen an ARB stop working because it got to cold. And I've seen an ARB air line get to close to an exhaust and melt in two leaking air... And if an e-locker was cabled wrong or wired wrong, Whitey and the others are right, two 12mm bolts and the motor comes off, and with a screwdriver, the locker can be engaged or disengaged....

yadda yadda yadda

1kz · « **Reply #13 on:** Sep 27, 2005, 03:22:36 AM »

if one would buy a new e-locker from toyota dealers, what are the inclusive parts with it?

FIREBALL · « **Reply #14 on:** Sep 27, 2005, 08:46:11 AM »

If you get it from Toyota or through Marlin, it comes as a complete 3rd member with r&p. One straight from Toyota will come with 4.10's or 4.88's otherwise you can get it from Marlin with any gears you want. Although for awhile everyone was having trouble getting aftermarket gears for the high pinion.

You don't lose any ground clearance with the elocker. The 3rd member hangs down further than anything. The mechinism for the locker is on the back side of the 3rd next to the leaf spring (on the front end) I have yet to even hit mine. They are not as vulnerable as people make them out to be and if you were worried, a skid plate would be very easy to make.

FIREBALL · « **Reply #15 on:** Sep 27, 2005, 08:49:04 AM »

Just to clarify.......the elocker can NOT be put into any 3rd member like an ARB. The 3rd member is a part of the whole mechinism. The motor is on the outside and it moves a shift fork on the inside. That's why, in the event of some kind of failure, you can pull the cover off and lock or unlock the locker by hand.
So the elocker only comes as a complete 3rd member.

hornett22 · « **Reply #16 on:** Sep 27, 2005, 10:14:19 AM »

inchworm was selling them pretty cheap.could only go up to 4.56 from the factory though.are they offering 4.88s now.i'd do tan elocker over an ARB any day.

FIREBALL · « **Reply #17 on:** Sep 27, 2005, 12:52:58 PM »

The 4.88's are in the HP FZJ80.

1kz · « **Reply #18 on:** Sep 28, 2005, 05:31:04 AM »

Quote from: FIREBALL on Sep 27, 2005, 08:46:11 AM

If you get it from Toyota or through Marlin, it comes as a complete 3rd member with r&p. One straight from Toyota will come with 4.10's or 4.88's otherwise you can get it from Marlin with any gears you want. Although for awhile everyone was having trouble getting aftermarket gears for the high pinion.

so, toyota lockers has a limited gear choices?

are all stock e-locked v6 have only 4.1 ratio?

FIREBALL · « **Reply #19 on:** Sep 28, 2005, 02:27:44 PM »

Gear choices are only limited on factory (stock) 3rds. You can get any aftermarket ratio for the elockers. (as long as they're available)

Stewy · « **Reply #20 on:** Sep 28, 2005, 04:28:18 PM »

I am "very" new to this forum but had to ask a few questions and throw my .02 in.

First off, I have an E-locker 3rd member from a Tacoma TRD that I just bought a few weeks ago. it is going in a 87 rear end, some say I need to add a stud while others say no. Some say I need to make a small cut to the housing, some say no. Would somebody please shoot me straight on this. What exactly do I need to do? How do I go about getting the right wires / plugs to attach to the unit?

I looked into both air and Electric prior to buying .... hands down the E-locker got my vote because of everything everybody has mentioned in this thread. It just made sense to me.

Stewy

1kz · « **Reply #21 on:** Sep 29, 2005, 05:08:14 AM »

Stewy,
how much did you bought it?

FIREBALL · « **Reply #22 on:** Sep 29, 2005, 08:33:24 AM »

Stewy,
You WILL have to add 2 studs, and you WILL have to notch the housing. Do a search on the net for somthing like "toyota electric locker converstion" or something like that. I know there is a real good write up somewhere, with good pics. I think maybe Jay Kopcynski did it.?.
If ou look a the 3rd you'll notice that the mounting flange is not completely circular like your old 3rd. There is a squared off side where the shift fork is. You will need to cut your 87 housing to allow for the fork movement.
You will also have to take out some of the stock short studs and relocate them, then drill new holes for two more long studs that come all the way through the motor housing for the locker.
To really do a good job, you will probably have to do some welding. First to fill in the old stud holes, and second to build up the area where the squared housing section should sit. Weld, grind, file and create your own flange area. Sound like a lot, but it's not that bad.
As far as the wiring goes, you can get the pig tail from the dealer or maybe a wrecking yard. There is usually a ECU for the locker, but there are also some easy ways to wire it up without the factory ECU. Many people say it works better/faster with the home brew wiring. Again, do a search about the wiring, i've seen a couple of good writeups about it.
Your other options is to convert it to cable. Downey makes a kit. I think it's around $150. I built my own cable setup. Parts cost me about $75.
Depends on what you want, how creative you are, what kind of tools have access to and how much you are willing to spend.
Good luck

chim · « **Reply #23 on:** Sep 29, 2005, 08:58:35 AM »

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/tech/electric_locker/

http://67.122.16.97/carterman/4runner/mods/locker/

This is the link that Marlin posted, makes instal very clear

Stewy · « **Reply #24 on:** Sep 29, 2005, 10:23:23 AM »

I got a pretty good deal on it (I think). $Beer Chug\'n$ This unit came out of a Tacoma that was still under warranty. The original owner only had about 5000 miles on it and with his heavy right foot and side stepping the clutch, he managed to take off nearly 50% of the teeth on the R/P. Well this was the "2nd" ... yes thats right THE 2ND 3rd member he destroyed and the dealer refused to warranty it because of literal abuse (go figure huh) so I basically got it just a little bit over the "core" price. I paid $275.00 and when I buy a R/P for $200.00, pay my buddy $30.00 to set it up it seems I will be in this WAY BELOW the cost of a new one.

Thanks for the tips on installing it, I was not aware of all those things needing to be done. I still think I am well ahead of the game but it is nice to know the work that lies ahead of me. I think I will stick with the electric method as apposed to cable. I appreciate your feed back guys! I am allready glad I joined this forum.

FIREBALL · « **Reply #25 on:** Sep 29, 2005, 01:41:52 PM »

That guy didn't have to jump on it too hard to shear off those teeth. I was being real easy on mine goin through the con, and sheared off 5 teeth. The stock ring gear is crap!!

Stewy · « **Reply #26 on:** Sep 30, 2005, 07:32:11 PM »

You know .... I have heard this more then once! Those Jap engineers did most everything right except Berfields and R/P's.

Thank you after market world! Any suggestions on who makes the stronger / better ones for what we use them for??

Stewy 8)

crawlerdan · « **Reply #27 on:** Sep 30, 2005, 07:49:23 PM »

hey yall, ive done two elocker installs in the last week and am happy to tell all that it was fairly easy if you pay attention and take your time, took me about 4hrs and the 3 the second time. start to finish.ive run every locker on the market at least once and am very happy with my high pinion elocker front, more clearance, strong as hell, and has options to make installation and use simple as all hell, i encourage everyone to test drive/look at/purchase/drool over, whatever.. an elocker before your next locker purchase, well worth my money

FIREBALL · « **Reply #28 on:** Oct 03, 2005, 03:57:02 PM »

I went with what Marlin sells, Yukon I think. They do tons of r&p's and have a pretty good feel for what's workin and what's not.

RODEOMAN · « **Reply #29 on:** Oct 07, 2005, 04:21:41 AM »

I have ran ARB in my IFS before I did swap and never had any issues with it. it all boils down to a quality set up. as far as my future selection goes I am debating on another ARB or possibly Eaton E locker for my D44. I already have a compressor from my previous set up, it is all wired up, just need to run line to ARB and it is good to go. one of my friends is actually doing a swap right now with high pinion FZJ80 front diff. as far as unlocking Elocker manually is there any downside to this, obviously other than taking a little time to get it to switch from lock to unlock or vice versa. I am not a big fan of cable setups as my friend has Ox in his D44 and sometimes when he gets it all twisted up, he needs to get off obstacle for linkage to work right, maybe it is just the way he had it set up.

Stewy

chim [OP]

Stewy

Stewy

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