i was talking to this other XJ owner i met that lives next to my cousin and i was telling him that eventually i want ARBs front and rear and he said why do ARBs? the ECTED ones are better, when theyre unlocked theyre Limited Slips and when ARBs are unlocked theyre just open. Anyone have anything to input to that? Any trouble with either the ARB or the ECTED gears?

I have ARBs front and rear, sometimes its nice to just be "open". I dont use my lockers unless I really need them.

Tam :)

Interesting topic....glad you asked. Looking for answers myself. Learning about ox lockers, which are cable actuated, versus a Detroit or Lockright, which only engage when one wheel spins more than then other. Or possibly a EZ locker for the front diff, which only engages when power is placed to the front wheels and one is moving faster than the other.
Thanks for asking. Hopefully we can learn from others here....or maybe there is a link they have that would be helpful.

Interesting topic....glad you asked. Looking for answers myself. Learning about ox lockers, which are cable actuated, versus a Detroit or Lockright, which only engage when one wheel spins more than then other. Or possibly a EZ locker for the front diff, which only engages when power is placed to the front wheels and one is moving faster than the other.
Thanks for asking. Hopefully we can learn from others here....or maybe there is a link they have that would be helpful.
Hahah i figured you would say "we dont ned no stinkin lockers! Wasent that the motto at the Big Bear Noob Run? haha yeah seemed like a good topic, i thought about it on my way to class today.
I have ARBs front and rear, sometimes its nice to just be "open". I dont use my lockers unless I really need them. Tam
I know what you mean i like being unlocked, i want to stay that way for a while until i get a 9 inch and an HP 60 for the front.

The more junk thats in your axles, the more chances it has to fail. ARB's work and work well. Who needs a limited slip any way? Just one more part to fail and need rebuilding.

Have you been in the snow or mud on a hill side? tried to drive on it sideways. With a locker or limited slip your back pushs you down to to the bottom. The frontend can not pull you straight. But if you have a open rear diff. The front being locked you can steer your way out. The front end pulls you.

ARB's give you the best of both worlds.

ARB is a great concept but I have to say that I have been wheelin' with so many Jeepers who complain that their ARB's aren't working: valves, o rings, hoses, solenoids, switches, god knows what else.

i have arb front and rear, and have had pretty good luck with them.

before the arb's i had a lockright in the front, which i broke 2 of, and a no slip in the back, which i broke making a u turn on the street.

having the ability to havit my rig locked or open at the flip of a switch has been great, and something i would really miss if i had to give it up.

Have you been in the snow or mud on a hill side? tried to drive on it sideways. With a locker or limited slip your back pushs you down to to the bottom. The frontend can not pull you straight. But if you have a open rear diff. The front being locked you can steer your way out. The front end pulls you.

ARB's give you the best of both worlds.
Yeah i how it is, i was wondering about how a limited slip would be like in the snow. Since i live in Running Springs, Driving in the snow is a big deal. I also have always liked the idea of ARBs they seem to be the way to go.

ARB is a great concept but I have to say that I have been wheelin' with so many Jeepers who complain that their ARB's aren't working: valves, o rings, hoses, solenoids, switches, god knows what else.

You must be wheeling with the wrong people. :no: :D

ARB is a great concept but I have to say that I have been wheelin' with so many Jeepers who complain that their ARB's aren't working: valves, o rings, hoses, solenoids, switches, god knows what else.

Yeah the only thing i ever though would be bad would be snaging the lines on the ARB but i figure if you run all the lines nicely and take your time with it, you shouldnt have a problem, and as for the electrical, im sure its not hard to wire a switch properly, ive done that hundreds of times and im just a kid. And everything eventually craps out, its the way things work...

ARB is a great concept but I have to say that I have been wheelin' with so many Jeepers who complain that their ARB's aren't working: valves, o rings, hoses, solenoids, switches, god knows what else.

aston, What do you run in your rig? Would you recommend what your running?
BTW, still trying to figure out your avatar....slipping on a banana?

aston, What do you run in your rig? Would you recommend what your running?
BTW, still trying to figure out your avatar....slipping on a banana?
I think hes just a fan of the bannana, if you know what i mean...

I'm saving for ARBs when I do my axle swap next year... I like the idea of being open 99% of the time, and having the lockers if I need them! I'll probably try to do everything I can unlocked, but if I can't do it unlocked, at least nobody needs to get a strap out!

I'm saving for ARBs when I do my axle swap next year... I like the idea of being open 99% of the time, and having the lockers if I need them! I'll probably try to do everything I can unlocked, but if I can't do it unlocked, at least nobody needs to get a strap out!
Thats my plan. im gonna try and run open for a long while till i do my axle swaps. and then im going to have ARBs.

aston, What do you run in your rig? Would you recommend what your running?
BTW, still trying to figure out your avatar....slipping on a banana?

I seem to have little control over my avatar :rolleyes: :mad: :eek: :D

I run detroits F and R. On the road they pop and bang occasionally and the rig jumps when I shift but it doesn't bother me (for some strange reason)

Off-road they are very strong and reliable. No screwing around. The only time they sucked was on the slick rock in Moab. I got a 2 low kit to take care of that.

Detroit seem to be the #1 "full time" locker. I DD mine too so thats not gonna work for me. But thats cool that it doesnt bother you.

... I like the idea of being open 99% of the time, and having the lockers if I need them! I'll probably try to do everything I can unlocked, but if I can't do it unlocked, at least nobody needs to get a strap out!

I have never quite understood this philosophy. When I go 4 wheelin I am aired down, locked up and ready.

Its fun to see what you can do without them. It just makes it harder which is a little more fun (to some people). Plus its cool to be able to say you ran a trail open when everyone else was locked up. :)

ARB reliability is 99% install related.Poorly installed ARB's will fail and leak and the lines get snagged. I have only been out one time when the line failed. I was in Big Bear and the snow was deep enough where it bunched up under the front of the jeep and pushed the line into he exhust and melted it. I taped it together and it engaged the locker, but leaked.
turning off the ARB's in the snow is a blessing.
my ARB's have been WELL used. literally over a thousand on/off cycles. I have had to replace the relay twice in 5 years, but last time I bought 2 ($15 part) so I will probably never need one again.
I filled the diff with mud/sand a couple times and wore the seals out of my rear ARB a few years ago, but I just went to the local hardware store and poped a couple new seals on it.

I have never quite understood this philosophy. When I go 4 wheelin I am aired down, locked up and ready.

Have you never heard the people say they wish they would have stayed shorter/smaller? I see a lot of (ok well... maybe not a lot, but definitely some) people that build their rigs up too much for their type of wheeling and the types of trails they like. Then the trails are too easy for them and it looses some of the fun. I plan on building up my rig but I honestly don't know if I'll ever get extreme enough to do JV, or some of the really hard stuff. I want to keep some of the challenge by being open unless I absolutely need it. I'd like to be able to do all the tough stuff in Big Bear, and some places, but the 99% chance of body damage/roll places aren't for all of us. I know I could put a full cage, and not have to worry (as much) but I just wouldn't see that as fun. Does that help you understand that philosophy a little bit for you?

Have you never heard the people say they wish they would have stayed shorter/smaller? I see a lot of (ok well... maybe not a lot, but definitely some) people that build their rigs up too much for their type of wheeling and the types of trails they like. Then the trails are too easy for them and it looses some of the fun.

Generally speaking, the people I hear say that have poorly put together systems/components or they aren't truly interested in the maintenance that goes along with higher performance. The vast majority of those I have heard say they wished they had stayed shorter/smaller (including myself) say it in the context that the amount of lift for a given tire size should be minimized by hacking the crap out of the body. This has the effect of keeping the center of gravity lower and generally makes a rig more capable of handling off camber and climbing obstacles. I hear very few (never?) people that spend thousands of dollars to build their rigs say they regret doing it, if for no other reason than egos... Although a few have run into money trouble and sold the whole mess.

I aint never heard of too much fun, and I haven't had it yet since I installed my lockers... ?? Some folks need em, some don't...

I plan on building up my rig but I honestly don't know if I'll ever get extreme enough to do JV, or some of the really hard stuff. I want to keep some of the challenge by being open unless I absolutely need it.

That's what I said... since I decided after I had built my rig around 33s and mild wheeling, it cost a lot more in the end. And thankfully, JV is not for everyone :)

I'd like to be able to do all the tough stuff in Big Bear, and some places, but the 99% chance of body damage/roll places aren't for all of us. I know I could put a full cage, and not have to worry (as much) but I just wouldn't see that as fun. Does that help you understand that philosophy a little bit for you?

I ran with LSD's front and rear over pretty much *everything* in So Cal, the Rubicon, twice through Moab (including Pritchett Canyon minus Rocker Knocker), and never had too much problem. I did break a front axle shaft (stock) eventually, but I don't attribute that to not having a locker. If nothing else, the weak CJ stock 30 shafts and UJ's probably lasted longer without a locker. I think it all comes back to the cardinal rule of Heep - decide what you want it to do first, then start building it to do what you want. I now have ARB's in a Scout D44 housing with alloy shafts.

And finally, I recommend a full cage to anyone running on any trail where the possibility of rolling exists, which includes a myriad of trails (virtually all trails in So Cal) and anything not resembling a dirt road. To do otherwise is irresponsible. It can happen easier than you might think :)

Rick

And finally, I recommend a full cage to anyone running on any trail where the possibility of rolling exists, which includes a myriad of trails (virtually all trails in So Cal) and anything not resembling a dirt road. To do otherwise is irresponsible. It can happen easier than you might think :)

Rick

Thank you for that well thought out rebuttal! I was just trying to explain why I think that way, while I'm new to the game, I don't think I want to spoil the fun and jump trail difficulties too quickly.

I want to do a cage eventually, but would prefer a weld-in because of their strength. I don't weld (and don't have a garage to work on the Jeep in for the time being). I'm waiting to become buddies with somebody that welds! ;)

I want to do a cage eventually, but would prefer a weld-in because of their strength. I don't weld (and don't have a garage to work on the Jeep in for the time being). I'm waiting to become buddies with somebody that welds! ;)

Hey Buddy! :D :beef:

Hey Buddy! :D :beef:

Sweet... Haha, Tammy already solicited your help to weld on some control arm skids for me. I just need to purchase the beer and pizza... and of course, the control arm skids! I'm not sure which ones I want to get, because (at least for now) I'm going to be keeping my stock arms. I've heard one of them (don't remember which) don't work with the stock arms. I have rear adjustable uppers on the way for my SYE (coming tomorrow) but that's it for now. A Kilby gas skid is in the works too, just as soon as 4west gets them in. I guess their Kilby stuff is backordered, but they have ordered 4 and my name is on one of them!

I doubt I'll be able to do much before next year, since it's only 9 weeks until our wedding and in between we've got Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years... it's going to go fast!!!

Hey Buddy! :D :beef:

Hey buddy... ;)