ARB Leaking

[metzican]

Ok, So I have the locker for the M205 on pre-order. I just stopped by the one decent off road shop in my area. He gave me a quote for re gearing and installing the locker but that is for a different thread. The guy that runs the shop informed me that he will not warranty the ARB air locker. This is due to every 8-12 months he says that it will start leaking and he will have to go in and replace the seal. My question for you guys is. Does this sound right. That seems like a short period of time. If this is true maybe I should learn how to do all this work myself since I won't have to pay him to fix it that often. Have you guys heard of this problem? Know any solutions. Does it sound like he might not be doing it correctly if this happens this often.

Derrick

 

[metzican]

I just found this article with this quote

"So what causes an Air Locker to leak? Most of the time it is a poor installation job."

http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/21459/

 

[Silver dude]

I've had a bad ring on mine once. But, it was prior to the ARB redesign. They had o-rings they have phased them out with X-type double seal o-rings. I haven't had a issue since (2 years) knocks on wood. I know the one I have in there now is slightly tore up as I inspected it awhile ago. I must have crimped it while installing it the tolerances are really tight. However, it doesn't leak at all. I'm pretty confident in the design of their seal rings. I wouldn't worry about it personally. Seems odd they would refuse to warranty it though.

Ben

 

[drbandkgb]

To me it sounds like they do not want to do the work and are trying to talk you out of it

 

[Silver dude]

As long as they warranty their gear work I'd say you have nothing to worry about. If they are installing the seal rings properly they should last no issue.

 

[Prime]

Speaking of this. I've never had an ARB before. Is it normal for the compressor to kick on for a second every 15-20 minutes when the locker is engaged? If not, it sounds like I have an air leak somewhere. That's very slow.

 

[Silver dude]

You have your locker engaged 15-20mins? That's usually quite rare. Usually its on when you need it to clear a obstacle then off when you don't. It will buzz up with air then cut out. Then I can engage and both lockers without the compressor kicking back in. When I had a leak the compressor would cycle every 60 seconds to keep up with the leak. After fixing it it hasn't had to cycle while using my lockers. There is a specification in the manual that gives you a time between cycles to determine if you have a leak.

Ben

 

[knightrider]

You probably have a very small leak if the compressors kicking on, try soapy water on all the joints. Look for bubbles

 

[Prime]

You have your locker engaged 15-20mins? That's usually quite rare. Usually its on when you need it to clear a obstacle then off when you don't. It will buzz up with air then cut out. Then I can engage and both lockers without the compressor kicking back in. When I had a leak the compressor would cycle every 60 seconds to keep up with the leak. After fixing it it hasn't had to cycle while using my lockers. There is a specification in the manual that gives you a time between cycles to determine if you have a leak.

Ben

The only time I've used it that long is when in really deep soft sand at the beach.

 

[rokdaddy]

Speaking of this. I've never had an ARB before. Is it normal for the compressor to kick on for a second every 15-20 minutes when the locker is engaged? If not, it sounds like I have an air leak somewhere. That's very slow.

If you're keeping the locker engaged for that long you should expect to have a small but constant leak. The system was designed for intermittent use and the seals aren't all that good for holding air for long periods. I doubt that it will hurt anything if you run them for extended periods (in soft sand and mud), you will just have to live with the compressor recharging the system every once in a while. What kind of pressure switch are you using and what is it's min and max pressures?

-Rok

 

[rokdaddy]

Also, I'm assuming that you're running the compressor without a storage tank. Recharges will be much further apart even with a small reservoir.

-Rok

 

[granitex]

Occasionally recharging the system is no big deal, I need to put a new seal in my front,, pretty sure that I nicked it when I put it in originally. But the rear has been non stop, problem free for years.

 

[Silver dude]

Occasionally recharging the system is no big deal, I need to put a new seal in my front,, pretty sure that I nicked it when I put it in originally. But the rear has been non stop, problem free for years.

Exactly the same thing going on here. Them front seals are tricky.

 

[dhyde79]

Wait...cannot leave ARB engaged the whole time you're wheeling? Well hell...guess that means it's time to start looking for a different option for mine. I don't like having to stop/slow down/wait for my locker to fully engage, nor the potential for damage that'd come with having it not fully engaged before mounting an obstacle.

 

[rokdaddy]

Wait...cannot leave ARB engaged the whole time you're wheeling? Well hell...guess that means it's time to start looking for a different option for mine. I don't like having to stop/slow down/wait for my locker to fully engage, nor the potential for damage that'd come with having it not fully engaged before mounting an obstacle.

You may want to see if you can try out a locker on a friends rig before installing one in your own. A locked rear axle can turn a nimble offroader into an non-responsive tank. A locked front axle can be down right dangerous if you don't have much experience with them.

I cant imagine wanting to wheel around all day with a diff locked, especially if I have the option to unlock it. I guess it would be more tolerable in a dedicated rock rig with some decent power but selectable lockers seem to be the best choice for general trail riding.

-Rok

 

[Prime]

I left mine locked most of the time when I went to the beach a few weeks ago. No issues. And at nXm I only locked it when I needed to.

 

[dhyde79]

You may want to see if you can try out a locker on a friends rig before installing one in your own. A locked rear axle can turn a nimble offroader into an non-responsive tank. A locked front axle can be down right dangerous if you don't have much experience with them. I cant imagine wanting to wheel around all day with a diff locked, especially if I have the option to unlock it. I guess it would be more tolerable in a dedicated rock rig with some decent power but selectable lockers seem to be the best choice for general trail riding. -Rok

I have a '10 offroad, I have a rear locker already, I generally turn it on before approaching any rock trails or flexy trails just to ensure there aren't any issues...I want to run a front locker the same way, disengage at the flip of a switch if I need to, but, I shouldn't have to cut it off after a certain amount of time to keep it from ruining the seals....

 

[metzican]

I don't see why anyone would wan't to run a rocker all the time, I have very seldom come across an area where over 5-10mins would I need a locker without turning it off. Also at higher speeds when would you need a locker? Only thing I can think of is mud and we all know how that is.

 

[rokdaddy]

I left mine locked most of the time when I went to the beach a few weeks ago. No issues. And at nXm I only locked it when I needed to.

If you're in soft sand all day, I'm sure it will be just fine. It's when you start making turns on hardpack or rock at higher speeds that lockers start to work against you.

-Rok

 

[rokdaddy]

I have a '10 offroad, I have a rear locker already, I generally turn it on before approaching any rock trails or flexy trails just to ensure there aren't any issues...I want to run a front locker the same way, disengage at the flip of a switch if I need to, but, I shouldn't have to cut it off after a certain amount of time to keep it from ruining the seals....

Engaging the air locker won't wear out the seals any faster... the seals are always "running" when the diff is rotating.

Keep an eye on front lockers though, if your tires get good traction on both sides the front axle will resist turning. Lot's of people have gotten themselves in big trouble that way. I think that may be why the auto manufacturers only install them on the rear axles.

-Rok

 

[dhyde79]

Engaging the air locker won't wear out the seals any faster... the seals are always "running" when the diff is rotating. Keep an eye on front lockers though, if your tires get good traction on both sides the front axle will resist turning. Lot's of people have gotten themselves in big trouble that way. I think that may be why the auto manufacturers only install them on the rear axles. -Rok

Except for jeeps you mean?

Yeah, I know, I don't wanna run locked all the time, but, in snow it could be very helpful, in mud/sand/rocks too...and, as Mac can attest, my local wheeling grounds are all fairly soft...

 

[rokdaddy]

Except for jeeps you mean?

Yup, I paused when I typed that but I was kinda rushed. Late model Jeeps are one of the few exceptions. I had three steaks on the grill and I was trying to reply quickly so I wouldn't overcook them.

Soft sand makes things much easier (as you obviously know). I kinda assumed that you do a lot of soft sand wheeling out there; I went to school in Lubbock in the early nineties and we took a bunch of weekend trips around Amarillo.

Just thought I would throw the warning out there... I had a buddy who flopped his truck into a creek when he let his guard down with a front locker. I think that is also how cyclemutt ended up with his "topless" X.

Have fun out there... I wish I had the long wheeling season that y'all have.

-Rok

 

[dhyde79]

Yup, I paused when I typed that but I was kinda rushed. Late model Jeeps are one of the few exceptions. I had three steaks on the grill and I was trying to reply quickly so I wouldn't overcook them. Soft sand makes things much easier (as you obviously know). I kinda assumed that you do a lot of soft sand wheeling out there; I went to school in Lubbock in the early nineties and we took a bunch of weekend trips around Amarillo. Just thought I would throw the warning out there... I had a buddy who flopped his truck into a creek when he let his guard down with a front locker. I think that is also how cyclemutt ended up with his "topless" X. Have fun out there... I wish I had the long wheeling season that y'all have. -Rok

No worries there, I'm not a throttle happy wheeling type...

 

[Silver dude]

No worries there, I'm not a throttle happy wheeling type...

Yeah most factory selectable lockers are only able to be activated in low range.

ARB's are anytime like those rainy or snowy days on the way home from work when you want to practice your drift skills... not that I recommend or have ever done such a thing...

Ben

 

[Prime]

hehe yeah never done that before

 

[SteeevO]

I run ARB and I run engage it as needed. I've also known people to wheel locked front and rear arbs all the times. Its totally fine.
I wouldn't worry about the compressor kicking on for a few seconds every 15 minutes or so. If its constantly running then you have other problems.
One of the big things is to make sure the seal is well lubricated during install.
After the ARB install last year in the pathfinder its been working flawlessly. No leaks and no seal replacements. And im on the trail using it extremely often.

Sent while mobile, typos likely.

 

[dhyde79]

Yeah most factory selectable lockers are only able to be activated in low range. ARB's are anytime like those rainy or snowy days on the way home from work when you want to practice your drift skills... not that I recommend or have ever done such a thing... Ben

Well, I'm fixing that 4LO only thing, but, regardless, I don't like wheelspin

 

[Prime]

Wheelspin can be a whole heap of fun in the right situation

 

[dhyde79]

Wheelspin can be a whole heap of fun in the right situation

Donuts/drifting in sand, agreed, also snow...