ARB Information Links

[Brody]

Here are the many links that I used diagnosing ARB locker problems. The articles cover ARB installations, both front and rear, wiring diagrams, air locker information of all sorts, and many troubleshooting articles.

Arguably the best install/tech/review is Billa Vista:

http://pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/PR-ARB/articles/14b_ARB_install-review/

Here is probably the troubling shooting FAQ on ARBs:

Cruiser Outfitters (http://www.cruiseroutfitters.com/tech_ARB_troubleshoot.html)

These other articles/links also cover repairs, installs and other questions:

ARB Air Compressor Troubleshooting (http://www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?t=13549)

ARB Air Locker Cylinder Cap Bolts - 1 (http://www.stu-offroad.com/axle/arb/arb-11.htm)

ARB Air Locker Installation - Welcome To YotaTech's Wiki (http://yotatech.com/wiki/index.php/ARB_Air_Locker_Installation)

ARB Air Locker O-ring Installation - 1 (http://www.stu-offroad.com/axle/arb/arb-9.htm)

ARB Air Locker Wiring Diagrams (http://www.offroaders.com/tech/ARB-air-locker-diagrams.htm)

ARB airlocker (http://george4wd.taskled.com/airlocker.html)

http://www.webejeepin.com/Techtips.htm

ARB Compressor Leak Problem (http://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/212834-arb-compressor-leak-problem.html)

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/PR-ARB/articles/14b_ARB_install-review/Compressor/2102SA12%20CKSA12.pdf

ARB O-Ring Replacemnet (http://www.links4jeeps.com/writeups/arb_oring/)

http://4wheeloffroad.automotive.com/1367/75378/index.html

http://www.d-90.com/tech/arb.html

Problem with front ARB locker - Off-Road Forums & Discussion Groups (http://forums.off-road.com/jeep-short-wheelbase/192388-problem-front-arb-locker.html)

http://www.4wheeloffroad.com/howto/21459/index.html

Sonoran Steel, Sonoran Steel Custom Metal Fabrication L.L.C. Custom Toyota Truck Parts (http://www.sonoransteel.com/front_locker.html)

My own experience:

Bad front 85 Yota axle ARB issue. Air leak:

I screwed up an O ring on the differential mounting fitting. Trying to "fix it" I managed to crack the copper line on the internal ARB fitting.

Fix: Got new fitting and O ring from ARB, replaced and it has had no issues for 5 years.

Bad 2000 Tundra ARB issue. Air leaking from differential vent:

I noticed that the rear ARB was no longer engaging and that the compressor was running for long periods of time. I started at the front, checking for air leaks and moved to the back. None of the external lines were leaking, so I checked my vent line in the rear and found air blowing out of it. I replaced the internal O rings and the problem was solved.

General:

Most of the problems I have dealt with dealing with ARBs have been with cracked lines at the differential fitting where there is the most flex. Simply cutting back the damaged lines and re installing the fitting will take care if that. Hint: If you have to re use the existing fitting for some reason, you will have to cut the ARB line on both sides of the little compression fitting sleeve and then work the sleeve off. Since this has already been 'compressed', you may have to hand run a drill bit through it to deburr it.Use a razor blade and scraped the tubing a little so that the compression fitting slides over it and reinstall it.

The second most common issue I have found has been differential oil in the oil lines blocking the air. Disconnect the differential end of the air line and see if the ARB compressor with blow the fluid out. If this doesn't produce good results, take the line off of the compressor as well, shoot carb cleaner down in to the line until it cleans the oil out. Reconnect the lines.

I hope these help!

[Brody]

From Jimmy:

This deals with plumbing your ARB with SAE fittings.

Brody - Here's the write-up I mentioned this weekend. I had posted it to this site, but that was before the crash. The shop I got the parts from (I wrote this up for my old club back East, so I didn't insert the shop name) was Fiero Fluid Power in Arvada (http://www.fierofluidpower.com/).

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My situation: I purchased a rig with a rear ARB locker, ARB compressor, one ARB air solenoid valve assembly, blue 5mm air line, ARB wiring harness, and switches already installed.

Problem: I wanted to install a front ARB locker but didn't want to get buried under the expense of buying all ARB hardware (solenoid valve assembly, air line fittings, tubing, etc) to plumb it. The ARB solenoid valve alone runs on average of $50.

Solution: Plumb it with SAE components by adapting from BSPT threads to NPT threads and save a bundle.

Parts list (Read: Manufacturer, P/N, Description, my cost from local fluid power supplier):

MAC, 35A-AAA-DDBA-1BA, 12v solenoid and valve using 1/8" NPT ports, $17.50. (See http://george4wd.taskled.com/airlocker.html)
Pisco, PC1/4-01, 1/4" OD tube push-in fitting with 1/8" BSPT, $1.82 ea
(equivalent: Nycoil, Q6842)
Pisco, PC1/4-N1U, 1/4" OD tube push-in fitting with 1/8" NPT, $1.77 ea
(equivalent: Nycoil, 56842)
Arrow Pneumatics, 9071, 1/8" NPT brass element filter, $5.75. (This was much larger than I wanted as it's an inline filter; a better and cheaper filter would be one not designed to be inline) ***EDIT - They do have a simple brass plug filter, but I don't have the p/n handy. If I run across it (I think I bought a spare and may have a p/n for it), I'll update this.
Freelin Wade, 1A-201-01, 1/4" OD .040" wall nylon tubing, $.29/ft (I used 10ft.)
(Any 1/4" OD nylon tubing that's flexible and rated to an appropriate PSI will do.)
Industrial Specialties Mfg., BSNMBT-18MM, 1/8" BSPT male to 1/8" NPT male fitting/union, $11.05.
(If you would prefer 1/8" BSPT male to 1/8" NPT female, that's p/n BFNRBT-18MM and cost $8.20)

To begin the work starting at the ARB compressor, I prefered using an adapter to get from 1/8" BSPT to 1/8" NPT. Some say because the TPI is so close (28 and 27 respectively) that you can get away with cramming an NPT male fitting with lots of pipe dope into a BSPT female hole and not have it leak, but I decided against that as I didn't want to ruin the threads in the ARB compressor if the fitting had to be removed and reinstalled more than once (which I did do and will explain). So, to mount the MAC valve that has 1/8" NPT ports to the 1/8" BSPT port on the ARB compressor, I used an adapter fitting. Here's the only problem I encountered: The port on the valve is shallow and the fitting is too long to screw into the valve and create a leak-free union. I shortened the fitting on the NPT side and no problems. On my particular compressor, the MAC solenoid valve assembly threaded onto the fitting with the ARB solenoid valve assembly already mounted (they're both on the same end of the compressor). There was just enough clearance to spin the MAC assembly on without hitting the ARB assembly.

Next, thread a 1/8" NPT push-in fitting into the #2 port (outlet) on the MAC valve. Insert the 1/4" OD tubing into the fitting and route the tubing to the locker. You can also install the filter now into the #3 port on the valve.

My used ARB locker had the push-in fitting for the 5mm tubing. I removed that from the fitting/elbow that remains on the housing and threaded on the conversion push-in fitting which has 1/8" BSPT threads and made for 1/4" OD tubing. Insert the tubing and it's plumbed.

Last item is to wire the MAC solenoid to the ARB harness. I used two female spade terminals (already had those lying around the garage, so no cost calculated on them) on the MAC wires and plugged it into the male spades on the ARB harness. The fit was very snug so I have no concerns that it will come apart through vibration, etc.

So for $40.79 w/o tax, I was able to convert from metric to standard pieces and plumb the second locker for less than the cost of one ARB solenoid valve. What's great is that the tubing is a common size; the 5mm tubing used by ARB is not something a local shop will have.

There are plenty of ways to plumb an ARB locker. This just happens to be the method I chose. If you want to use a CO2 tank, I ran across this write-up (http://www.homestead.com/sparkgap/OnBoardAir.html) which shows the MAC solenoid valve I used and applies the same concept of using 1/4" OD tubing.