I stopped into my local 4x4 shop and was talking to the owner about ARB lockers. First, he said he could get then, but he would not install them. Then he said he didn't like them and that they caused other components to break. Then he said they were unreliable and unsafe - that they could lock inadvertantly and cause damage to the vehicle. Of course, a story followed about somebody that works at his shop having a locker inadvertantly engage on the road, "tearing both control arms off his TJ".

Is there any truth to this, or should I find a new shop?

 

Either tell the guy to stop babbling incesssantly or find a new shop. The only way an ARB air locker can engage is if you put enough pressure into it's air line. Locking it in the middle of a tight turn at high speed could cause loss of control but otherwise I see no reason that it would cause an accident, much less tear control arms off. Now as far as how reliable those lockers are, that all depends on the competency of the installer. Either they work and last forever or they constantly blow seals and never hold.

My 2¢, never listen to someone who drives a Jeep...

 

I agree, LMAO.

 

Hey! I used to drive a Jeep hehehe key phrase... "I USED TO" I had a '93 Jeep Wrangler, and that damn thing was the biggest piece of junk i've driven (compared to my 4Runner ) Every other week or so it would break down and I would have to spend $200 or $300 to fix it, I'm a college student and I can't afford that, so I sold it and bought my 4Runner It cost me a bit more, but it's definitely made up for it

So i'm also Anti-Jeep unless you have the money to dump into it

As far as the ARB Lockers are concerned, I don't see how some lockers inadvertently locking while driving could tear off both control arms. From what i've heard/read ARB Makes quality products and stands by them. I personally wouldn't listen to a shop owner who refuses to sell you something, I was told by an employee at a local 4Wheel Parts that he refuses to sell anyone Edelbrock IAS Shocks, he wouldn't give a solid reason or anything, and then I come to this forum and find that they are awesome, so in my experience atleast most employees at these places don't really know what they're talking about and more often than not, they're trying to sell you something more expensive.

-Braden

 

Ok i have never heard of the air locker inadvertantly locking.The guys that have the air lockers love them. I don"t see any way it would rip the control arms. Maybe break a u joint or axle but not the control arms. Plus most part guy don"t know ˟˟˟˟˟ about car or trucks.:mad:

 

I wouldn't say the guy at your local shop is stupid but he's definitely ignorant of the facts relative to today’s ARB lockers. He might even be a BSer as you have to have the compressor engaged to actuate the lockers, without air pressure an air locker can't engage. I’ve run ARB’s for years and currently my 01 Tundra has both front & rear ARB lockers. Neither I nor any of my 4X4 associates have ever experienced any type of problems with the lockers themselves. Years ago, the ARB compressor solenoid would go out once or twice a year but that’s been corrected. Ten (10) years ago you always had to have a spare solenoid in the backcountry – just in case (Murphy Insurance). Today, the compressor is top notch. Like Shane advised, you can run into trouble with the on-demand lockers if you fail to follow proper operating procedure. It’s basic common sense really, such as, you shouldn’t engage your air lockers while cornering or when your wheels are spinning – you can and most people with air lockers have violated procedure a time or two with no adverse effect as surface conditions have a lot to do with “damage control”- but – when ole man Murphy is your passenger - he will kick your butt. The ARB air locker is one strong puppy so what normally will break is an axle if one tire has solid traction and the other is spinning at high RPMs and if your cornering with the front axle locked up, you're creating a high torque load across your axle shafts and CV's, which might give way if your on a high traction surface. Another point - don’t expect to be able to immediately disengage your air lockers when they’re under a torque load. Again, they are on-demand lockers but common sense has to prevail. IMO on-demand lockers are the only way to go and ARB is second to no other on-demand locker on the market today and what I mean by that statement is all the other on-demand lockers might be just as strong/good but their not any better.

 

Find a different shop or ship your diffs to Kong's 4X4.

 

I call Bull on this.

I have dual ARB's and have yet to have any locker related problems with them. The air line is a different story.

As far as I am concerned, the ARB is the best locker if you see snow and ice at all. Buy a third, stick it in, run the lines and you can cut doughnuts like a pro. No mods to the housing, no fussing with wiring harnesses to plug here and there, just install the compressor, run the lines and lock it up.

Not to mention that I have no idea how the ARB magically locking could rip off the control arms, ask him to explain that to you.