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OX or ARB

MoparManiac said:
I also dont think the ox covers are anything special.

I love my ARB covers on the other hand.

IMAG0346.jpg
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I saw one of those get crushed into the ring gear the last time I was out wheeling. The whole truggy did drop off of a big ledge onto the cover though... :scared:
 
I'd be much more tempted to do an ARB in the next rig if they had a way to keep it locked without air. The short-lived T-locker had a mode where the air would de-actuate the locker so if your air supply failed, it'd default back to locked. Much cooler.
 
arb covers are ugly.

thats my contribution to this thread
 
I had issues with my cable actuated ox and then converted it to air. No hassle, works great but its more expensive in the long run than an arb. Plus it has big actuator stikcing out of the side of the diff cover I had to build my own skid plate of the cover for.
 
MoparManiac said:
No playing with levers, adjusting cables, or being limited by the bend radius of cables on where to mount levers.
Click to expand...


I think all that is over-hyped.



I am a fairly novice mechanic, and have never had any issues with the cable (outside me being a dumb ass and making a very poor routing choice on the first one, and melting it). The adjustment is super simple and takes about 3 minutes.



If the ARB truly does lock instantly (I'm guessing the internal design is fundamentally different from the OX with regards to the lock collar), then that would be a definite advantage.
 
MoparManiac said:
OBA can also fill up my tires
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Which is good, because your tires suck. :dunce:

MoparManiac said:
What else does the cable do?
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It doesn't spring leaks, and it lets you actuate your locker with vice grips if you have to.

The ARB engagement is faster, but the only time it's supposed to be done 'on the fly' is if both tires are already spinning. If you're doing a one-wheel-peel and hit the air, sure it might suddenly liock the other wheel in, but it's pretty horrible for the internal parts. They call that 'crash locking' and it rounds off the engagement teeth and eventualy they'll start to skip. It's also a pretty obvious form of damage and I know they get real picky if you try to warranty something that died from crash locking.

Some models handle it better than others though.
 
So with either of the lockers do you have issues with tree branches taking out the airline or cable? I wheel on old logging roads sometimes and always end up with trees branches/sticks everywhere. Between wheel spokes, between rotors and backing plates, wedged between the tranny and floor, even stuck in the u-joint's and steering, they get everywhere and some are pretty big.
 
MoparManiac said:
OBA can also fill up my tires or many other uses.

What else does the cable do?
Click to expand...


MoparManiac said:
I don't have to adjust an ARB.

Period.
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I don't think the 3 minutes it takes to adjust the cable upon install is really much of a consideration, considering the technical expertise and time it takes to install a selectable locker.

Like I said, I think the hype about the difficulty with the cable is just that, it's over-hyped. For anyone who has the skill to install OBA, run air lines, wire the the switch required to activate the air locker, and install the locker itself...

the cable adjustment on the OX would be a very simple part of the installation.

I don't see how it's an issue or a consideration at all when choosing between lockers. If you already have, or want or need OBA, that would be a consideration (I don't want or need it). But 3 minutes of adjustments in the overall installation job is not much to consider (IMO).


On the other hand, if I could have activated the ARB when I was deep in boulders on Old Sluice, where my OX would not activate, I definitely see an advantage there. But, being the newb I am to selectable lockers (this OX is my first), it may have been user error on my part.


I'm not trying to sell the OX over the ARB... I don't own stock in the company. Just giving my opinion that the issues with the OX cable are over hyped.
 
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cherokeefan_1 said:
So with either of the lockers do you have issues with tree branches taking out the airline or cable? I wheel on old logging roads sometimes and always end up with trees branches/sticks everywhere. Between wheel spokes, between rotors and backing plates, wedged between the tranny and floor, even stuck in the u-joint's and steering, they get everywhere and some are pretty big.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't expect tree branches to interfere with the OX cable anymore than they would interfere with your brake lines.

If this is for a front axle, then, where the cable enters the Diff cover might exposed. It enters on the side of the diff cover. If you hit that with a strong branch with any speed, I would think you would damage it.

For my set up though, where the cable enters the diff is pretty well protected by the tie-rod. My tie rod is low. If you had an over the knuckle tie rod I don't think you'd have the same protection.
 
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