ARB Air Locker Disconnect

How does the ARB air locker bleed off air to unlock the diffs?

Thanks.

back through the solenoid that actuated it.

That's what I figured, just wasn't seeing it.

Thanks.

I use 3 way pneumatic switches instead of electric solenoids.
In the off position the air stops at the switch and the air line to the axle is connected to the airline leaving the switch to a diffuser that vents under the hood instead of at the switch in my cab.
So when its on it connects the incoming air to the axle to engage locker and when turned off blocks off the incoming air and vents the air out of the line to the axle. If your air line gets broke and loses pressure to the axle it unlocks.

With careful routing and zip ties I have never broke one but still I used air brake line and p.t.c. fittings so my line would be tough and pull out of the fitting before getting a hole in it making it easy to repair.

But yours is not the standard set up correct?

OutkastBoss said:

With careful routing and zip ties I have never broke one but still I used air brake line and p.t.c. fittings so my line would be tough and pull out of the fitting before getting a hole in it making it easy to repair.

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I had considered using stainless braided teflon hose for mine then read on ARB website (or a vendor?) recommending against using stronger than standard hose. They want the hose to fail in lieu of the fittings in the diff being stressed. Hoses are an EZ fix compared to fittings. Of course, any of it should be properly routed regardless.

From experience if you rub through plastic, your eventually going to rub through stainless. It's just a matter of when. Proper routing and attachment points are going to be the only thing that keeps your line from snagging or breaking.

Mine is a custom setup none of it is arb parts except for inside the diff but I figured it was a good example of how the lockers switch off/on.

The electric arb solenoids are more likely to fail than the manual pneumatic switch I use. They essentially work the same way except they vent right at the solenoid since they are remote from the switch outside cabin. I don't have the air locker PSHHH! noise when turning them off since when it vents it travels out from the switch through an airline to the engine compartment w a diffuser on it.

With the P.T.C. (push to connect) fittings the tougher air brake line is meant to pull out of the fitting without damaging the fitting or the air line.
The stainless arb ones would likely damage the fittings since they don't break away like ptc fittings and that would be a major p.i.t.a.. Most of my setup came from an air ride suspension company. Really though proper routing is key, mine have never actually got caught and been pulled on.

Whatever you use for air line if you have an area you think might rub you can run it through a section of bigger hose as a protective sleeve.

Roger that..

OutkastBoss said:

Whatever you use for air line if you have an area you think might rub you can run it through a section of bigger hose as a protective sleeve.

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I wrap all my ARB blue line with the (1/4" I think) clear tubing that you get at Home Depot for added protection. Of course, proper routing is the key to begin with.

I'm not finding a vent for the rear diff (8.25). Early onset blindness? Want to extend the vent hose.

The vent is the brake line hold-down bolt.

Digger87xj said:

The vent is the brake line hold-down bolt.

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Thank you.

I vented my 8.25 up inside the fuel door .
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showpost.php?p=245729426&postcount=69

Is a regulator and/or pressure gauge required for the ARB Compressor/Lockers?

I am curious about what people will answer with because even arb has been inconsistent with the answer from what I have seen. And everyone else varies it seems. Depends on how you set it up and apparently who you talk to if it needs a regulator or not.

From old ARB installation manual:
"Must supply a minimum of 85PSI [586kPa]. c
The supply must never exceed 105PSI [724kPa].
The Air source should have a tank capacity that enables it to actuate the Air Locker(s) in one charge so that no hesitation is experienced when locking one or two differentials.
HINT : A good way to insure that you have the necessary capacity is to make sure you can engage, disengage, and then reengage your Air Locker(s) without the air source having to regenerate (e.g., without the compressor turning on to refill the tank).
Must supply clean air, free of rust, dirt, water, or other foreign matter. c Must match the 1/8” BSP porting of the Air Locker solenoid. "

This was the range I saw most and went with it. Arb warned in that manual that damage could happen if you exceed those levels and I read that a few other places as well.

But to confuse you arb has this as well that says it can be much higher:
http://arbusa.wordpress.com/2011/05/25/air-locker-pressures/

This poll shows the majority of people are in the range I used.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/general-4x4-discussion/115237-arb-operating-pressure.html

It seems a lot of people run 150 at the tank and regulate down to like 85-95 psi. this and a bigger air tank would be good for tire filling or blow gun and possible tool use.

I remember people talking about ruining seals with too much pressure but here is another that says you can run higher.
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1034368

Fourwheeler magazine says "Air Lockers shouldn’t be activated with less than 100 psi, but are safe and durable for up to 150-psi activations."

There you go like I said a bunch of conflicting answers. I will post up what I did.

I mistakenly ran 150 psi straight to the front and it blew out the internal bonded seal. Which meant pulling the locker and taking it apart to replace it. The seal was fine, but the high pressure pushed it out of the housing so it leaked. It was stupid, I was re-doing some of the air lines on the tank and manifold and ended up bypassing the regulator.

I now have a 2.5 gal tank and a wilkerson regulator/separator set to 90psi. I can engage/disengage both lockers many times before the compressor kits in. The set point on the compressor is 120psi for it to cycle on and 150psi to shut off.

My setup originally had a Warn spc air compressor (junk) rated for 150psi and I set it up on a switch that turned off at 145 and research said it needed to be regulated.

The Warn compressor couldn't handle that and slowly failed so I worked my way down to the lowest rated 12 volt switch that was still in the recommended range I saw reoccurring the most (105off-85on). Where it probably doesn't actually need the regulator.

When the Warn failed I got a viair off C.L. I kept the 105off- 85 on pressure switch and still used a 5 gallon tank that I used since I wanted the initial burst to fill tires. If you aren't filling tires or using a blow nozzle to try and fill an airbed then I would use a smaller one you could hide inside the fender or something. I don't think I would carry air tools even if I could run them.

I have an unregulated hookup going to my coiled air hose for my tire chuck that reaches all four tires. And switch the chuck for the blow nozzle for dusting the xj and filling airbeds. I always thought it would be fun to get a siphon nozzle so I can turn our 5 gallon water jug and o.b.a. into a squirt gun lol.

And since I intended to run a 150 psi switch I have a regulated output going to the air switches I forgot where I had it set (someone just recently moved it) but I think it was between 85 and 95. 95 was referred to by some as the sweet spot and is right in the middle of what I have available .

It takes a minute to fill up but I can switch the lockers off and on more times than I care to count before the compressor kicks on and since I use a schrader valve for a tank drain I can fill it with any tire chuck and run my lockers all day with a failed compressor. No chance of filling tires like that though. Having the big tank is nice for not having the compressor kick on very much but without a higher rated pressure switch and better compressor the relatively low psi in the 5 gal. tank isn't that impressive of an initial burst when filling 33" tires and sucks to fill an airbed with.

Make sure your tank has a relief valve rated above your pressure switch and below your tanks burst rating. I would figure as close to the high end of the pressure switch would be best. (you probably knew a lot of this)

I also added a relief valve after the air regulator at the beginning of the airline going to the locker switches before they split into 2 I am pretty sure it is rated at 100. the idea was if someone messed with my regulator or it failed I wouldn't blow out the seals in the ARB which I am now unsure was a real threat anymore lol.

If I was to revise mine right now I would get a really nice compressor. I would set the switch setup at 150 or maybe more depending on how awesome the nicer compressors are. I would set regulator to 95 for the lockers and enjoy an unregulated 5 gallons of 150 psi or more initial burst backed up by a high quality compressor for my tire filling and etc..

I am definitely adding a water/air filter after the regulator I think.

(I fell asleep after typing this and posted it when I woke up) if he blew his seals at 150 some of those references are dead wrong. I wonder if the newer versions are why some ratings seem to be dangerously high.

Sorry guys.. I fell prey to the "ask the forum before doing some research" syndrome.

This is the CKMA12

Direct from ARB website: http://store.arbusa.com/ARB-On-Board-High-Performance-12-Volt-Air-Compressor-CKMA12-P3572.aspx

"Air Locker™ supply rated pressure switch".
"Pressure switch controlled air manifold systems specially designed to suit ARB Air Locker™ equipped vehicles."

So it's already regulated for the correct air pressure to the lockers.. shoulda known.

Also from ARB: "It has enough output to air up four 35" - 37" tires in a single duty cycle and typically airs up a 35" tire in just over two minutes."

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.