rubicon air locker wiring...

Got a 03 rubicon front axle that I'm swapping into my 93 xj. Going to continue to use the factory air locker, but am missing some of the wiring. Included with the axle I got the factory air pumps (2, maybe one for the front and one for back, not sure?) and also have the wiring that goes from the pumps to the axle itself. However, I dont have the wiring that goes from the pump to the switch (in the cab). After going to/calling three different jeep dealers, it appears the wiring harness is not available to purchase. They also didnt have a diagram that showed the wiring.

I am ok with making the wiring myself, but am not sure exactly what it entails. I would assume that I would just use a simple "rocker switch" (on/off), but from there am not sure if the system uses a relay or what else. Has anybody done this swap and know what to do? I am about out of ideas here. Any information helps, thanks.

You could just run a 12volt compressor. Any old compressor will do. Get a compressor, small tank and a pressure switch.

Or you could search the Rubicon Owners forum. Those folks probably have your answers if you want to use the factory rubicon stuff.

Sorry it is so big, but, here is the digram for the wiring to the pumps with the relays. S217 and S216 are continuations to another page with the axle lock switch, you could just use any switch to complete the the ground side of the relay control circuit. "BATT A88" recieves 12v from fuse 24 (20A) in the Power Distribution Center, any 12v source will do though. Also you could use the locker indicator switch on the diff housing and wire that into an indicator lamp on the dash or wherever you mount your control switch to show when it is actually locked.

The Rubi lockers work on @6-8 psi!You can ditch alot of the factory wiring(interlocks/indication).

If you have two factory compressors then you are in good shape. You have a spare.All the factory wiring diagrams did was confuse my install because they are not complete or acurate and it shows wires going into the factory wiring abyiss. What I did was strip all wires on the pump and then connected I think the pink wire to a switched 12v. Then 6psi came out of the compressor. This went to the bulkhead air line and it locks. The wires coming out of the diff are a switch that closes when your locker is locked. I belive the factory used this signal to also to controll the compressor but I could not get straight ansers from factory schematics so I use it only for an in-cab indicator light. I run my compressor full time when I want it locked. You will get 10 diferent opinions on how this should work but trust me nobody knows for sure. I believe the factory microprocessor reads the diff switch and uses that signal to turn on a solinoid that is built into the pump to let it free flow. I could not verify this so I let my pump run all the time and have had no problems yet except when synthetic gear lube swelled the internal air line and I had to replace it with regular vacuum hose. Good luck and I can look to see what color wire I used on my pump to turn on the locker if I can escape Salt Lake tommorrow. The scematic led me to belive different than what i had to use so do some experimenting and don't trust what I or anybody else has done because there are differences in the pumps and wiring colors. You would think somthing so dam simple would be straight forward but it's not if you read the service manuals. And yes you must use the factory pump or spend a furtune on two regulators. One to drop it to about 20psi and another expensive low pressure regulator to get a consistant low pressure. Not worth it when the factory pump is perfect.

thanks for the help so far guys...

Stumpalump...you said "you run the compressor full time when you want it locked"...so i assume you have two switches in the cab total then, correct? one that turns on the pump, and another which activates the locker? just went out and looked at my pumps. On each pump there is a set of three wires (black, pink, and red) and another set of two (red and green). You think the pink wire is the one that turns on the compressor? So I would assume the black is ground, and the red would engage the locker itself? So when I switch on the second switch (connected to the red wire) that would send the psi from the compressor to the axle/locker?

So what are the red and green wires in the other set for? My guess would be for the indicator light...simply a positive and ground?

Thanks again for all help.

I run one switched 12v to the pink wire and black to ground. When the compressor is on it pumps up locker. When I turn it off it vents and unlocks. Rig up a tire guage to the out put so you can actually watch the pressure. You can get the pump to run but no air comes out with the red wire. The way I believe but can't prove it's suposed to work is compicated and I was afraid it may bang unlocked when under load. I think the factory uses a dash switch that controls the computer. The user turns on the dash switch and the computer reads that the diff switch is un locked so it sends 12v to the pink wire. When it reads the diff switch is closed it switches the 12 v to the red energizing the solinoid that lets the pump free flow while holding pressure. If the pressure drops a little and it reads that the diff switch is open then it opens the red and powers the pink to keep it pumped and closed. Like I said nobody can prove this so I let mine run all the time. You can hear the little pump bog down but you are sure it will stay fully locked. I still think the diff switch is a controll for the pump because it won't close untill the locker is fully locked. It will open befor the locker unlocks and this is why I believe it's used as a controll for the red wire. If I'm wrong and it's not then the locker could explode because it comes part unlocked under load. I won't take the chance so when I want it locked then the pump runs all the time. I asked 20 people and got 20 ansewers. Mine is 21 but it works at the expense of running the pump all the time I want it locked. So far so good and you have a spare pump.

ok pretty much makes sense...so just to clarify...you run only ONE switch to the pink wire, correct. Thus, when you flip the switch it first turns on the compressor, then pumps up the locker. Then you're saying "by leaving the compressor on the whole time" that the compressor just continues to run while your one switch is on...constantly running the psi from the pump into the axle, right? And when you turn off the switch, it vents and unlocks...how fast does it vent and unlock completely?

So by that, I take it you are not using the red wire for anything? I guess my question is why not run the red wire to a switch as well as the pink. You said that when you run power to the red wire it turns on the compressor, but air does not run down the line. So when you're going to go wheeling, you could first turn on the switch (connected to the red wire), which would make the pump run. Then when you needed to engage the locker, you could press a second switch (connected to pink wire) which would send the PSI to the axle and lock the locker. That way you would have the pump running and maintaining the PSI the whole time so it would be there when you need it. Or does it pretty much lock up instantly with the pink wire/switch, so you dont need to run the red wire? Seems like there must be a way to figure out the wires exactly, so that the pump will turn on, or shut off, as needed in order to maintain the proper PSI to the locker.

Sorry for all the questions, I'm just trying to get this right and you seem to be the only one with some answers. I guess if you wouldnt mind, if you could tell me what each one of your wires is connected to (or not for that matter?) it would be much appreciated.

bump...stumpalump? anyone?

It unlocks in seconds. Pm sent.